Yellow leaves?

‘There could be several reasons why your Mandevilla/Dipladenia develops yellow leaves. This article explains the main causes and what you can do about it!’

Tim – cultivation specialist at Mandevillashop.com

1 . Too much water

What you’ll see:
Yellow leaves at the bottom of the plant that eventually turn brown and fall off

Check:
Remove your Mandevilla from the pot. Are the roots brown? If so, your plant has been overwatered. Remember: Mandevilla does not like wet feet!

The solution:
Try to remove the excess water.

Make sure your pot has drainage holes at the bottom.
We don’t recommend a pot with a saucer, as this can prevent the water from draining away freely.
Add a layer of hydrogranules to the pot to prevent the roots from coming into direct contact with water.

2 . Too little sunlight

What you’ll see:
Yellow leaves in the middle of the plant.

Check:
Are the yellow leaves damp? The centre of the plant is not getting enough sunlight and is losing leaves.

The solution:
Remove the fallen leaves to prevent the formation of mould.
In autumn, the sun is much lower in the sky and the humidity level is higher. This causes the leaves to become yellower. If this happens in mid-November, it may be time to bring your Mandevilla indoors for the winter (if you want)!

3 . Not enough fertiliser

What you see:
Yellow leaves at the bottom of the plant.

Situation:
Mandevilla is an exceptional plant and knows exactly what it wants in terms of fertiliser. If you add too much fertiliser, the plant will simply store it in the roots. However, if you add too little, the lower leaves may start to drop due to a build-up of waste, forcing the plant into survival mode. This helps the upper leaves continue to grow.

The solution
The potting soil at Mandevillashop.com contains the perfect balance of nutrients for the entire season!

4 . Insects and pests

Leaf loss due to insects and pests is extremely rare with Mandevilla. If you do spot an aphid or whitefly in your plant, you’ll soon notice ladybirds being drawn to your plant to take care of the problem for you. In fact, ladybirds can eat up to 100 aphids a day! Sometimes Mandevilla are affected by mould or bacteria. When this happens, the infected branch will turn brown and wither. Remove the branch as soon as possible to prevent it from infecting other branches!