Question
Hello,


I purchased a small (roughly 6-inches high) plant from my corner bodega in Brooklyn NY. The plastic label in the plant says its a Birkshire Ivy.

I have repotted it in a larger pot, with rocks on the bottom for drainage. It was doing fine, until recently.

Lately, its limbs have been wilting. They're not necessarily dry. Just limp. I've had it in my bedroom window, facing north, with a shade (so it's getting indirect light). I've been watering it about twice a week.

Can you advise me on how best to take care of it? It is not a topiary.

thanks
meghan

Answer
Hi Meghan,

The label probably refers to a greenhouse grower called Berkshire ivy rather than the actual species of ivy. However, it is probably reasonable to assume that you have some type of Hedera or English ivy.

Ivies do not tolerate soil that stays moist for too long, pots that are too large, and low light.

A north window with no covering provides indirect light and is the minimum needed by your ivy to survive. So open up those shades during the day. A few hours of direct sunight each day would be even better.

The repotting was a mistake. Ivies need to stay very potbound to do well. When moved into a larger pot, the extra soil retains water for too long before drying out and the tender roots rot very easily.

Adding rocks to the bottoms of pots is an out-dated notion. Scientists have determined that drainage material in the bottoms of pots actual prevents them from drying out sooner. Porous drainage material, such as perlite should be mixed into the soil.

Given the limited light and repotting, I am sure that twice weekly watering is keeping the soil too moist. Once the roots start to rot, then they can no longer absorb water very well so the plant starts to wilt, ironically from lack of water.

Unfortunately, there is probably not much you can do at this point. You can unpot the plant and gently remove most of the soil. If the roots are soft, dark, and mushy (I suspect they are), then you will have to discard the plant. If you do find some healthy, lighter-colored, plump roots, then you may be able to salvage the plant. In that case, remove all excess soil and repot into the smallest pot that the roots will fit into with a minimum amount of soil. Move the plant to a sunny window and water only when the top half-inch of soil feels dry.

Good luck and please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions.

Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

You can E-mail me directly at: [email protected]

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