Easy Ivy Espalier

Whether you live in a cozy apartment or a sprawling house, an espalier is a wonderful way to expand your garden space or add a touch of style to a plain wall. You can quickly create your own, using materials found at almost any home and garden center or hardware store. Just follow these simple instructions and watch your wall garden grow.
 

1.Pick your spot. A concrete, brick or stucco wall or a wood fence make nice backdrops for an ivy espalier. Since the design is decorative, it’s best to keep the background as plain as possible. If you don’t have a free wall, you can start an espalier on a ready-made fence panel or piece of lattice staked in the ground.

2.Tape your design. Lay out your pattern on the wall with colored masking tape. For a diamond design, tape out a rectangular or square frame, then tape diagonally both ways to form diamonds. Use a tape measure to make sure the diamonds are the same size.

3.Secure support wires. Attach self-stick vine hooks or screw 8” eyebolts along your taped pattern, spacing them 8-10” apart. Thread galvanized 16-gauge wire through the top left hook or eyebolt, wrapping it tightly to secure. Tautly string the wire around the taped design, securing it around each hook or eyebolt. When all the bolts are in place, remove the tape.

4. Position the ivy. Plant a mature ivy next to your wall. You can plant it in a pot, but putting it in the ground lets the roots expand and will give you a more vigorous plant. Windthe vines around the wires, securing the ends with floral tape. Prune vines that stray outside the design. Continue to train new growth, pruning unwanted sprouts. Once rootlets attach to the wire, remove the floral tape.

Caring for Your Espalier

Luckily, it’s almost impossible to kill ivy. It thrives in sun or shade, inside or out, in containers or in the ground. Just water it once a week and leave it alone. To repel insects and keep the leaves looking glossy, squirt every couple of weeks with Palmolive® mixed 50/50 with water. This environmentally friendly solution is easy to make, costs less than pesticides and is safe for pets and children.