How to Care for a Mandevilla Red Fury

Stick a finger into the soil periodically to ascertain soil moisture. When the top 3 inches is dry, water until it's moist. Another way to tell if it's time to water is when the glossy leaves turn dull.

Conserve soil moisture by applying a 3-inch layer of mulch around the base of the Red Fury mandevilla. Rake back the mulch in spring and add a fresh layer.

Fertilize the Red Fury with a 10-20-10 fertilizer. Apply the fertilizer at the rate listed on the label in the spring, when new growth is noticed. Repeat the application every other week.

Cut back the Red Fury vine to keep it growing to the trellis or other support structure. Cut back as much as desired, as the Red Fury blooms on new wood.

Check the mandevilla vine for signs of aphid or mealy bug infestations. Aphids, small green bugs, generally cluster together on the undersides of foliage or on the stems and flowers. Mealybugs are small, white insects that suck the juices out of the plant. Both pests can be controlled with insecticidal soap spray or horticultural oil spray, applied according to label instructions.

Ready the container-grown Red Fury for winter by applying a half-strength application of 10-56-14 fertilizer when temperatures remain consistently under 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut the vine back to 12 inches in length. Water the plant over the winter when the top 3 inches of soil is dry.