Donald, do you overwinter your mandevilla 'Alice Dupont' in the ground? I did so successfully last year here in zone 8a. But have yet to cut it back this year or to mulch it, as it's still blooming. But we might get frost this week, so I'd better get that done tomorrow. As for my dipladenias, they come indoors or stay dormant in the garage over the winter. I nearly lost mine last year, as I don't think it liked being kept dormant in the garage. So, I'm bringing all dipladenias inside.

Deebie said:Donald, do you overwinter your mandevilla 'Alice Dupont' in the ground? I did so successfully last year here in zone 8a. But have yet to cut it back this year or to mulch it, as it's still blooming. But we might get frost this week, so I'd better get that done tomorrow. As for my dipladenias, they come indoors or stay dormant in the garage over the winter. I nearly lost mine last year, as I don't think it liked being kept dormant in the garage. So, I'm bringing all dipladenias inside.

I really don't know whether my plants are Mandevilla or Dipladenias. They were sold as Mandevillas without a cultivar name. The two I'm growing are similar, but not the same. The one I've had the longest is grown as a hanging basket plant and has been overwintered on a closed in, unheated porch with a glass front facing east. I've moved it in and out during the winter and as a result it got severely frostbitten a couple of times last year. At least once it was subjected to temperatures down to the mid 20s F (the weather folks just don't always get right in my location ). It was damaged, but survived. Since it's the one with the pod, it can be treated the same as usual. The newer one I acquired as a Mandevilla is growing on a trellis. When a freeze is predicted, it will need to be cut loose from the trellis. I plan to see if I can just overwinter it in the garage.

The pink mandevilla with the crinkly leaves is M. Alice Dupont. That's the one that I overwinter in the ground. There is a white one with a yellow throat whose large leaves are not crinkly. The ones with the smaller shiny leaves are usually dipladenias (added to mandevilla genus in recent years. They are more tender than the former and are usually grown in hanging baskets. I have a large white one that needs a trellis. I think it's too big for a basket. My dipladenias did not like staying in my garage last winter, so I'm bringing them indoors. The problem could be that DH left the garage door open on some of the coldest days, and it got too cold. I'm going to stay behind him to make sure that doesn't happen again. Otherwise, he will be buying replacement plants and a greenhouse next spring.

Deebie said:............. could be that DH left the garage door open on some of the coldest days, and it got too cold. I'm going to stay behind him to make sure that doesn't happen again. Otherwise, he will be buying replacement plants and a greenhouse next spring.

Good grief!! I'd be following him around and leaving the garage door open and blaming him if it meant getting a greenhouse . Winter is the toughest time for the plants. I hate fooling with them in the winter months, so nearly all of them are in survival mode. Your description sounds like the one in the basket is a Dipladenia rather than a Mandevilla. The leaves are smooth, the bloom is smaller than on the new one I got. Both of mine are red.

I do and will continue to pester him about getting me a greenhouse, but not at the expense of my plants. Some plants are difficult to replace, as they have come from generous gardeners from around the country, and can not be found locally. Or replacement by online purchase may be cost prohibitive. If I can sell some plants and generate some income, I may be able to get him interested in getting me a greenhouse. I'm trying to work this thing from all angles. I've got to get a greenhouse,; I really need one. His biggest fear is that I'll just fill it up with even more plants, but isn't that what the greenhouse for?

Yes, it does sound like you have a dipladenia. Enjoy it and the other one.

needrain said:The Mandevilla I've had for a couple of years has set a seed pod. Anyone have any experience to share? I was evaluating how much to cut back for the winter when I saw it.

I saw the smaller one I grow in a nursery and it was being sold as Dipladenia. The nursery also was selling the larger variety I have and it was labeled Mandevilla. I was thinking that, though I think taxonomically both are now considered Mandevillas. Anyway, I kept the 'Dipladenia' inside all winter and watched that pod. I moved it out in the early warm weather and kept watch. I still nearly missed it splitting, so about 1/3 of the seeds escaped from one of the forks. I didn't expect them be like Dandelion seeds and be able to fly . I cut the pod and laid out and waited. In a day or two both forks split and those little stinkers covered a relatively large area with seeds. You couldn't breathe in their direction without them trying to fly away. Prox 3 weeks ago I planted all the little things and with one yesterday and one today, there are now two that have sprouted . Hope for survival is not very good. I'll probably forget them too long and kill them at this time of year, but it's interesting they germinated. If the % of germination is high, there are going to be a lot of little plants in a small, shallow container. Lots of little seeds in those skinny pods.

