Why is my Ivy dying?
A dying indoor ivy is usually reacting to wet roots, dry roots, or poor light, but pests can look similar.
If you can already see the symptom
Answer what you can see
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The causes in full
Overwatering with fungal root rotMOST COMMON
How to tell
Look for soil that stays wet, a sour smell, yellowing lower leaves, soft stems, or brown mushy roots when you slide the root ball out.
What to do
If the soil is soggy or still damp two inches down several days after watering, empty any saucer and wait to water again until the top 2 inches are no longer wet. If roots are black, mushy, or smelly, trim the worst roots and repot into fresh mix in a pot with drainage.
Underwatering or a dry root ballCOMMON
How to tell
Look for drooping, crisp leaf edges, very light pot weight, and soil that has shrunk away from the pot sides.
What to do
If the soil is dry two inches down, water thoroughly until water runs from the drainage holes. If it is bone dry and pulling from the pot, soak the pot in a basin for 20 to 30 minutes, then drain it fully.
Too little lightCOMMON
How to tell
Look for long weak stems, smaller pale new leaves, leaf drop from the inside or lower parts, and soil that stays damp for a long time.
What to do
Move the ivy to bright but indirect light, close to a window but out of hot direct sun. If the soil is still damp two inches down, let it dry slightly before the next watering, then water only when the top 1 to 2 inches are starting to dry.
Spider mitesCOMMON
How to tell
Check the undersides of leaves and stem tips for fine webbing, tiny moving specks, and pale pin-prick speckling on the leaves.
What to do
Rinse the leaves well, especially underneath, then treat with insecticidal soap or horticultural oil labeled for houseplants and repeat as the label says. If the soil is dry two inches down, water before treating so the plant is not drought-stressed.
Direct sun, heat, cold window, or draught shockLESS COMMON
How to tell
Look for damage mainly on the window-facing side, such as scorched tan patches after sun or limp dark leaves after cold glass or a cold draught.
What to do
Move the plant out of direct sun through glass and away from heaters, cold panes, and draughts. Water only if the soil is dry two inches down; if it is damp, do not add water just because the leaves look damaged.
Fertiliser or spray burnRARE
How to tell
Suspect this if leaf browning or spotting started soon after feeding, using leaf shine, cleaner, pesticide, or spraying leaves that then sat in sun.
What to do
If the pot has drainage and the soil is not soggy, flush the mix with plain water to wash out excess fertiliser, then let it drain completely. Stop fertilising or spraying until healthy new growth appears, and remove badly damaged leaves.
Will it recover?
Badly yellow, brown, or crisp ivy leaves will not turn green again; the goal is to stop the decline and get healthy new growth.
Stopping it happening again
Keep ivy in bright indirect light, use a pot with drainage, check soil moisture before watering, avoid hot or cold window stress, and inspect leaf undersides regularly for pests.
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