I have a Swedish ivy (Plectranthus australis) that was outside all summer in part shade. When I brought it indoors for fall, it started to shrivel up; now it's starting to die. I have it in a location that receives bright light and I'm watering it moderately. What am I doing wrong?
D.W., Belchertown, Massachusetts

Moving a plant indoors from outside places it under increased stress. Because humidity indoors is usually much lower than outdoors, leaves may shrivel and drop. You can increase the humidity around indoor plants by grouping them and setting their pots on gravel in trays of water. The gravel prevents the plants from sitting directly in the water, but as the water evaporates from the tray, it increases the humidity around the plants.

Check your plant for pests-mealybugs and spider mites are common pests of Swedish ivy. Both can be controlled with insecticidal soap, which is available at most garden centers and hardware stores.

Since Swedish ivy is such a fast-growing plant, it can become potbound, and yours may need repotting. It also can become woody and unattractive as it ages; when this happens, just grow new plants from cuttings.

Pruning Climbing Roses

While the best time to prune climbing roses is immediately after flowering, climbers whose growth has become ungainly or bare at the bottom may need a more radical approach. Anytime after growth has stopped-in fall until early spring-cut back the rose to the height you desire, and thin it out if needed. You may need to completely detach it from the fence and retrain it correctly, especially if branches have become crowded and are crossing. If so, detach and untangle the stems, handling them carefully. On a mature climber, an entire main stem that is old and unproductive can be cut to the base to stimulate new growth.

Refasten each healthy main stem on the fence, beginning with the lowest, keeping it as low and as horizontal as possible. This will provide you with your flowers at the bottom. Side shoots will also need to be secured, but if they do not conform to your desired framework, prune them back to two or three buds. Repeat with succeeding stems, spreading them out evenly in a fanlike arrangement along the fence.

Next season, prune side shoots after flowering to stimulate new growth. Tie in the new, lower growth to build up the framework, and continue to train shoots nearly horizontally.

William May, Gardeners Information Service Master Gardener, and Marianne Polito, Gardeners Information Service Manager

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