Reasons for Yellowing and Drying Ivy Leaves and How to Fix Them
Ivy is a very common household potted plant, and many people like to grow it at home, not only because ivy stays green all year round and looks beautiful, but also because among many plants, ivy's air-purifying effect is among the best! But some friends care for it improperly, causing ivy leaves to turn yellow, dry up, and so on, seriously affecting its appearance. So how should this be solved?
What to Do When Ivy Leaves Turn Yellow
1. Temperature must be suitable
Since ivy is rather picky about temperature, then satisfy it, after all, you are also eyeing its beauty. Keep the ambient temperature at 20~25°C, and always pay attention to ambient humidity, ventilating often. In winter, the temperature should be kept above 5°C, with around 10°C being best.
2. Light exposure must be moderate
Under suitable light, ivy leaves will be uniform in shape and vivid in color. If the plant turns yellow due to lighting reasons, cut off the severely affected leaves directly, keep the newly grown young leaves, and give proper light so they slowly recover.
3. Watering must be appropriate
During the growing season, water based on whether the soil is dry or moist (that is, the potting soil must not be too wet, nor too dry). If there is too much water, it will cause root rot and leaf drop. Especially in winter, when the temperature is rather low, watering must be controlled even more; just keep the potting soil slightly moist.
4. Fertilizing must be reasonable
When growing ivy at home, the potting soil can be a mix of rotten leaves or peat soil with 1/4 river sand and a small amount of bone meal. During the growing season, apply a thin cake fertilizer solution once every 2 to 3 weeks. Generally, do not fertilize in summer and winter, and when fertilizing, also be careful not to apply only nitrogen fertilizer. When fertilizing, also be careful not to stain the leaves, so as not to cause the leaves to scorch. If yellow leaves are caused by iron deficiency, supplement iron in time and water with ferrous sulfate solution.
Causes of Dry Ivy Leaves and Solutions
1. Improper watering: Improper watering is a common cause of dry ivy leaves.
When growing ivy, watering should follow the rule of not watering until dry, and be careful not to keep it wet for a long time. Otherwise, it is easy for it to die from waterlogging, and the leaves will dry up very easily.
Pay attention to watering: normally when watering ivy, water after the soil dries. If the water is insufficient, do not pour a large amount of water; you can spray a little water, which can prevent the leaves from drying.
2. Insufficient light: In fact, the effect of light on ivy's growth is also very important. It likes light but fears scorching sun. When growing it, generally keep it in partial shade, with at least 3 hours of light every day. If light is insufficient, the plant tends to grow thin and long, turn yellow, or even dry up.
Maintain light: When growing ivy, choosing a suitable location is very important. Place it in a spot with light but without scorching sun, and keep it ventilated.
3. Soil too dry: When growing ivy, it needs to be kept moist. Soil moisture is also very important; it must not be too dry, or it will easily turn yellow and dry up. Be careful to maintain watering.
4. Spider mites: If your ivy is affected by spider mites, the leaves will turn yellow and dry, and may even drop.
Be careful to prevent spider mites, strengthen ventilation, and promptly discover the pests and kill them.
What to Do When Ivy Leaves Wilt
1. Remedial measures for unsuitable light and temperature
At this time, we should move the ivy to a cool, ventilated place for care, and that is all; the ivy leaves will gradually return to health.
Also pay attention to ivy's suitable growing temperature. When leaves wilt due to excessively high temperature, control the temperature between 18~30°C.
2. Prevention and control measures for improper fertilizing
When fertilizing ivy, fertilize in small amounts and multiple times, and use thin fertilizer frequently; this will remedy the wilting leaves.
3. Remedial measures for improper watering
When watering ivy, pay attention and observe. When you see the soil is still slightly moist or the surface of the potting soil is dry, water promptly, and water thoroughly. When the potting soil is moist, do not water.
What to Do When Ivy Leaves Develop Spots
First, when this situation occurs, reduce the sources of pathogen spread. We should promptly remove the diseased branches, leaves, or plants. If a plant is found to have died from pathogen infection, it then needs to be thoroughly burned to avoid the spread of bacteria. Second, strengthen ivy management. When watering, do not use a spraying method, as this helps bacteria spread; instead, water from its roots, which can effectively reduce the risk of the plant being infected by pathogens. Finally, manage the soil: use formalin, which has a sterilizing effect, to sterilize the soil, and at the same time appropriately use liquid fertilizer to increase the nutrients needed for growth. After doing these things, the problem of spotted leaves can basically be solved.
As described above, ivy is actually a very easy green plant to grow. As long as you master the daily care methods, basically no problems will occur. But if problems do occur, you should promptly find out the cause, treat the root cause, and rescue it in time!