Beginner Gardening: Mandevilla not blooming after storage NY, 1 by MaypopLaurel

MaypopLaurel wrote:
I\'ve got a three year old Sun Parasol (red) that came in a one gal. pot by way of a Home Depot clearance table for $2.50. It winters in a south facing window at our cottage. The heat is set to 45 degrees when we are not here. It goes for up to six weeks with no water but is in a pot with a reservoir. It does drop a boat load of leaves when left thirsty for long periods but not with lasting effect. It usually blooms indoors and sets seed (see photo #2). The seeds are viable but don\'t know how true. Like hcmcdole, mine goes out in relative shade but is in full sun the following week. I trimmed it severely about a month ago and then unpotted it and took a sheet rock saw to the roots. It\'s now repotted with slow release plant food. You would not guess the plant had gone through such extreme surgery. No shock. In fact, I did the deed and put it right in the planter in full sun! Apparently happy, with room to roam, it\'s blooming earlier and covered in buds, than when I just set it out and feed it. I was nervous about cutting away the amount of roots and food storage tubers below but it was terribly root bound. I\'m guessing these are so vigorous they would benefit from root pruning, not potting up, every other year.