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Growing Swedish Ivy
By Brenda Hyde
My mom gave me a Swedish Ivy years ago and it
took me a long time to figure out what the name of
it was, even though it was one of my favorite plants.
I also had to go through much trial and error when I
first started growing it. She didn't know why hers did
so well, while mine look spindly and dull. At last I
figured out it needed more light than I was giving it
and a little extra care!
Plectranthus australis is a member of
the mint family, and it's not an ivy, which is rather odd,
since it's called Swedish Ivy. It's actually related to coleus.
It needs direct, but filtered light, or indirect bright light.
One of the major things I
learned in growing a nice plant, is to pinch it back on a
regular basis so that it becomes nice and full. It also
needs to be turned daily so that all sides receive equal
sunlight. I hung mine on the porch in the warm weather
where it really did well in the fresh air and sunlight. Be
sure you give it good light and air circulation.
Swedish Ivy do tend to get woody as they get older and
eventually need to be replaced. Take a nice section
of cutting and root it in water, and you will have a young
plant to start over with. They need to be kept evenly moist,
but not too dry or wet. If they start looking spindly you need
to move it to a sunnier spot, and keep pinching it back to help
promote new growth. Again, the pinching is a crucial thing in
keeping your Swedish Ivy looking nice.
About The Author
Brenda Hyde is a freelance writer living on ten acres in rural Michigan with her husband and three kids. Stop by and visit her garden blog, Garden of Grace & Whimsy, and her photography blog, A Dance of Words & Photos.
SeptemberLady "Born and have lived in Southern MD most of my life. My husband and I just finished building a new home on the family farm, where I hope to retire in the near future.
My interests: Doll collecting, cookbook collector (especially old ones), antiques, family/friend get-togethers, cooking/baking, flower and vegetable gardening, bird-watching."
Memorial Day: Backyard Grilling Memorial Day signals the start of barbecue season. Everyone wants to light that fire and charcoal that first meal. A few tips might pre- vent your entree from becoming a "Burnt Offering."
Read these tips for plenty of grilling ideas, make this year's barbecue perfect!
Growing and Using Garlic Chives Garlic chives, Allium tuberosum, is a hardy perennial (Zones 3-9) that will grow to about 12 inches high. The stems are skinnier and flat, instead of hollow as are regular chives, with greenish white blooms that are about an inch wide and not as rounded. They bloom in the summer rather than spring. The bloom stalks grow much taller than the leaves, sometimes up to 30 inches.
The stems and blooms are both edible and have a mild garlic onion taste. I've noticed many writers will list this as primarily as an Asian herb, as they are also known as Chinese chives, Chinese leeks, ku chai (China) or Nira (Japan), but it has many other uses as well!
The Perfect Porch Swing Perhaps it is the soothing rhythm or the reassuring creak of the porch swing that attracts us. Perhaps it is the companionable silence or quiet conversation. Or maybe swings simply remind us of more genteel times.
Although porch swings can be purchased in a wide range of materials, the most common are wicker and wood. You can also make your own porch swing from one of the myriad of woodworking patterns available at garden centers, hardware stores, or on the Internet.
Memorial Day: Backyard Grilling
Growing and Using Garlic Chives
The Perfect Porch Swing