How to Care for the Mandevilla Plant in the Dormant Stage
Mandevilla is a tropical vine, native to Brazil. The lowest temperature the plant can tolerate is 45 degrees Fahrenheit. At this temperature, given assistance from the gardener, it will go dormant. Gardeners within zones 9 to 11 on the U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zone map can continue to care for the mandevilla in the winter as they do the rest of the year. In zone 8, the mandevilla will die back and return in the spring. Gardeners that live in zones below 8 need to take steps to protect the mandevilla in winter and care for it while it is dormant. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Cut the mandevilla vine to 12 inches above the surface of the soil.
-
2
Use insecticidal soap to kill any insects on the plant. Spray the product directly onto the bugs until the plant is dripping.
-
-
3
Water the dormant mandevilla when the soil is almost completely dry. Give it 1 inch of water, and allow the soil to almost dry again before watering.
-
4
Dig up the mandevilla, in zones 7 and below, when temperatures dip below 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Plant it in a pot with standard potting soil. Cut the vine back to 8 inches, and place it in a dark room that remains between 45 and 55 degrees F. Dribble water over the plant occasionally to keep it alive, but keep the soil mostly dry.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
The mandevilla may lose its foliage while dormant. This is normal and should not cause alarm.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Medioimages/Photodisc/Valueline/Getty Images
