1. Mix equal parts multi-purpose compost and bonsai compost. If you can't get the latter, mix two parts sharp sand, four parts multi-purpose compost and one part John Innes No.3. As you mix, keep adding water until it is the consistency of wet cake mix.
2. Take a large handful of the wet compost mix and form it into a ball, squeezing out excess water until it holds together well. The ball should be around one and a half times the width of the rootball of the ivy. Divide the ball into two halves by giving it a simple twist.
3. Take the ivy out of its pot and gently remove the compost around its roots with your fingers. Place the ivy between your two compost halves and reform the ball around the plant. You may need an extra pair of hands for this step. Plug any gaps with leftover compost.
4. Lay a sheet of moss on a table, place the compost ball in the centre and carefully wrap the moss around it. This can be a fiddly task. Make sure that none of the compost is exposed. You may need more than one sheet of moss to make sure the ball is covered.
5. Tie garden string round the circumference of the moss to hold it in place and knot it, then wind ribbon or string around the ball until the moss is held firmly in place. Use a long length of ribbon so that you have plenty spare to hang it from after securing the moss.
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