- 1). Choose a topiary form that suits the size and scale of project you'd like to undertake. You can purchase the form ready-made from a garden supply store, or create your own. If you choose to create your own, check out the variety of topiary forms available in store and greenhouses for ideas before you craft yours out of bamboo, wire, plastic or string.
- 2). Place the topiary form in your ivy pot --- if it's a tiny, indoor topiary --- or plant or arrange pots of ivy around it if it's a larger topiary, either outdoors or indoors. Keep in mind that the more ivy you use around the topiary, the faster the ivy will be able to cover it up. You can plant ivy stems as close as two or three inches apart if you so desire, but more widely-spaced stems will still cover the topiary form if given enough time to grow.
- 3). Stuff the topiary form full of sphagnum moss; this works for all but the tiniest of indoor topiaries and will help make it look fuller, faster.
- 4). Guide the vines up onto the outside of the topiary frame. The leaves may be sturdy enough to help hold the vine in place, or you can use soft, twistable plant ties --- available from any gardening shop --- to help support it.
- 5). Care for your topiary ivy just as you'd care for any ivy plant. Water it when the top inch of soil is dry, and make sure the ivy gets plenty of bright, indirect light. Prune thin or weak stems back to encourage bushier growth. Fertilize indoor ivy with a half-strength houseplant fertilizer in early spring; outdoor ivy beds should be fertilized in early spring by scattering granules of a balanced fertilizer.
- 6). Take a close look at your topiary every few weeks. Any shoots that are growing away from the topiary form should be gently guided back to it; use plant ties as necessary, but if there's anything that stubbornly insists in growing away from the topiary, just prune or pinch that stem off.
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