Termite Fumigation

Q: For the past two days my ivy trellis has been under a termite fumigation tent. It was not possible to move the ivy or shelter it from the fumigation gas. Now the ivy has about 50/50 brown/green leaves. The stems look gray, dry, and fragile. Today I watered the root area thoroughly. Is there anything more I can do to help the ivy recover? Would fertilizer help? Trimming the brown leaves? How much should I water? How frequently?



A: There is probably nothing you can do to save the ivy. Experience has shown that anything living is killed when tent fumigating for termites. In southern California where termites are a constant problem due to lack of freezing winters that help slow down the termite population there is a tremendous amount of termite tenting. We see lots of damage to the landscape from tenting if plants are under the tent. However, it is worth a try to save the ivy. Cut the ivy back to nearly the ground level and keep it watered. Do not over water but do not allow it to dry out. Regular watering my help to leach out any pesticide in the soil around the roots. If you see any signs of new growth start fertilizing with a diluted solution of liquid fertilizer. I would recommend about 1/3 to 1/2 strength directed on the package. If your ivy survives, please do let us know so that we can pass your information on to others.