Trailing Ivy Losing Leaves

Question

Purchased a trailing Ivy from a big box store, in fine condition.
Transplanted it into a larger pot using non-treated potting soil.
Check water content with a meter to make sure it is not too wet. And yet, the leaves close to the soil turn brown (not yellow), dry up and fall off.

The trailing tendrils continue to grow and produce new leaves continually. What am I doing wrong? Or, how do I regain the leaf growth on the main stems? Appreciate the assistance.

Answer 1

It is common for them to look a bit ragged when newly planted, as they are re-adjusting to their new surroundings. Also, just to make sure that nothing is restricting the roots from taking in water, tamp down around the plants to collapse any air pockets that may be present that are affecting the roots. Flood the area with water to help fill them in. Up its watering as well. It may also have a fungus disease, so I would treat the plant with a fungicide.

Answer 2

If you’re referring to English ivy-type plant, the problem might be that it has spider mites. They are very susceptible to these. If that’s the problem, they’re hard to get rid of. I would return the plant and ask for a healthy one.

Also, be careful of moisture meters. They can be useful if you realize that they are often inaccurate. The best way to use them is to run the probe between your fingers when you pull it out of the soil, and make sure it feels to your fingers the same way it’s reading. Better yet, use a bamboo skewer or wooden dowel to reach into the soil as if you were testing a cake, then you can feel the moisture content of the soil as well as see if there is soil sticking.