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Have you been looking for creative ways to support your Mandevilla plants? These vining beauties need a support in order to truly showcase their potential. Keep reading to discover some easy to implement Mandevilla trellis ideas, and I’ll also share some care tips for your plants!
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MANDEVILLA TRELLIS IDEAS
Whether you have your plants in the ground or in pots, here are some Mandevilla trellis ideas. I’ve grown Mandevilla plants for many years and I’m sharing with you some photos from my own garden.
1. Create a support structure out of bamboo
In this raised bed, I planted some Mandevilla plants in the middle and surrounded them with impatiens. I simply inserted six, 6 foot tall pieces of bamboo into the soil and tied them on top. Super easy!
If you look closely in the photo, I also took clear fishing string and tied them horizontally (like rungs on a ladder) across the bamboo in order to provide additional locations for the vines to climb.
Right after planting, I manually took each vine and gently wrapped it around the bamboo to get it started. Eventually, the plant will naturally wrap itself around the structure.
2. Place a horizontal support between 2 pots to make an arch
In this case, I purchased two Mandevilla pots that already had 3 bamboo stakes inserted in them and tied on top. You can also insert them on your own if your plants didn’t come with them. You will need them for this project.
At this point, I simply laid a piece of bamboo on top to connect the pots, and tied them together securely with twine. Take a look at the photo below.
After 3 months, this is what this setup grew into. The vines completely covered the horizontal bamboo support.
As the plants grow, you’ll have to help them along occasionally by manually wrapping the vines around the support, and tying them if needed.
3. Grow up a post and use fishing string for additional support
In this example, I have another Mandevilla plant with bamboo stakes inserted into the pot and tied on top like in the previous example.
In this case, however, I placed the pot right up again a wooden support of a pergola structure. As the plant grew, I tied the vines with clear fishing string to support and contain the plant.
Once the vines reach the top, I started to train the plant horizontally by using clear fishing string.
You can see in the photo below, I have a pink Mandevilla on either side of the pergola.
In the top horizontal wooden face of the pergola, I simply hammered some small nails and ran clear fishing string along the top.
As the vines grew, I would wrap them around the fishing string. This creates a beautiful floral arch! You can really get creative with clear fishing string.
I hope this has sparked some ideas for your own garden, so get creative! Now let me talk a bit about Mandevilla care and what they like so you can keep them blooming and happy.
MANDEVILLA CARE
Here are some basics of Mandevilla care.
LIGHT
Mandevilla plants are sun-loving, so be sure to give your plant at least a half day of direct sun (more is better) wherever you put them outdoors.
If you have them in too much shade, blooming will be compromised and no one buys these plants just for the foliage.
POTTING MIX
Freely draining potting mixes are very important for these plants. A good mix to use would be 2 parts all-purpose potting mix and 1 part coarse sand.
Excellent, sharp drainage is a must for this plant.
WATER
Regular watering is important, especially during hot, dry, summer days. Always feel the soil though before watering. I like to allow the top couple inches of soil to dry out before watering again thoroughly.
Never water if the surface of the soil still feels moist.
FERTILIZER
Mandevillas grow quickly and need plenty of fertilizer for best performance.
I’d recommend regularly using a good fertilizer like Miracle Gro Bloom Booster for an abundance of flowers all summer long.
TEMPERATURE
When purchasing Mandevilla plants, resist the temptation to buy them when temperatures are still cold. Wait until minimum nighttime temperatures are at least 50°F (10°C) before purchasing them.
ROUTINE CLEAN UP
Remove any spent flowers regularly. Once flowers are done, they often fall off onto the foliage, and can create quite a mess.
In order to keep the foliage in good health and help deter pests and diseases, be sure to regularly remove any fallen, spent flowers from the foliage.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this post on Mandevilla trellis ideas. The possibilities are endless, so get creative!
For more detailed care tips, check out my Mandevilla care post.
Angela alaniz
Wednesday 9th of August 2023
I transferred the flowers into a bigger pot. .(removed soil with the flowers and put on bigger pot). Some of the branches turned brown but I bend the branch and there still flexable..Some branches r still green..Just wondering if this plant goes into shock
Raffaele
Wednesday 9th of August 2023
Any plant can go into transplant shock, especially if you removed all the soil. Just keep an eye on it and baby it until it recovers :-)
PJ
Monday 24th of July 2023
Hello Raffaele!
I love those plants in your yard. They look so gorgeous! I have a question. I just planted a few Mandevilla plants a couple of days ago. I placed the planters in front of our house where they get around 5 hours of direct sunlight. We live in Dallas TX where the temperature can get up to > 100 degrees. I am a little worried that they will get scorched by the heat. Should I move the plants to somewhere where there is still plenty light but just not under the harsh sunlight?
PJ
Tuesday 25th of July 2023
@Raffaele,
Yes, they start getting direct sun around noon. I read somewhere that they need 6+ hours of sunlight. But if I follow that guidance, I am afraid they will be scorched if I leave it in the spot of the front house where they will get 6+ hours of direct sun light.
My question is, do they really need 6+ hours of direct sunlight in places like Texas?
Thank you so much!
Raffaele
Tuesday 25th of July 2023
Hi PJ! What time would they get the direct sun? If it's mid-day, you may want to maybe consider moving them because of the heat. Do you have any place where they would only get some morning sun? Or where you would just avoid mid-day sun?
Ann Irwin
Thursday 8th of June 2023
I have two mandevilla's in our courtyard. They get plenty of sunlight and produced flowers earlier this spring. Instead of trimming the newer growth at the top I have been heading the vines downward. They get very bushy and dense in doing this; and I am wondering if I am inhibiting the growth of flowers by doing so. Thank You in advance for any suggestions.
Raffaele
Sunday 11th of June 2023
Hi Ann! That's a great question. You may be inhibiting the flowers of that parts that you're covering up, but the vines on top should still bloom if that makes sense? You should be ok though :-)
Rachelle
Friday 2nd of June 2023
Should I put a trellis and if yes what kind? to bring the plant in home in september I'm from Canada thank you!
Raffaele
Monday 5th of June 2023
Do you mean for indoors? You can just keep whatever one you used outside. You'll need to trim it back though before you bring it indoors. Good luck!
Cathy
Sunday 28th of May 2023
Hi, I have a Alice DuPont Mandevilla in a hanging basket. Was wondering if I hung it on a pole in front of a lamp post would it attach its vines to the lamp post.
Raffaele
Wednesday 31st of May 2023
Hi Cathy! Mandevillas will wrap themselves around supports as long as they're not too wide. They won't really attach much. If the pole is too big, it may struggle to wrap itself around. You can maybe wrap some kind of mesh around the lamp post. This will make it easier for the vines to wrap themselves around. Good luck!