English Ivy Question

[BOSSHOG]

I bought a very healthy looking English Ivy a few months ago and put it in a pot and placed it by an east facing window, with shades pulled in the am. It was doing great but one day two weeks ago I took it outside and gave it a good soaking. It looks pretty pitiful right now. I haven't watered it since. Please feel free to cuff me about for plant abuse. I know the number one enemy of plants is overlove from their owners. Any suggestions on the proper maintenance of this specimen would be greatly appreciated. I beg for your knowledge.

[TygrBright]

1. Ivy is an all-or-nothing plant, in my experience...

...if it is happy, you'll have a hard time keeping up with it. And if it isn't happy, nothing you can do will save it from a long, slow, sad demise.

Put it back in its east window and let it do whatever it's going to do. Make sure it has plenty of drainage and water moderately, letting it dry pretty thoroughly between waterings. It may come back, or it may not.

The key with ivy is, if it seems happy, just keep doing whatever you're doing until it looks unhappy. Although you can, of course, pinch it back when it's looking really happy. That might make it even happier. If it's taking over the univers you can repot it and pinch back heavily, that might slow it down or even kill it (that's the risk you take.) Or might turn it into a Dr. Who-type plantzilla nightmare.

I used to try and grow ivy indoors in MN and it never ever worked. Sulked along for awhile but dropped leaves slowly, never really replaced them and eventually looked so pitiful I threw it away in sheer mercy. In MD I tried again, almost by accident, and realized one day that there would be no room in the TV room if I didn't do something about the ivy, so I took it out and planted it under an oak tree (where it proceeded to cover many square yards of ground and started up the tree....)

In each case the sun exposure was comparable and the care I gave it was identical (even tried the same pot!) So go figure.

philosophically,
Bright

[BOSSHOG]

2. Thanks very much

I appreciate the information you provide. Its still alive and I'm gonna either see it through or love it to death. My wonderful mother in law, who isn't much of a plant person, has an English Ivy she received when my father in law died almost two years ago. She has it in a south facing window, doesn't fool with it much at all and its on its way to being a monster. I truly love plants inside the house and out. I got a beautiful pothos but you know that's like saying I got a healthy weed.

[BanzaiBonnie]

3. Just don't

turn it loose into the wild. English Ivy grows to such proportions that it will swallow everythign in it's path.

[NMDemDist2]

4. mine does well in a VERY bright south window and water only when

it looks a little limp and thirsty

I am the Queen of Benign Neglect! and the ivy seems to enjoy it

[BOSSHOG]

5. Yeah I think I put in critical condition with TLC

I watered it way too much, but its still hanging in there. I kind of avoid now a days.

[Melissa G]

6. I would stick it in the ground outside...

English ivy never did well for me as an inside plant. The yard where I grew up in San Antonio had it running rampant. It ate trees.
I have a lot of it in the creek bed at my office here in Austin. We get a lot of drought and it still seems to thrive on neglect..