Question
MY English Ivy plant is not growing as it should. It starts to branch out and then the end just dies and stops growing. Is there a shortage in a certain nutrient?

Answer
Hi Stephen,

I am not clear on what is actually happening.  What are the symptoms presented before the branch dies?  Does it brown around the edges? Does it turn yellow first?  If you can describe a bit more about the process/symptoms leading to the death, then I might be able to help.

Are these plants grown indoors (in pots) or outdoors?  

If grown in pots, it very easily could be a nutrient deficiency.  There are also chemical "burns" which result from high salt concentrations in the soil.  Any watering/feeding results in evaporation of the water.  This evaporation leaves the salt which the water contained.  This is a normal process, but high concentrations of salts can lead to sick plants.

If you have not re-potted the plant over the course of several years, it is certainly time to leach out the concentrated salts.  Soaking in a large tub (sink basin is great) of cool water can remove these accumulated salts. If you notice that the root system is crowded or is circling the pot, then it is time to re-pot the plant in a larger pot.  Minor root pruning will invigorate an older plant.  The pruning should not be severe.  When re-potting use a pot size only an inch or two larger than the one using presently.

In either pot-grown or ground-grown plants, examination of the root systems may rule out root diseases as a problem. Upon examination if you find any mushy, foul smelling necrotic roots, then you are dealing with a root disease.  Such diseases are difficult to control outdoors, but eliminating over-watering, providing root aeration, and thinning of the plants may limit the spread of the disease.

The one thing that is confusing is the continued "branching" of the ivy.  Usually if a plant is diseased, the lateral buds that produce the "branches" do not grow because resources are limited due to the disease.  

Provide me as much information as you can about growing environment? cultural practices (watering, etc.), and describe the progression of the necrosis (dead shoots).