How to care for potted bougainvillea? Care methods and points to note
Bougainvillea, scientific name Bougainvillea glabra, also known as three-leaf bougainvillea, hairy bougainvillea, hedge bougainvillea, etc., is a climbing shrub plant of the genus Bougainvillea in the family Nyctaginaceae, native to Brazil. In southern China it is planted in courtyards and parks, while in the north it is cultivated in greenhouses. It has diverse varieties and strong adaptability, and is not only widely distributed in southern regions but can also be cultivated in the cold north. Let us take a look below at how to care for potted bougainvillea!
Growth habits of bougainvillea
Bougainvillea prefers a warm and humid climate, is not cold-tolerant, and likes ample sunlight. It has diverse varieties and strong adaptability, and is not only widely distributed in southern regions but can also be cultivated in the cold north. It is just that in the north the flower colors are relatively uniform. Potted flowers enter a forced dormant state when the temperature drops to a certain level; during the non-dormant period, insufficient light causes abnormal flower drop, and with sufficient water the flowers fade early. In the dormant state, bougainvillea is not sensitive to light intensity, but due to low temperature it shows a long lifespan, and due to little water it also shows a long lifespan.
Propagation methods of bougainvillea
Bougainvillea is commonly propagated by cuttings and is easy to raise. In May and June, cut mature woody branches 20 cm long, insert them into a sand pot, cover with glass, and keep moist. Roots can form in about one month, and after two years of cultivation it can bloom. The whole plant's flowering period is very long, reaching three to four months. During the flowering period there are many fallen flowers and leaves, which need to be removed promptly to keep it fresh and attractive.
How to care for potted bougainvillea?
1. Soil: Bougainvillea is not strict about soil requirements, but it fears waterlogging and is not tolerant of waterlogging, so a loose, well-drained growing medium must be chosen. Generally, a growing medium made of 4 parts humus soil, 4 parts garden soil, and 2 parts sand can be used, or sun-dried pond mud mixed with some coal cinder can be used as the potting soil.
2. Temperature: The suitable growth temperature for bougainvillea is 15-30°C, of which May to September is 19-30°C, and October to April of the following year is 13-16°C. In summer it can withstand high temperatures of 35°C. When the temperature exceeds 35°C, appropriate shading or measures such as spraying water and ventilation should be taken. In winter, an ambient temperature of no less than 5°C should be maintained, otherwise when the temperature is below 5°C for a long time, it is prone to freezing and leaf drop. Flowering requires a temperature above 15°C. To extend the flowering period, it should be moved indoors promptly before the cold wave arrives in early winter, placed in a sunny spot, and kept at a relatively high ambient temperature.
3. Light: Bougainvillea likes light and is a sun-loving flower. Insufficient light during the growing season will cause the plant to grow weakly and affect bud formation and flowering. Therefore, throughout the year, except that newly potted seedlings should first be placed in partial shade. In winter it should be placed in front of a south-facing window, and the light duration must not be less than 8 hours, otherwise a large number of leaves will drop. It is a short-day flower; controlling the light duration to about 9 hours per day can produce buds and bloom after one and a half months.
4. Watering: Normally, watering should follow the principle of "do not water if not dry, and water thoroughly when watering." But to bloom neatly and abundantly, water control must be carried out before flowering. Starting from September, control the watering of bougainvillea; each watering should wait until the potting soil is dry and the branches and leaves are soft and drooping, and repeat this continuously for half a month, after which normal watering is resumed. During the water control period, fertilizing is strictly forbidden to avoid fertilizer burning the root system. In this way, buds and flowers will appear in about one month, and the flowers will open neatly and abundantly.
5. Pruning: Bougainvillea grows rapidly, and during the growing period attention should be paid to shaping and pruning to promote side branch growth and produce more flowering branches. The number of prunings is generally 1-3 times, and too many is not advisable, otherwise it will affect the number of bloomings. After each flowering, remove the remaining flowers promptly to reduce nutrient consumption. After the flowering period, thin out overly dense branches, inner branches, leggy branches, and weak branches; other branches are generally not pruned or only slightly trimmed at the tips. Heavy pruning is not advisable, so as to shorten the next growth period and promote early and repeated flowering.
6. Repotting: Because of long-term watering, fertilizing, and rain washing, the potting soil of bougainvillea easily becomes compacted, so the soil must be loosened regularly, and weeds in the potting soil should be removed at the same time, to benefit the growth of bougainvillea. Otherwise, compacted potting soil and water accumulation can easily cause root rot or poor growth. In addition, Bougainvillea glabra grows relatively fast, has a developed root system, and has very many fibrous roots, so it needs to be repotted once a year.
Pest and disease control of bougainvillea
1. Leaf spot disease
[Symptoms] The disease spots are initially yellowish-brown, surrounded by a yellow-green halo, then expand into nearly round or irregular spots with dark brown edges. In the later stage, small black dots appear on the spots.
[Control] If a small number of spots are found, apply Dakining cream ointment on them, cut off the branches with more infection. In the early stage of the disease, 50% carbendazim wettable powder 500 times solution can generally be used for control, spraying once every 7-10 days. In severe cases, according to actual experience, spray once more on the fourth day, and then spray once every 7 days. For 3-4 consecutive times, the control effect is good.
2. Brown spot disease
[Symptoms] On the affected leaves, yellowish-brown to light brown disease spots with a diameter of 0.1-0.5 cm are produced on the leaf surface.
[Control] If a small number of diseased leaves are found, remove and burn them promptly. In the early stage of the disease, use 70% mancozeb wettable powder 400 times solution, spraying once every 10 days, for 3-consecutive times.
3. Scale insects
[Symptoms] In environments with poor light, inadequate ventilation, and high temperature and high humidity, various scale insects are prone to occur.
[Control] 45% malathion emulsifiable concentrate 1000 times solution can be used for spraying to kill them.