”After enjoying your summer bloomer for months, it can be hard to say goodbye. We understand! Try overwintering your Mandevilla so you can enjoy it again next spring. This is essentially what we do in our greenhouses and we would be happy to share our top tips for successful winter care. But be warned: overwintering a Mandevilla is a fun but difficult challenge!”
Tim – cultivation specialist at Mandevillashop.com
Okay, Let’s go! In general, the more light a plant gets during winter, the higher its chance of survival. During winter, your Mandevilla is in a state of hibernation. To prepare it for winter, follow the steps below:
After a season of beautiful flowers, it’s time to prune back your Mandevilla. This will help it come back with a flourish in spring. Remove long branches while keeping some of the green leaves. The best time to do this is late September or early October on a calm, dry day. The best time to prune is in the morning to give the pruning wounds plenty of time to dry.
Make sure the soil is moist when you move it indoors. You don’t want it to be too wet, otherwise the roots will rot.
The next step is to find a suitable spot for your plant to spend the winter. Temperature and light play a crucial role. The ideal spot is a greenhouse or conservatory with a temperature between 10-12 °C. Another option is to put your plant in the attic near a window. As most attics are relatively dark, it’s important to make sure your plant stays cool. The less light, the lower the temperature.
If the temperature drops below 5 °C in the room where your Mandevilla is overwintering, the leaves may start to drop. Not to worry, if there are still green buds on your plant it should survive the winter.
Give your plant very little water during winter – only enough to keep the soil slightly moist. Too much water can cause root rot. In general, one shot glass of water every one to two weeks is more than enough (depending on the size of your plant).
Around April your Mandevilla will be ready to head back outside! Just remember: if the temperature drops below 3 °C at night you should keep it inside or move it back inside. When it’s time to head back outside, it’s best to move your plant to a larger pot with fresh potting soil and fertiliser. This will help the roots recover faster and help your plant grow and thrive! It will take a while for your Mandevilla to bloom, as it first needs to grow new branches and buds. You can expect to see the first flowers in late June.
Expert tip: if you have a heated greenhouse, prune the plant slightly and find a spot in the greenhouse. Keep the soil a little more damp than described above. With a bit of luck, your Mandevilla may start blooming in May.
As we mentioned, keeping your Mandevilla live during winter can be challenging. It all depends on your situation at home. So don’t be disappointed if it doesn’t work! We hope these tips helped and we wish you the best of luck!
