What to Do When Bougainvillea Drops Leaves After Transplanting? Causes and Remedies

  We all know that bougainvillea, from propagation by cuttings to growing into a potted plant with a certain ornamental value, needs to go through the transplanting process. Transplanting is meant to let it grow in a better environment, and whether the transplanting method is scientific and reasonable will directly affect the plant's survival and growth state. In the previous article, the editor told everyone about "How to Transplant Bougainvillea", but if the transplanting method is improper, it may cause a series of problems, ranging from affecting the growth state of the young plant to possibly causing death.

  The problem most likely to appear after transplanting bougainvillea is the wilting and dropping of leaves. Of course, compared with wilting, the phenomenon of dropping leaves is more serious. In the article "What to Do When the Leaves of the Radermachera Sinica Wilt After Repotting" published a few days ago, the editor analyzed for everyone the wilting phenomenon and countermeasures after transplanting Radermachera sinica. In fact, bougainvillea is similar, and you can refer to it. So, what should be done when bougainvillea drops leaves after transplanting? We first analyze the causes.

  Because it is transplanted into a pot, and before the young bougainvillea plant is transplanted into a pot, it also needs pruning of branches and roots. This is mainly to save unnecessary nutrient consumption for the young plant and let nutrients be transported in a concentrated way to the retained branches and leaves, thereby improving the survival rate of transplanting. But pruning should be moderate. If the pruning is too severe, whether it is pruning of branches and leaves or pruning of the root system, it is very unfavorable to the survival of the plant.

  The phenomenon of bougainvillea dropping leaves after transplanting is generally caused by excessive pruning. In particular, pruning the root system too harshly seriously affects the young plant's normal absorption of water and nutrients. Because the damage is severe, water and nutrients cannot be delivered to all parts of the plant in time. When the branches and leaves cannot get replenishment, if this lasts a long time, the phenomenon of leaf dropping will naturally appear.

  Of course, there is another situation, that is, the degree of pruning is relatively appropriate and the potting process is also correct. Then why does bougainvillea still drop leaves after transplanting? In fact, the problem may still lie in the root system. Although the root pruning method is correct, if the roots are not sterilized and disinfected after pruning and the potting soil carries quite a few pathogens, then the pathogens will invade and infect the wounds from the root system. If we still ignore it and continue potting, the infected wounds on the root system will become larger and larger, and may even cause the healthy roots to rot as well. Since the root system of bougainvillea is already damaged, it is unavoidable that leaves will drop after potting.

  Even if neither of the above two situations occurs, we may still encounter the phenomenon of bougainvillea dropping leaves after transplanting. This is the third situation the editor wants to mention -- the root system is not combined tightly enough with the potting soil. As we said before, before potting the young bougainvillea plant, in addition to root pruning, it also needs to have its roots soaked in red soil slurry, in order to make the root system contact the soil more tightly and make it easier for the root system to absorb nutrients and water from the soil.

  Perhaps it is precisely because when transplanting the young bougainvillea plant the roots were not soaked in red soil slurry, and the potting soil did not contact the plant tightly enough, so the plant's root system cannot normally absorb nutrients and water from the soil, and therefore the phenomenon of leaf dropping appears. Therefore, as the editor said in the previous article, bougainvillea needs to have its root system soaked in red soil slurry during the transplanting process.

  Bougainvillea dropping leaves after transplanting is mainly caused by problems with the root system, so to identify the crux of the problem, we first need to investigate from the root system, and then take corresponding measures. So, what should be done when bougainvillea drops leaves after transplanting?

  First we need to check the condition of the root system, whether it is excessive root pruning or root rot caused by pathogen infection, or whether it is in close enough contact with the potting soil. Only after finding the real cause can we take timely countermeasures. If the root damage is relatively light, we need to cut off the rotten parts of the root system, then carry out sterilization and disinfection treatment, and afterward replant; if the root system is not in sufficient contact with the potting soil, then we need to fill the gaps between them with soil, and then gently press firm the potting soil around the plant. In short, analyze specific problems specifically, and when using rescue methods, adapt measures to local conditions.