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When it gets colder outside and the days get shorter, it's time to bring cold-sensitive plants like the Dipladenia Mandevilla and Sundaville indoors. Their dreamy, funnel-shaped flowers make these liana-like climbers a decorative eye-catcher in the garden, on the balcony and terrace from May to late autumn. Shapes and colors of the flowers can vary from variety to variety. However, when it comes to care, especially during the winter, they are very similar.
Prepare for the winter
Both Dipladenia Mandevilla and Dipladenia Sundaville, a Mandevilla hybrid, are not hardy in our latitudes. As a result, they cannot hibernate in the garden and must move to the winter quarters in good time, in any case before the first frost. As long as temperatures are above zero during the day and especially at night, you can still enjoy the blossoms of the Mandevilla outdoors in autumn. You should pay particular attention to early night frosts.
In order not to take any risks, you can wrap them in a fleece over the night as a precaution, because even low minus temperatures of 1-2 degrees can damage the Dipladenia and cause large parts of the plant to die off. As a rule, of course, it is better to bring this flowering climbing plant to the winter quarters early. It is best to bring them indoors at the end of October or as soon as the night-time temperatures fall below 8 degrees, where they will rest.
Tip: Before putting them away, you should check the plants for possible pest infestation and, if present, eliminate them as soon as possible.
winter quarters
Conditions in winter quarters
Classic quarters for overwintering the Dipladenia Mandevilla or Sundaville are greenhouses and conservatories that cannot be heated very much, this is where the incidence of light is greatest. These exotic plants are evergreen, which should be taken into account when overwintering.
- ensure sufficient daylight even in the cold and dark season
- Protect from direct and bright sunlight by appropriate shading
- dark rooms without windows, such as basements or stairwells, are completely unsuitable
- such unfavorable conditions lead to the formation of so-called horny shoots
- Cut out these long, thin and weak shoots again and again
- incorrect wintering increases susceptibility to diseases and pests
- cellars and stairwells equipped with windows are rather unproblematic
- if there is not enough daylight, use additional daylight lamps
- warm living rooms unsuitable as quarters for the winter
- The consequences would be fewer flowers in the next season or no flowers at all
- there is no other option, always choose the brightest and coolest room in the apartment
Basically, the ideal winter location for Mandevilla and Sundeville should be cool and bright without direct sunlight and with temperatures between 10 and 15 degrees being as constant as possible. Drafts must be avoided at all costs. It shouldn't be warmer than 15 degrees. A bright hibernation is important because this climbing plant is one of the evergreen plants and as a result does not lose its foliage even in winter.
maintenance
Maintenance measures in winter
Even if the Dipladenia goes dormant in winter, it will require a certain amount of care during this time, albeit in a lesser form. Care is usually limited to watering, because fertilizing is completely stopped. The water requirement is now significantly lower, so that it only has to be watered very sparingly and sporadically. The substrate can be kept a little drier, but should not dry out completely. If Mandevilla or Sundaville overwinters in the dark, watering should be stopped completely.
What should definitely be avoided during the winter is waterlogging, to which this plant reacts very sensitively. A moisture meter can be a good tool when watering, it shows when it needs to be watered again. In addition, attention should be paid to increased humidity, which can be generated by occasionally spraying with a plant sprayer. Regular checking of the plants for diseases or pest infestation should not be neglected during the entire winter period.
Tip: Overwatering can cause both Mandevilla and Sundaville to drop leaves. If you adjust the watering behavior accordingly, there is no reason to worry. It becomes problematic when the root is affected or has already been damaged.
To cut
Prune before or after hibernation?
The Dipladenia is a very pruning plant, but this does not mean that it always has to be pruned. If it overwinters bright and cool, it does not necessarily have to be cut back. The situation is different when it has grown too large, needs to be rejuvenated or only a dark room is available for wintering. Basically, this exotic can be blended before, after and even during the winter. Pruning measures during hibernation should not be the rule, but rather the exception or an emergency solution, for example if there is increased leaf fall in the winter quarters.
pruning
Cut back before wintering
It is sometimes recommended to cut the Dipladenia before putting it into winter quarters. Since this plant only flowers on the fresh, this year's shoots, a pruning at this time can make sense.
