What spray to use on mandevillas

One of my mandevillas has tiny black insects on the back of the leaves in some places. Another one is dying with the leaves turning yellow. What kind of spray is safe to use on these vines? It is one of my favorite flowers and I have about 8 of them. Blooms are beautiful and I want to take care of the problem before it gets worse.

I've had the best luck with all my plants using a systemic insecticide rather than a spray because it will actually get to the whole plant rather than where you spray. I like Bayer Advanced that has insecticide, fungicide and food or Orthenex which is an insecticide/fungicide. I use them mostly on plants that are not actively flowering. Both the Bayer and Orthenex have been used on my mandevillas and allamandas with no adverse effects.

I'll also use insecticidal soaps on plants that bees and hummingbirds frequent and are flowering.

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I have some Bayer 3 in 1 that I mix with water for my roses and sometimes clematis. Is this what you are referring to? I also have an Orthonex product I sometimes spray my roses with--the kind that smells so awful.
My mandevillas are blooming and hopefully, will continue to do so until frost.
I have some Neem that I use sometimes on peppers and flowers. Would this be best since it's supposed to be organic? I don't want to ruin the blooms.
I still don't understand why the Bayer product says not to use it on potted plants. My mandevilla vines are in pots because that will allow me to bring them indoors this winter. I let them freeze last year. Shame on me!!!
I DO love watching the hummingbirds every day enjoy all my flowers, so I don't want to use anything to hurt them. However, I haven't seen them visit the mandevillas. They seem to prefer the black/blue salvia.

With the bayer, there are two ways to mix it. One is a dilute formula that is safe to be sprayed on leaves and the other is a more potent formula that put at the base of the plant. I've used the bayer on potted plants with no problems .. in fact, when I move everything into the greenhouse in the fall, I use the bayer on everything except delicate plants that have translucent stems like impatiens and everything is in pots .. it keeps me from having to fight spidermites, aphids and whiteflies during the winter.

I have actually hand washed with a sponge and insecticidal soap foam, leaves of a plant that was badly infested with spidermites with good results .. then used the orthenex .. and yes it stinks something awful.

Wanted to add too that the hand washing is about the only thing that will cure sooty mold.

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This message was edited Jun 9, 2009 5:50 PM

So, if I understand you correctly, you mix the Bayer 3 in 1 more diluted to use as a spray. If so, what proportion of water to mix? I've been working in 95 degree weather all day, so bear with me if I'm a little slow right now. I've lived here all my life and still have a hard time dealing with our heat and humidity.
I know that my roses love the Bayer product and it is what the county ag extension center recommended as well.

It's on the bottle directions. Be sure you read the whole thing before you do anything because if you mix it up too strong it will definitely kill the plant.

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