Problem with English Ivy

Robert

If the roots are looking healthy and showing growth, then I don't think you have anything to worry about at this stage! Actually, looking at your photo's, the leaves are looking very healthy and have a gorgeous Autumnal tinge! I'm envious!!!

However, as a beginner, I find excitement at the lowest levels

In my novice opinion, your leaves looks healthy: you state your roots look healthy and have signs of growth ... I think your Ivy is going to give you strong growth and lots of (future) pruning time

 

Thanks guys, before planting I dug the whole area over a few times and added lots of compost. On checking the soil condition a few weeks ago I dug down and found the soil to be moist but not wet, so I think drainage is OK. I've been away this week and checking the plants this morning I found most of them showing small new healthy leaves, which can only be a good sign. When I bought the plants I was told they were evergreen, so when the leaves started changing colour and dropping off I was a bit worried, but all the plants still have plenty green on them and I'm encouraged by the new growth. I think adding feed may have helped. The help and advice you have given has been great, thanks again.

 

That's great news Robert

Probably was just stress then. You'll be back on here soon asking how to get rid of it

 

There's a very common misunderstanding about what an evergreen plant does. Lots of people think it means the plans keeps going all through winter, but it is quite normal for evergreen plants to shed some leaves over winter, or at the very least starve them.

Plants are surprisingly clever things. They hate to waste energy, and have evolved loads of ways to ensure they don't have to. Deciduous trees for examples realise there's no point using energy to maintain healthy foliage when there is insufficient warmth and light for photosynthesis to happen (ie in winter), so they simply throw their leaves away. Herbacious plants go one step further and sacrifice everything above ground, choosing to just conserve the roots. Evergreens figure is they can keep their leaves in a sort of sleep state, they will get a head start in spring because they'll already have foliage to do the photosynthesis, but they'll still not waste energy on those leaves, so at the very least the top stops growing, but quite typically some leaves will perish. Its all part of nature's great genius

 

Holly goes one step further, it takes energy to produce the prickles, so its worked out that cows can only reach upto about 8 foot, above that it produces leaves without prickles as they don't need protection from grazing animals.