A star in the summer garden, Mandevilla loves it hot and sunny. This flowering vine, boosts beautiful flowers and dark green foliage. The hotter it is, the more this plant thrives. Once planted in full sun, Mandevilla is easy to grow and needs little more than training to grow on any type of support you choose. Whether you want to grow it up a trellis, porch post or even a mailbox this easy to care for plant adds tropical summer color wherever it is placed. We love Alice Dupont, with its trumpet-like flowers in ice pink. Each flower lasts for several days. And, looks great on an arbor, trellis or fence. Follow a regular watering schedule and feed with a general purpose fertilizer like McDonald Greenleaf.
TIP: Try this EASY trick to train the plant upward to add pizzazz to your deck or patio.
Choose a sunny spot on your deck or patio that needs visual enhancement.
Gather twine, cup hooks and a Mandevilla plant. (The above photo features the Alice Dupont variety)
Use one cup hook at the base of the plant to anchor the twine. Use 3-4 pieces of twine arching out in a fan pattern and using a cup hook to secure at the top.
Dig a hole deep enough to accommodate the size of your Mandevilla, so that its main stem sits slightly above the soil line. This holds true whether you're planting in a container, hanging basket or in the ground.
Train your Mandevilla to climb the supporting structure. Tie stems initially with plant ties and let it twine naturally from there.
