Ivy Problems

[weekendgardener]

I'm trying to help my mother find out whether she can revive her English Ivy or not. She uses it as a bed plant, and it has been low maintenance for about 20 years. Most of it is still good, but there is one entire bed that hasn't come back this Spring. It is a mess of brown dried up vines. There are a few leaves, but they have brown spots that are brown and dry and crumpled. She is hoping to put some Miracle Grow on it to revive it, but I think she is going to have to cut it out and start over. It looks like something is wrong with it. Does anyone know?

We live in Central Indiana.

Thanks

[Kisal]

It sounds as though it's not healthy, and in general, it's better not to fertilize a plant that is under stress, whether it be from an infestation of insects or from some disease. I would hold off on the fertilizer until I determined exactly what was wrong with the plant. Treat the source of the problem first, and add fertilizer after it begins to recover.

You might take a sample of the ivy to your local Extension Service office. They're pretty knowledgeable about various plant diseases and pests. Take a part of a stem with leaves attached. In fact, it might be helpful to them if you were to offer samples from various areas on the diseased patch of the ivy.