Dipladenia or Mandevilla is an ornamental climbing plant with beautiful flowers and shiny leaves. The Dipladenia can be grown indoors, on terraces or in conservatories. Caring for this plant is not difficult, you just need to remember a few important rules. Find out what substrate it needs, how often it needs to be watered and when it should be propagated. Here's everything you need to know about growing dipladenia.
Dipladenia, Mandevilla
Dipladenia, Mandevilla - description
Dipladenia , also known asMandevilla , is a tropical climber, mainly native to Brazil.It belongs to the Apocynaceae family toinaceae. The Dipladenia has long, dark green leaves and glossy tops that make a good contrast to the large flowers. The flowers are funnel-shaped, approx. 7 cm in diameter, pink to white in color. If cared for properly, the Dipladenia blooms for a long time, from May to November, a single flower will last 2-4 weeks.
It is worth knowing that from Dipladenia, or more precisely fromMandevilla atroviolacea , comes a series of very popular Sundaville varieties that look great in containers on terraces and balconies. The Sundaville Group is currently the most fashionable variety of the Dipladenia genus.
Propagation of dipladenia
The reproduction of dipladeniais carried out only vegetatively, through shoot cuttings. Cuttings are taken from mature shoots, they should have 1-2 knots with leaves. The seedling should be about 3.5 cm high in total. Then the lower part of the seedling is immersed in a vessel with water for 24 hours to accelerate the leakage of the milk juice.After taking it out of the water, the seedling is immersed in the rooting plant and placed in the substrate.
The best substrate for the Dipladenia is peat with perlite or peat with sand mixed in a 3: 1 ratio. When planting, remember that the temperature of the substrate should be 22-25 ° C, if it is lower, Dipladenia cuttings will not take root. Cuttings take 5-7 weeks to take root. It is best to plant from January to March, thanks to which we will have mature and flowering plants at the beginning of summer (in June).
A furthercultivation of the Dipladeniiinvolves transplanting into larger pots. When the seedlings produce the first, new pair of leaves, they should be transplanted 2-4 pieces into pots with a diameter of 8-10 cm, filled with the same, fresh substrate. After the roots have grown through the soil, transplant the young Dipladenie into larger pots, 12 cm in diameter, filled with 2: 1 peat and compost soil. When the plants grow up again, they can be placed in the target pots in which we want to grow the Dipladenia.
Important!When transplanting dipladenia, do not prune the roots as they then rot very easily.
Dipladenia - cultivation, needs
Temperature
If we want to ensure the best possible conditions for growing Dipladenii , it is necessary to ensure high air temperature, from May to autumn 20 ° C and more. In winter, the temperature is reduced to 15-18 ° C.
Watering and moisturizing
Dipladeniadislikes excessive soil moisture in the pot. Therefore, it should not be watered too often and abundantly. It is worth remembering, however, that humid air promotes the formation of flower buds, so often sprinkle the plant with soft water.
Trimming
YoungMandeville , still vigorously growing, can be trimmed to spread, this can only be done once, preferably in early spring.
Note!Trimming and other dipladenia care treatments should be performed with protective gloves, and after finishing the work, wash your hands thoroughly, as the white dipladenia juice irritates the skin.
Fertilization
From April, the plants should be fed every 10 - 14 days with a compound fertilizer with a reduced calcium content.
Transplanting
Ripe plants should be transplanted once a year in the spring. Let's not forget thatDipladeniais a creeper and therefore needs a strong support. The pH of the substrate to which we transplant the plant should be 6.0 to 6.5.
Wintering dipladenia
Proper cultivation of dipladenia requires a dormant period for the plant. This time is in January and February. The plant should then be moved to a room with a lower temperature of 12-15 ° C. During the dormant period, watering should be limited.
In winter, the temperature in the room must not fall below 7 ° C, therefore dipladenia cannot be hibernated outdoors. A cool orangery or a winter garden will be best.
Diseases of dipladenia
When practicing dipladeniawe have to take into account that this plant is not immune to pot plant diseases, both physiological and infectious.
The most common of physiological diseases isyellowing of dipladenia leavesIt is manifested by yellowing of the leaf blades from the edges or tips of the leaves. Leaves may fall over time. The cause of these disorders is water or nitrogen deficiency. To prevent them, care for the proper fertilization of dipladenia and do not allow the plant to dry out.
Browning or browning of dipladenia leaves , shoot rot and inhibition of plant growth may indicate rhizoctoniosis or dipladenia rot. In both cases, the infected plants must be discarded, and the he althy ones growing nearby must be sprayed with fungicides as a preventive measure.
The leaves may also have round, slightly sunken, initially brown and then graying spots. Ring-shaped clusters of fungus sporulation are visible on the underside of the leaves within the spots. Such symptoms indicatedipladenia ringspotRound, whitish and sometimes graying spots on dipladenia flowers may indicate infection bydipladenia gray mold At a later stage, necrosis moves to the tops of the shoots and progresses downwards. In the case of these two diseases, infected plants can be treated by spraying with appropriate fungicides.
Pests of potted plants can also be found on dipladiums. Dipladen are especially sensitive to scales, mealybugs and spider mites. All these pests can be combated with insecticides.
Katarzyna Matuszak
