Dipladenia, also known as Mandevilla, is a popular plant in many gardens because of its beautiful tubular flowers that change color depending on the species (white, red, pink). The climbing shrub comes from the tropical zone of South America, where it can grow up to 10 m high. In this article you will learn when and how you should fertilize Dipladenia, as well as useful tips on Mandevilla care.
For gardening beginners – How to find out the right fertilizer
If you have ever had to go to a nursery to buy fertilizer and you don't have much experience, there is a chance that you will get confused when choosing one pack or another. The only difference between them is three digits separated by a hyphen. These are the so-called NPK values and each letter represents one of the three most important micronutrients for plant development.
- Nstands for nitrogen, the most important nutrient for leaf development and the most important substance for photosynthesis.
- Pstands for phosphorus, which is responsible for the development of roots, stems, flowers and fruits.
- Kthe last letter stands for potassium, a nutrient responsible for giving the plant more strength. It contributes to better initial growth, provides greater resistance to disease, reduces potential stress and improves fruit quality.
These NPK numbers indicate the percentage of the individual nutrients. As you can already tell, this is a pretty simple concept. Now that you're familiar with the basics, let's tell youwhich fertilizeris best suited for your Dipladenia.
What nutrient requirements does the Mandevilla have?
In the jungle areas where Dipladenia occurs, the soils are rich in nutrients. In addition, they are renewed daily with additional organic elements that are missing in your garden or the pot in which you planted the Mandevilla. That's why you should fertilize Dipladenia and ensure its better development.
In general one isFertilizer with a balanced nutrient contentbest suited for Dipladenia. Since we have already examined what NPK values are, you can imagine that a balanced fertilizer has three equal numbers. That is, for Mandevilla, 20-20-20, 15-15-15 or 12-12-12 are best suited. Depending on which one you use, the doses will vary.
- Notice: Since flowering is an important point for this plant, you can support this process with a fertilizer rich in phosphorus. If the bloom is a little weak - in size and/or quantity - you can use 7-9-5 or 6-10-4 fertilizer.
Fertilize Dipladenia – when, how often and how
When should you fertilize Dipladenia: Early spring is the ideal time to fertilize Dipladenia. However, keep in mind that it is very sensitive to frost and the new shoots will die in temperatures below freezing. This means you should stop fertilizing Dipladenia about 8 weeks before the first frost.
How should you fertilize Dipladenia:If you have purchased the Dipladenia fertilizer, the first thing you should do is read the instructions for use. There you will find out how much you have to spend.
It is best to use balanced liquid fertilizers and apply them together with good watering to prevent the roots from burning from an excess of nutrients. The frequency with which you should apply the fertilizer is every two weeks.
When the flowering period begins, you can replace some of the balanced fertilizers with those with a higher concentration of phosphorus. This can contribute to better flowering. Do this if the previous bloom was a bit weak.
If you no longer want to fertilize your Mandevilla so regularly, you can replace the liquid fertilizer with a granulated slow-release fertilizer. Since the nutrients remain in the soil longer, you can fertilize Dipladenia once a month.
- Notice: Since we're talking about fertilizing, you should also know the dangers of over-fertilizing. There is a possibility of foliage burning, leaves and flowers falling off, etc. Remember that when fertilizing, less is more. Be careful when applying a fertilizer. It is better to reduce the dose than to overdo it.
Further tips for Dipladenia care
Location: The Mandevilla, which comes from the jungle, likes a bright location, but without direct sunlight. If you grow them indoors, keep them in a bright place but do not expose them to sudden temperature changes.
Boden: Although Dipladenia adapt to a variety of soils, it prefers light sandy soils with good drainage. Also, be sure to plant the Dipladenia in a location where it can climb an object (tree, trellis, etc.).
Pruning: This will be your most important ally to control the growth of the climbing plant, especially if you grow it indoors where you don't have much space. Pruning can be done throughout the growing season (spring and summer).
irrigation: It is advisable to keep the soil moist but not to cause waterlogging. If you are growing Mandevilla outdoors and there is no heavy rain, water 3 times a week in summer. In autumn and winter it is enough to water the plant no more than once a week.
Dipladenia Pyramid – Other important care tipsyou can get it here!
