Question
I hope you can help my poor wilted English Ivy.  It was beautiful until I forgot to water it and it went all wilted.  I was hoping it would come back after I watered it but it hasn't, it is still wilted and it's been over a week since I watered it.  How can I make it perk back up again???

Answer
Hi Anne,

English ivy (Hedera helix) are not very forgiving of watering lapses. Their roots are quite fragile and will rot or dry up quite quickly if they are kept too moist or allowed to get too dry.

The fact that yours has not come back after you watered is a pretty clear indication that the roots became dry enough to die. That mean they are no longer capable of absorbing water even though there is plenty of moisture in the soil.

There is one possible ray of hope. Sometimes when the soil gets very dry, the soil shrinks away from the edges of the pot. When you water, the water runs around the outside of the rootball and passes through the drainage holes without being absorbed by the soil. If the soil feels quite dry right after watering, then this is what has happened. In this case, let the plant sit in warm water for an hour so that it wicks up the water from the bottom and completely saturates the soil. However, I doubt this applies in your situation. It may simply be that your ivy is beyond recovery.

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

You can E-mail me directly at: [email protected]