Question
Hi Will,
Actually I have 2 questions.
First, I have about 25 ivy. A strange thing is happening to almost all of them. They are having some leaves turn brown and wilt, the strange thing is it is the same leaf on all of them. It is the next to the newest leaf that is turning brown. What could be causing this? They all have done very well in the past and there has been no recent change in care or environment.
The other question I have is about a large ' Peacock ' Chinese evergreen. The plant seems to have stopped growing, there has been no new growth on it for the last few months. Otherwise the plant is doing well, there has been no leaf loss or leaf browning. I have given it small amounts of fertilizer and there has been no change in care or environment since it was growing before. The only thing is it has always been under artificial plant lighting and the lights went out, it took me about 4 days to get the lights up and running again but it had stopped producing new growth a couple months before this happened. What could be the problem and what can I do to get it to start growing again. I am very fond of this plant.
Thank you for your time.
Mick

Answer
Hi Mick,

That is very odd that the leaf browning on most of your ivies occurs on one leaf only. I have no explanation for that. However, I would be alert to additional leaves near the growing tip dying back. If that happens, then there is definitely a root-related problem. Ivies are not at all forgiving of watering lapses and their water requirements can vary with the season, the weather, and other environmental changes. It is easy to inadvertently under or over water.

Chinese evergreens are slow growers and they do tend to grow in spurts. Reduced light and repotting will slow down growth, but if that is not applicable, then it is safe to assume that your patience will be rewarded with some new foliage before too much longer. That all of the existing leaves are healthy is a good sign and indicative of there not being a problem that needs fixing.

BTW, fertilizer is not a good way to jump start or promote new growth, as the manufacturer like to have us believe. In fact, plants that are not growing vigorously should not be fertilized.

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions. If you would like to e-mail me some photos, I may be able to provide some additional insights.

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Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

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