Good grief, those are some thin pods. I've seen some, not knowing what they were and paid no attention to them. Congrats on your success at getting some seeds to germinate.

That sure is fun to watch and see further how it grows.

My red was in full bloom until Sept. and then boom.....mealy bugs all over it. It was like a jungle in the GH and I left them go because the three reds were still blooming profusely. What a disappointment when I saw the MB..I hate those little white critters. I cut all of mine back really hard. I just noticed all but one red is pushing new leaves. So far no MB. But who knows what will happen with the doors and window open during this warm spell.

JB, just spray it with alcohol. I put the stuff in a sprayer bottle and use it "straight up". I have had no problems with it harming the plants using it that way. Dilute and use a Q-tip............Bwahahahaha......................like THAT will work. Someone has wwaaaaay too much time on their hands if they attack mealybugs that way.

My mandevilla is still in rest mode..still quite cool temps, we need a more consistent 70F to 75F.

AnnaZ said:JB, just spray it with alcohol. I put the stuff in a sprayer bottle and use it "straight up". I have had no problems with it harming the plants using it that way. Dilute and use a Q-tip............Bwahahahaha......................like THAT will work. Someone has wwaaaaay too much time on their hands if they attack mealybugs that way.

It was over 100 deg. in the GH and I was so angry I just cut them back and threw the cuttings in a muck bucket to be taken to the dump. I wanted nothing more to do. I sprayed them yesterday just to be sure but I used the neems and soap solution. I may try your way sometime if they infest again.

There are now 25 Mandevilla seedlings. Germination seems to be slowing down. Only two new ones showed up today. That's not a high percentage of germination considering how many seeds were planted.

That is 25 more than I would get to sprout. You are so lucky and they look great. Please keep on sending those pictures. I can only dream of ever doing that. I cut mine back so far since the mealy bug problem that if they survive I will be amazed. Why those mealy bugs are attracted to these plants is a mystery to me. None of the other plants in the GH have any signs of them.

I have a couple of brugs and EE's that have spider mites...........why they don't ALL have them............well.............'tis a puzzlement................ However, I am not complaining that they all aren't afflicted.

JB said:That is 25 more than I would get to sprout. You are so lucky and they look great. Please keep on sending those pictures. I can only dream of ever doing that. I cut mine back so far since the mealy bug problem that if they survive I will be amazed. Why those mealy bugs are attracted to these plants is a mystery to me. None of the other plants in the GH have any signs of them.

Insects haven't bothered the Mandevillas here. Mealy bugs haven't shown up in any of my plants, so I guess it may still happen at some point. Grasshoppers don't chew on them. Hoppers and aphids are usually my biggest pests. Now that I have some brugs, I'm seeing mites which are really hard to control under the naturally dry conditions here. I had to cut back one of the Mandevillas hard in order to bring it inside for the winter. It has a lot of new growth coming up from the ground, but the growth above ground did not leaf out. The seedlings are on a smaller type sold here as Dipladenia when it is labeled at all. I grow it in a basket and is now in its 3rd year. I don't cut it back as much and it keeps some leaves with a small amount of new growth during winter storage. I hope with a bit time it starts looking better this summer. It may be wearing out with age now. I'm not sure how I'll do with the seedlings. I tend to forget things like that tending to the other plants. And, also, I don't know what I'm doing :).

My enemy with my Mandevillas are the aphids too. But right now, it is still safe, but it should be coming soon as temperatures finally warm up again.

tarev said:My enemy with my Mandevillas are the aphids too. But right now, it is still safe, but it should be coming soon as temperatures finally warm up again.

I've never seen aphids on my Mandevillas. Maybe there are too many other plants they prefer or perhaps the kind of aphids that like them aren't here. I have quite a few plants that get aphids, but the aphids appear to be different kinds of aphids. It seems like a lot of aphids have definite plant host preferences, so those don't necessarily get on a neighboring plant.

The aphids usually attack first the tropical milkweeds, but last year they were not growing good, so they moved to the mandevilla, especially if there is new growth finally coming about. I am just glad the geraniums block them from going to other plants.

I am happy when I see the ladybugs...my favorite aphid destroyer!