My son built a new house 2 years ago. The front yard was too steep to mow, so he spent almost $100,000 having English Ivy planted in the yard. Spring of last year. The ivy did fair through the summer, but then appeared to all die during the winter. We were told it would come back this spring and it did. However about 2 weeks ago almost all of it has turned yellow and much of it has completely lost it's leaves. We have done nothing to the ivy to make it do this. He is frantic and thinks he may have lost $100,000 in landscaping costs. He cannot affort do do any more landscaping at all now. He called the local garden center and they told him that it needed water, which I don't see any way that could be true, we have had lots of rain over the last few weeks, and ivy is suppose to be drought resistant! Plus it did fine through a minor drought earlier this year.
Anyone have any idea what the problem might be? There are sections that are still green, but few and far between.
If the slope is indeed to steep to mow, then perhaps it's also too steep to give the rain water time to seep in before running down the hill. Perhaps a nice slow steady watering.
It would help to know where you are and the conditions where the ivy is planted -- sun or shade, trees, etc. You will also recall that two weeks ago much of the central US was in a record-breaking heat wave and ivy doesn't like sun and heat.
English ivy requires location with little or no sun and doesn't like high temperatures. I'm able to grow it in central Florida in the shade of oaks and an understory of azaleas, but it gets watered every day and is heavily mulched to help keep it cool. Conjecture #1: It might have survived last summer on its reserves and favorable weather, but be weakened enough by the summer and then winter dormancy that it couldn't stand this year's heat wave -- especially if it's been planted in the wrong location. Conjecture #2. Were any sprays used for pest control during the high heat, either by the homeowner, neighbor, or local government? Issue #3. $100K for ivy??? That would account for at least two acres of plants -- it's not a good idea to try to maintain that large an area with a single plant type, because of the possibility of losing everything due to a single problem -- as appears to be happening here.
Suggestions: (1) Make sure the ivy is being properly maintained, including close attention to its shade and watering requirements. If it's out in the sunlight you may have to have it replaced -- a classic example of not having the right plant in the right place; (2) Assuming the ivy is in a suitable position, start planning a replacement program NOW. Get as many small plant pots (peat pots work very well) as possible and start rooting cuttings from the ivy that is still viable. (3) Dig up one of the dead ivy plants, root ball and all, and take it to the extension service (you may have a Master Gardener program that offers horticultural advice) for their evaluation as to possible problems (4) Go back to whoever your son paid the $100K to (that's an incredible figure!) and get them involved. If they took the money and put the plants in an unsuitable location, consider legal action -- Good luck and regards.
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