How to grow potted bougainvillea? A detailed guide to the latest care methods

In early summer, the ordinary and unassuming bougainvillea can be seen everywhere in many cities. It symbolizes passion, perseverance, and a indomitable, enterprising spirit. Over time, this bougainvillea, which originated in South America and has high ornamental value, has been gradually introduced and cultivated in large quantities by people across the country, becoming one of the widely used ornamental flowering trees and shrubs. Below, the editor will explain.

1. Soil mixing

The growing soil is made by piling and composting loam, cow dung, leaf mold, sand, etc., and adding an appropriate amount of bone meal when using it. Household soil formula: garden soil: leaf mold: sand = 5:3:2; peat soil: leaf mold: sand: perlite = 5:2:2:1.

2. Choosing a pot

When choosing a flower pot for bougainvillea, try to choose a shallower pot, which helps with drainage. It is better to grow a large plant in a small pot than a small plant in a large pot.

2. Light

Bougainvillea likes light. Insufficient light during the growing season will lead to weak plant growth and affect flowering. In winter, it should be placed in a bright place, and daily light exposure must not be less than 8 hours, otherwise a large number of leaves will fall.

3. Temperature

The suitable growth temperature for bougainvillea is 20-30°C. In winter, when the temperature is below 5°C, it is prone to frost damage and leaf drop.

4. Fertilizing

After the weather warms up, apply nitrogen fertilizer once every 10-15 days. During the growing period, apply cake fertilizer water once a week, and apply phosphorus fertilizer several more times during the flowering period. At the early stage of flower branch growth, apply urea once to help flower branch growth. After autumn turns cool, reduce the amount of fertilizer, and stop fertilizing in winter.

5. Watering

During the summer flowering period, water twice a day: spray water in the morning, and after 4 p.m., water once; after the flowers fade, watering can be appropriately reduced, as overly wet soil will cause leaf drop and root rot; in winter, control watering, and do not water if the potting soil is not dry, but water should be withheld 4-5 weeks before bougainvillea blooms.

6. Pruning

Bougainvillea is very tolerant of pruning. Bougainvillea pruning is divided into post-flowering pruning and pre-winter pruning. The purpose of post-flowering pruning is to adjust the plant shape and promote the next batch of flowers to open earlier, so spent flowers should be cut off as early as possible, and the whole plant should be pruned so that it blooms at the same time next time.

7. Pinching and topping

According to shaping needs, determine the timing of topping and pinching during the growth period of bougainvillea; according to the plant height and the position where branching is to be induced, determine the pinching position. Generally speaking, when the stem tip has 4-6 leaves, it can be pinched and topped. For new shoots at the 6-leaf stage, remove 2 and keep 4. After the side buds are strong, remove 1-2 leaves and keep 2-3 leaves. After repeated pruning, topping, and pinching several times, the branches go from 1 to 2, and from 2 to 4, until the desired crown shape is developed. In addition, remove buds at positions where branches are not needed.

8. Shaping

By controlling apical dominance, promote budding at the lower part of the plant, control excessive branch growth, and speed up side branch growth to achieve the purpose of shaping. Pruning should be chosen before budding in February-March. Follow the principle of first pruning inner branches and then outer branches, and remove reverse-growing branches, weak drooping branches, inner branches, excessive water shoots, dead branches, overlapping branches, shaded branches, and interfering branches, etc.

9. Repotting

Before repotting, it is best to do it when the potting soil is relatively dry, because this makes it easier to remove old soil and old fine roots. Do not repot just after watering; when repotting, it is best to remove only one-third or one-half of the old soil (keep the root ball from breaking apart). This is safer. If you are not confident, do not clean away all the soil.

10. Cold protection

Bougainvillea is not cold-tolerant and is easily frostbitten or even frozen to death in severe cases, so be sure to pay attention to temperature changes. Generally speaking, if the temperature is below 5°C for a relatively long time, it may freeze to death. Even in the winter in the south, the lowest temperature only reaches about 3°C.

Notes:

1. In hot summer and winter, because the plant grows slowly or is dormant, fertilizing should be stopped to avoid fertilizer damage.

2. Do not apply concentrated fertilizer or raw fertilizer (organic fertilizer that has not been fully decomposed) to prevent root damage, which can lead to scorched and fallen leaves, or even the death of the whole plant.

3. In severe cold, it needs to be moved indoors, otherwise it will be frostbitten.