Senior Connections SeniorConnections_MayJune20 | Page 12

Favorite vining flowering plants CHRISTIE SCHLUETER Vining plants are tropical and can be considered annuals, or save overwinter. Read on to find out how to take care of these beauties. MANDEVILLA Mandevilla plants have become widely available in nurseries and are one of my favorite potted plants to put outdoors for the summer. Mandevillas produce large, funnel-shaped pink flowers. They are fairly easy to keep in a pot. I do repot them from the greenhouse by adding potting soil and a time release fertilizer to the soil. They love full sun, and will grow 20 feet high. if grown in milder climates. You can try to overwinter the plant, but it is hard to do. It goes dormant. Water sparingly and keep in the brightest window you have. Give it some food to harden up for the long winter. Try to use a liquid fertilizer with a high middle number (phosphorus) such as 10-50-12, lightly applied. Get the plant to stay healthy, but do not apply too much fertilizer. This does not promote growth but toughens the plant. Keep outside as long as possible. It should be able to handle the high 40s for brief periods. After about three weeks of cooler weather, prune the plant back. Not tip cutting, give it a full hair cut to get it 12 inches above the soil. Then slow up on the water and let the plant stay on the dry side. Place the plant in as much light as possible. You will probably get some growth. You will see green starting to grow in Febru- ary or March. Keep the plant on the dry side throughout the winter. When spring comes move the plant outside. Put it out for brief periods, gradually increasing the time. Start watering with a water-soluble fertilizer. Mandevillas are usually pest-free and fast-growing. For best flower- ing, provide plenty of sun. They can take partial shade. The vines need adequate moisture, but can survive short droughts. This plant does very well trellised in a pot. The bright pink flowers will add interest and beauty to its location and attract hummingbirds as well. You can keep the plant bushy by pinching out the growing tips. Remove the spent flowers. This is a wonderful plant for your deck or patio. BLACK-EYED SUSAN VINE Lattice or link fence makes a good choice for coax- ing and weaving your vine into a living wall, but these plants will clamber over just about anything, from the mailbox to an old tree stump. Black-eyed Susan vine repeats blooms from May through fall. No  deadhead- ing is required to keep them in bloom. With their quick growth habit and sprawling nature, black-eyed Susan vines can overtake nearby plants, and are often grown as solo performers. Black-eyed Susan vine likes a fairly neutral soil pH of around 6.5, and a soil rich in organic matter . When setting out plants, work several inches of compost into the soil, if it is not sufficiently rich to start with. More FLOWERS on Pg 13 Get Comfortable. It’s an Amana® Brand Hutchinson Glencoe [phone] [phone] Waconia Cokato [phone] [phone] phcraig.com [email protected] MN Lic. PM065680 A red mandevilla. 12 Senior Connections May/June 2020 Senior Connections HJ.COM