# Hedera helix climber HELP WANTED!



## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

My climber (my pride!) is turning all brown! I'm not much of a gardener and it took me several years to let it cover thise fence. 
It was always beautifull green (some brown leaves) but now it's completly turning into a brown, dead like plant.

What can I do? 
Or is there nothing more to do?
What did I do wrong?


Paul


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi Paul, 

You do not say where you are, however its possibly frost damage:, give the plant some water to start with, andalso look carefully if there are any new shoots just showing on the branches of it.. It takes a lot to kill an Ivy, and there are plenty of green leaves left by the look of it. 

From the bottom of it there does not seem to be much space so it is possibly a bit 'root bound', and thus short on water, in spite of the plant having deep roots.


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

Hi Peter! 

Thanks for your hopefull answer. 
I live in the Netherlands, I guess the weather is like te same as it is in the UK. 
Frost damage... that could be it because it was a very cold and long winter with more snow than the years before. 
New shoots are showing indeed, even some small leaves (but those have a brown outline). 
I just give it extra water; the cold ground was rather dry indeed. Let's hope for the best. 

Would some sort of furtilizer also help to get him back in his green jacket? 

Paul


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Water and food! You should probably feed it at least once a year, springtime is best. With a small footprint and such a large conopy it will want more food as it has already taken up most of the nutients available.... 

Brown edges are signs of frost, just like fingers and toes and frostbite, it's the extremities that are affected first! 

Tossing an old sheet over it when weather reports warn of frost will help avoid the browning...

John


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi Paul, 

I think it will be OK - have a look at the following & note the bit on watering http://www.doityourself.com/stry/englishivy1 Temperature & light will bring it back to life !


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

John, cover it with an old sheet you say? Sounds good but does that not take away the necessary sunlight to much? 
Last winter we had weeks of frost... Or is the light comming through the sheet enough? 

I'll get some fertilzer in the gardern shop next week an perhaps try to give it some wider space. 

Peter, thanks for that link! I get the most imported points; well aerated, free draining soil, regular watering and moderate fertilizing (looks like a eductaional website for an amateur like me...). 

Thanks guys! I'll post some pictures when he is back in his green glory!! 

Paul


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

New leaves are popping up!!! 
Thanks guys! Food an water did do the trick indeed! Looks like it survived!!


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

New try... I hope we can post pictures as we could soon again...


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