How do I take care of outside ivy?

Question

I live in the dry dessert of las vegas and my ivy (which has been fine for 10 years) is suddenly dying. the water is fine. but there seems to be a lot of dead leaves gathering undernath the new leaves....is that my problem? how do you 'clean' it out?

Answer 1

Ivy can get a fungal problem that acts just like you described.

A general purpose fungicide will help, but not solve the problem. In most cases, the ivy will come back.

I say general purpose fungicide because there is nothing out there with label specifications for your problem.

I probably see it 200 times a year here in Dallas.

Answer 2

Just rip it out. But, that just me. I hate English Ivy, Hedera helix.

You can trimm it down, mow it even. It would probably come back just fine.

Yeah, how do you clean that up? One reason I don't like it. It is really not a good low maintanence plant.

Many other groundcovers will look better, use much less water, and be less toxic. Yes ivy is toxic, and will cause dermititis if you get the sap on you.

Or maybe its some other kind of ivy?

Answer 3

It sounds like too much water has rotted the roots.

OR too little water.