- wait until the end of the flowering period before cutting
- Plants can be shortened to a third of their total height
- one shortens overly long shoots and those with only a few leaves and flowers
- too radical a cut is not advisable
- Plants usually suffer one or the other damage in winter
- this makes pruning necessary in the following spring
- it should be as dry as possible on the day of pruning
- this allows the milky sap contained in the plant to dry faster
- this in turn minimizes the risk of pest or fungal infestation
Prune after overwintering
A pruning after hibernation or before hibernating should be done around February, but in any case before new sprouting. It can be weak, or stronger for the purpose of rejuvenation. The type and extent of the pruning measures correspond to those before wintering, so that here too all shoots can be shortened to a third. The earlier the pruning takes place, the sooner you can enjoy the graceful flowers. After a more vigorous pruning, this noble plant shows a more compact growth, forms many strong shoots and flowers all the more lavishly.
Tip: Irrespective of whether pruning is done before or after hibernation, gloves should be worn for any pruning measures, because Dipladenia, which belongs to the dogbane family, is poisonous in all parts of the plant.
winter out
Due to the low cold tolerance of Mandevilla and Sundaville, wintering ends around May. To avoid thermal shock they should be acclimated to higher temperatures and sun very gently.
- To do this, place them in a bright, 2-3 degree warmer spot from February
- this announces the approaching end of hibernation to the plant
- Growth and flowering are stimulated
- From March/April, add some diluted liquid fertilizer to the irrigation water for the first time
- slowly pour a little more
- Depending on the degree of root penetration, repot the plant before wintering out
- no fertilizing required immediately after repotting
- Rough up the root ball before potting
- this makes it easier for the fine roots to grow
- when potting, use a trellis or other climbing aid in the pot
Before you can put the plant outside again permanently after the ice saints, you should carefully get used to the changed conditions through a short acclimatization phase. To do this, place them in a semi-shady and sheltered spot on the balcony or terrace for the first two weeks. If the temperatures cool down significantly at night, it can make sense to initially only put the plant outside during the day. After this short acclimatization phase, the plants can go to their final place.
Problems with hibernation
loss of leaves
Even if these climbing plants are usually quite undemanding, one or the other problem can arise, especially during the winter. Shortly after the Dipladenia has moved to its winter quarters, increased leaf loss often occurs. In most cases this is not a cause for concern, but a completely natural behavior due to the temperature differences between the outdoor and winter quarters and the lower light output. By spring at the latest, these plants will reliably sprout again.
Too much water
On the other hand, it can become critical if too much is poured during the hibernation. Depending on the type of hibernation, the amount and frequency of watering can vary. Basically, the cooler the area, the less water should be poured. If you overwinter in the dark, you can usually stop watering completely.
lack of light
If the plant forms many so-called Geiltriebe, this is an indication that it is too dark, which often results in pest infestation. These horny shoots should be cut out, as they unnecessarily cost the plant energy. Yellow leaves can also be the result of a lack of light.
pest infestation
If there is a pest infestation in winter, for example by scale insects, mealybugs or spider mites, this can also be due to insufficient humidity. To counteract this, you should ventilate the winter quarters regularly and spray the plants with lukewarm water from time to time. If you place the Dipladenia in a bowl or saucer filled with coarse gravel and water, this can increase the humidity accordingly.
Leaf discoloration on older shoots
Older shoots occasionally show yellowish leaves that eventually fall off. This is also a completely normal sign of aging and occurs above all when the plant in question has not been pruned or has only rarely been pruned. The old shoots become old, bare from below and only develop flowers in the upper area. A vigorous pruning can usually remedy the situation and stimulate the plant to form new shoots and a more lush abundance of flowers.