On reading so many previous thread postings about growing tropicals such as Musabajoo,EE,Bamboo and Palms,I was curious to know if anyone had a method to carry a Mandevilla through a northeast winter and keep it blooming.Alice Dupont is my favorite for height and sheer staying power of their beautiful blooms,I overwintered mine in the basement it came back great but not 1 flower the second year!I'm considering buying one more this spring and trying to propogate it either through hard or softwood cuttings,any other suggestions-Help!
Mandevilla
I had one for 3 Summers. It dropped most of it's leaves when in a sunny bedroom window for the winter. I pruned it back hard in Spring and it did OK until I forgot to bring it in and it froze. I love the fragrance but not the overwintering.
I tried overwintering too - I was not happy with the results. I've also not had luck in propagation. I've decided to just purchase one if I decide to have one again.
Hi there!
I've currently got 2 madevilla overwintering in the basement. One of them is on it's 2nd winter. It bloomed fine when it went outside when the weather was warmer. What is changed this year is that I have a "grow light" over them. Its called a Dayspot Grow blub, 150 watt incandesent - fits in a cheapy clamp light from HD which I can clamp to the curtain rod over the plants. When checking the plants earlier this week I noticed some new growth on both the mandevilla and passionflower vines.
A mandevilla seller also told me that they like to be a little dry over the winter - not like when they are actively growing.
Hope this helps!
Tamberlin
I have managed to keep two of them for 14 years now, overwintering them on the unheated indoor porch, after cutting them back at the end of November. The more I remember to feed them the better they bloom - outside, not inside. I have quite a lot of new growth compared to former years. Maybe they're getting a little more light but not much - more southern light than western.