I have an Boston Ivy which is doing great in the summer beside my front door , I want to ask if my front door has a ceiling and Ivy is protected from directly buried in the snow , does it survive the winter temperatures in Toronto , and if so how often I should water it in winter when the plant is dormant? thank you ,,
Hello – Your Boston ivy looks really healthy right now but I doubt it will survive the weather in this situation. We have had other questions on overwintering Boston ivy but in these cases all involved larger containers. (Click on the link below to access this information.) The size of your container is unlikely to provide sufficient protection. Continue to water your ivy till the soil freezes and consider one of these options to add additional protection:
- Move the pot to an unheated garage or shed. You don’t need to water the pot after the soil freezes except during a thaw. Some gardeners like to top their pots with snow. During a thaw, the snow will melt and water the pot.
- Plant your ivy in the ground – pot and all and surround with a layer of mulch.
- Place the pot into a large container such as an old Styrofoam cooler and surround with mulch or leaves. Place the cooler in a protected spot in your yard such as against a building.
I hope one of these options will work for you. Good luck!