Sick and Dying Ivy, what is it and how can I fix it?

[Tim]

I have been looking around for awhile on the internet and can't figure out what is killing my ivy. We have a substantial part of our yard as ground-cover for ivy and I am convinced the Ivy is infected , evidenced by many large dead spots as well as some type of white cobwebs all over the place.

Anyway, since I don't know how to describe it, here are several pictures which should clean up the situation.

in advance for any information! (If the climate matters, I live in Northern Virginia.)

Best,

Tim

[Winsford]

Your plant does look very sick. Your photographs suggest it is bot

thirsty and lacking nourishment. To confirm this I suggest you dig up small 'out-of-the-way' section which you won't miss - (only a couple o feet) and see the state of the soil and root. I suspect it will be dr and dust-like.

If this is the case the best and quickest thing to do in the long ru is to dig up the whole lot including the top 2ft of ground and replac with new soil. Then replant the best of what you've put aside and kep moist and out of the sun. If you can afford to - use new plants

-- Winsford

[Kay Lancaster]

White cobwebs could just be spiders cleaning up the insects. The two things I'd guess first are a bacterial leaf blight caused by Xanthomonas campestris, and too much sun.

Send a sample in to your plant pathology clinic.

Or just rip it up and plant something better. (English ivy is a real pest out here in the PNW -- I've ripped up tons of it.)

Kay

[Tim]

Wow, great advice -- even if it is not "put some of x on it and it will be fine". Sorry for the novice question, but what is a plant pathology clinic, how do I find them, who are they, etc?

Also, what type of ivy do I have? Any ideas?

best,

Tim

plant pathology clinic

[Tim]

Also, any ideas on how I can fix this problem . . .

Best,

Tim

[Kay Lancaster]

Dog pee can set it back a bit. Though that might be considered an herbicide . I make ivy balls and park 'em on big rocks (we have an abundance!) till they're nice and crispy... Some of the local school classes have made 20 ft ivy balls in one day...

Kay

[Kay Lancaster]

Plant pathologists are the folks who study plant diseases; you'll typically have access to them through the Extension Service -- the actual plant pathologists are usually located at the state "ag" school. In Virginia:

you have photos, I'd print them off and include them with your submission.

Kay

[Kay Lancaster]

Can't really tell from the photos, but it looks like plain ol' English ivy, Hedera helix.

Alas, I'm better able to tell you how to get rid of it than keep it...

here we have parties to try to keep it under control: If you really want some more, I'd be happy to let you help yourself to a few hundred pounds of the stuff from our place...

Kay, who really needs to get back to pulling ivy

[Winsford]

My suggestion still goes. Your soil is poor, so even if you do all tha investigating bit, your core problem remains. If you can put somethin different in its place in your new soil so much the better. Look aroun and see what your neighbours are doing. It looks like the area i desperate for colour. Either flowering shrubs or flowering shrubs wit a colourful plants running through

-- Winsford

[Frank]

My ivy near house looks like this in the spring due to the rats with hooves. It recovers in the summer but I cannot get it established on banks away from the house. Frank