Ivy plant rescue!

So I am now in the habit of picking up near dead orchids on sale and trying to bring them back to life. My daughter was with me the other day and felt so sad for the other plants on the discount table that she bought an ivy plant. They were all tiny - in small pots maybe 3 inches across or so and all of them were clearly dead, except the one we chose, which had several upright bright green leaves. It was very thin, however, almost like a seedling. When I unpotted it - well, there was no root ball - more like four stalks with short, thin roots. All of the plant parts looked healthy and not rotted, and I did pick away a few dead leaves. I put it in a four inch pot, the four stalks somewhat separate, and used random potting soil mix (indoor/outdoor) from Lowe's. We thoroughly watered it and now, three days later, it has retained the water and soil is moist. I have it in a southern window about a foot away from the window. There is a shade that is drawn halfway down the window. I noticed today, though, the leaves are dry - almost crisp. Two are limp but most are upright. The potting mix has fertilizer in it. If there ANYTHING else I can do? I am worried my daughter will be truly upset if this doesn't make it. I read that I should maybe mist it? I'm afraid to over water.

This is as I found it and after taking out of original pot.

Most well-meaning growers might suggest that the source of >90% of the problems people arrive here seeking remediation for are related to over-watering, and would suggest that applying less water when you do water or watering less frequently is the remedy. It's not, because both demand you choose the lesser of two evils. I know this case isn't your fault, but please allow me to elaborate so you can see where I'm headed.

If your soil supports a layer of completely saturated soil at the bottom of the pot after watering, the soil is inherently limiting - even if you only water enough to moisten the soil. Here is why: If you water like you're supposed to, you get that soggy layer (called a perched water table [PWT]) that kills fine roots and starves the plant of the O2 it needs for roots to function normally. Water and nutrient uptake are energy driven processes and must take place in the presence of oxygen, which is used to 'burn the fuel'. If you only water in small sips, ALL the salts not used by plants (from fertilizers and tap water) accumulate in the soil, inhibiting water and nutrient uptake and spoiling the plant's appearance - not to mention the antagonistic deficiencies that appear as nutrient imbalances in the soil solution become increasingly skewed because you can't risk flushing the soil without inviting the PWT to wreak havoc on root health/ function.

So the suggestion to use less water or water less frequently, though meant well, is off the mark because it sidesteps the real issue, which is an inappropriate soil. Using a soil you can water to beyond saturation (so you're flushing accumulating salts from the soil as you water) w/o having to worry about root health/ function avoids both issues. For those serious about providing the conditions that allow their plants to realize as much of their genetic potential as possible, the minimum soil standard should pivot on whether or not it allows you to water correctly. Once you're using an appropriate soil, Over-watering issues and the many maladies associated with it no longer need dealing with. It makes a BIG difference in your ability to consistently bring along happy, healthy, attractive plants.

I'm not sure how you feel about making the effort to dig deeper into this (I'll help if you wish), and I don't know how old your daughter is, but one of the best things you can do for her is help her understand how water behaves in soils and what impact that has on the vitality of your plants. The evidence is in the pictures and descriptions you provided.

Al



This message was edited Jun 14, 2015 1:47 PM

A child old enough to feel sorry for the wilting plants can understand simple concepts like
"Roots need air and water"
"The soil needs to let air in, and hold just the right amount of water"

It is then a simple step to:
'Some plants need a lot of air around the roots- that is why we use this coarse bark mixed with the soil for these orchids, and a sandy soil for these succulents'

I am not sure what else to suggest for the rescued ivy.
Unfortunately, when a plant has been over watered too much various fungi move in and grow in the plants' tissues, and the plant cannot recover from that.

This message was edited Jun 14, 2015 8:17 AM

Thank you both for your comments! I am happy to report things are looking up for one or two of the sections I was able to salvage. I am misting and will not water for a bit. I definately gave it too much water when it was repotted. I'm learning a lot about potting mixes found in commercial stores and premixed. I'm surprised some of those things sell!

There is a lot of information in the sticky at the top of this forum. It should help you avoid all the common pitfalls/traps you're likely to encounter, if you apply what you learn.

Al