I have two Alice Dupont Mandevillas that I wanted to overwinter. I was going to bring them in before it got too cold, but I looked out on my deck 3 days ago and the leaves were all brown. It has not been colder than 50 degrees here, but the temp went down to 52, then spiked back up to the 60's this last week. I clipped them back to about 8 inches and brought them in.
My question is: Will they come back?
I'm surprised the leaves turned since it didn't get too cold. Mine was outside when we had a radical weather change a couple days ago. I did cover it, but it is still blooming. My father in law had a mandevilla for about 15 years that he kept going. In the late fall he would cut it back (had to because it would be wound around patio support post) and just barely water, and it came back every spring. I think it finally kicked the bucket last year when it was totally neglected. Anyway, I'd think yours has a good chance. I am planning to take some cuttings off of mine this weekend so if yours doesn't make it, hopefully I'll have some extras.
Sharon
Thanks Sharon! I can't believe the roots would have frozen, as just last week I was marveling that it was still blooming and green!
I did have to cut it off the deck rails, too. I'm hoping that it will either be dormant, or will sprout new little leaves at the nodes when these leaves fall.
I've never grown one before and I wanted to have a bushier, bigger set of plants next year. I was a little disappointed at the small size and slow start of these Logee's plants. I passed up some enormous Mandevillas at the garden center for the Logee's plants. Next year I want to get a head start on the growing season so they will be really big and beautiful!
Ivy - they should make it. I had to cut mine off the trellis just this past week and I, too, cut it to about 8 or 10". I've had them for 13 years now. I put mine in sunshine, on the unheated indoor porch and it will lose all of it's leaves. Just water it, as stownes said, very lightly - just like geraniums - and it should make it through the winter just fine.
Come April give it some food and watch it take off. No matter what I do I still don't get blooms until August, even though it's outside in full sun from mid May onward.
Good luck Ivy.
Pirl! Great to hear from you. I missed you. Thanks for the tip! I scratched the stem 'cause I got nervous it was dead, and it was nice and green inside. Whew!
If you start feeding it in March or even February, would it flower sooner? Or would I just end up killing it?
