Winterize Mandevilla
I currently have a beautiful Mandevilla and would like to preserve it for the winter months. any tips?
There are many varieties of Mandevillas, including varieties formerly known as Dipladenia. The old fashioned variety Mandevilla x amabilis Alice du Pont has fuzzy foliage and bright pink flowers, grows vigorously. Among other cultivars Mandevilla splendens (Dipladenia splendens) has a dark glossy leaf. Both are grown trellised and have a tendency to vine.
These species of tropical vines hardy (depending on cultivars) in zones 9-11 winter over only in the tropical South. They tolerate a minimum temperature of 45-50F at which time growth will begin to slow down. For winter storage keep the plant outside as long as possible before bringing it indoors. Check for insects and use insecticidal soap if needed.
To winterize the plant;
Treat it as a houseplant or store it in a dormant stage.
Houseplant
Mandevilla as a can be trimmed back to make it manageable and needs a sunny window to flourish indoors. Water once a week. You will get some leaf drop due to lower light and humidity indoors.
Dormant stage
Another way to winterize mandevilla is in a dormant stage in a garage or cool basement with temperatures around 45-55F. Cut it back to about 12 inches above the soil line. Treat for insects if needed. Keep it dry but not completely dry. Check periodically for soil moisture. Mandevilla will eventually drop all its leaves. The important thing to keep in mind is that you want to keep it alive it through the winter.
In the spring, some of the spindly winter growth may be pruned back and when new shoots develop move the plant to a sunny window. Pinch the new growth to get a bushier plant. Repot in fresh soil and set outside when danger of frost has passed.
I purchased two of these plants and put them in the ground in a flower bed how can I leave them in the ground during the winter? What can
I do so I don’t have to dig them up? I don’t have any place to store them over the winter? I live in Memphis TN I think I’m in zone 7.
Help!!!! I brought in 2 mandevillas in for the winter. I have to admit I’d did forget about them and the soil went dry a couple times. I watered them but didn’t let them sit in the water. It is now the end of February and I see no green on them and they look like I’m growing 2 pots of sticks. where do I go from here. Do I bring them out and put them in the sun? are they dead?
Hi & thanks for the great info! Just curious if now would be the time to thin/repot my Mandevilla. It takes up nearly all of the pot it is currently in, and I had thought about separating it into 2 smaller plants. Will this harm the plant? Should I simply repot into a bigger pot and leave the root system be?
winterover mandevilla dormant
Hello – I have about 15 pretty pink mandavilla’s around my home. Boy are these beautiful. I need to save for next year. 5 are hanging plants, 6 are potted & on trellis and the rest in the ground. Can I keep these in my basement in my home without any sunlight or will they die. My kitchen/den get all the sun but I do not have the room for all these plants.
Thanks so much!
Hello again and thank you for the info- could you be more specific on cutting back to 12″. all my potted and hanging came on an arched trellis. they are all vined at this time and still blooming. second, can i dig up the ones in my yard to save or do i leave them alone. do mandvilla’s need light when winterized in basement. i plan on giving a systemic insecticide and maybe a spray before i bring indoors.
thanks again
Stacie you do not mention your heat zone, if below 9 as noted above, you need to dig them up. Store them where it is cool and follow directions above. You do not need to worry about light, can be dark.
Not blooming after wintering
Hi, I have a question about my mandevilla. How do I get them to start flowering again after being inside all winter? I have beautiful foliage and lots of vines but no flowers. I live in Michigan and don’t have full sun anywhere on my property. Last year the flowers never stopped.
Janet, my limited experience with wintering over various Mandevillas would suggest that some types are simply more vigorous in putting out vines, others vigorous bloomers, and some just slow to go after being dormant for months.
My white mandevilla was new last year when we put it out in a large pot with trellis. We live in western NC. It bloomed prolifically all summer. We brought it indoors for the winter and, while it did not bloom, it continued to grow and maintained it’s lush green-ness. We did no pruning to it. We brought it back outside (in it’s pot container)in May. It continues to be lush, growing many vines/leaves but is not blooming at all and no signs of blooms. It is now June 8th. What have we done wrong? Thx in advance!
growing tip
Hi, Karen: my mandevilla is probably 5 years old. I also bring it indoors for the winter (Wisconsin). Its leaves turn yellow and drop but it continues to grow and flower. I have it sitting in a sunny room with about 65 degree temps. I don’t water it as much in the winter as I do in the spring and summer. I fertilize in the spring and take it out in the summer. This year with the very hot temps we’ve been having for extended periods it hasn’t been blooming as much as last summer despite me watering it. I have it in a sunny location for most of the day. The only time I prune mine is in the winter because the tendrils get very wild so I snip them off. Final word – persevere; you’re doing fine.
We live in San Diego and have people to clean up the garden when necessary. They cut the Mandeville down to the bulb. They are growing outside, in a box against the fence. Will they come back or did they kill them?
Dormant in heated garage
I moved and trimmed my Mandevilla the last of October. I live in Indiana. Trimmed to about twelve inches and put in a garage room which is heated. Should I move it somewhere else. Have little room in garage which is cooler once the temperature drops. Have not watered as yet. Was told about once a month to give it a good drink. Should a little fertilizer be added?
Dick
I am currently moving my Mandevilla plants inside an enclosed porch. How much should I trim from the plants, mine are quite large. I just left them in the pots and moved them inside and have not trimmed any of the foilage off. They are still blooming. In winter I try to keep the temperature on the porch around 40-45. I hope that they make it ok, I live in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Harmful to pets
I am currently winterizing my Mandevilla plant, but I have 2 cats in the house. Is this plant harmful to my pets?
When and how do you prune the Mandeville vine in southern California ?
Thank for this great information regarding how to winterize mandevilla! I discovered these beautiful plants late last year after years of bad luck with first holly hocks and then clematis between some long windows in the front of my house. I bought four mandevilla at a special discount to “try out” late in the season from my local greenhouse last year and they were fantastic and so was excited to get them again this year but was not so crazy about the price
. So when the woman at the greenhouse told me they would survive the winter indoors I was very excited — but have been unsure how to do it and now I’ve found you all! Just one question: HOW MUCH OF THE ROOTS SHOULD I SAVE??? THANKS AGAIN FOR THE GREAT INFO!!!