Marianne's Response

Keeping a Mandevilla over winter

I live in Wisconsin. I have a beautiful Red Mandevilla plant on my patio this summer. It flourished this summer and I am told I can keep it as a house plant over winter. Then bring it back outside next spring. I have started to carefully trim it back because it was huge. I am doing it a little at a time not to hurt it. I have moved it into my porch, but soon it will be too cold out there and will bring it into the house. Any suggestions on what I do for it, to keep it alive and happy would be appreciated. Will it go dormant? Do I water it regularly and give it light as any houseplant? Would it want to be warm or cool? Anxious to hear your expertise on this matter. Thank you, Linda

Posted by Linda Wagner on October 2, 2020

Marianne's Response

You have two choices here. Either grow as a houseplant giving it a bright window and watering only when the top inch of soil has dried out or move it to cool, dark garage or shed and let the leaves fall off and the soil go dry so that it becomes dormant. Check once a month to make sure there is just enough water to keep the roots alive maybe one cup of water every 30 days.  Keeping the vine on the cool side indoors the house is preferred and wash the leaves to get rid of pests as this tropical plant can bring white flies and mealy bug indoors. If you give it the cold treatment in a dark spot you can cut it back to just a few feet tall. I think the houseplant method is safer but to be honest it will not look that great indoors unless you have a bright sun room. A third option is take cuttings of the vine in case you kill it over the winter. Good for you to try and overwinter a tropical patio plant. Gardening is an adventure so keep trying new things. Keep growing, Marianne Binetti