Soils that retain water will keep the area around your bougainvilleas too wet, which could lead to root rot. Keep the bougainvillea fairly pot bound. Bougainvillea are popular ornamental plants in most areas with warm climates. If you need to move your bougainvillea indoors for the winter, dig it up in the fall when it has finished blooming. They flower on the current seasons growth so pruning in late winter or early spring, just before growth begins. Plant it again in the larger sized pot, with ample drainage holes. Cuttings should root in 4-6 weeks or quicker with bottom heat of 15°C (50°F). White and orange Bougainvilleas aren’t as hardy, but will be happy in a conservatory or heated greenhouse. This is a better method than using drainage material in the bottom of the pot. Avoid leaf drop in winter by maintaining a minimum night temperature of 10°C (50°F) with the day temperature a few degrees higher. It can grow to 30 feet high, so make sure you plant it in an area where it will have room to grow. To keep things manageable in containers, control the plant's growth with yearly repotting and root pruning in the spring. Bougainvilleas must be planted in well-drained soils. by adamaskwhy; Posted on July 8, 2013 July 9, 2013; It’s shave and haircut time for my big bougie. You have to repot a bougainvillea when you see that there are more roots than the soil. As large climbers they can be planted directly into a conservatory border or grown in large containers. There are more than 300 cultivars with different colors of bracts, most of which are complex hybrids between different species. Wait to repot until the roots have replaced all of the soil and begin to grow out of the pot. If you plan to plant Bougainvillea in a pot, make sure that the soil you will be using is a regular potting soil without high levels of peat moss as it retains moisture. If you don’t have growing space or live in a suitable climate, you can plant bougainvillea in a … Remove about one-third of the old potting mix from the root ball, loosening it gently with your fingers, a stake, a pencil, or a chopstick inserted straight down into the roots. Do not repot plants until they have acclimatised to your conditions (2-3 weeks). I got my bougainvillea planted 2 months before that happens so … When they get new shoots of growth that are 4 to 8 inches in length I begin to wire them. If you place it back outside in spring, prune back dead or damaged stems, and gradually expose it to full sun over a period of one to two weeks. Bougainvillea needs rich, acidic soil with a pH of 5.5 to 6.0. Bougainvillea can be stored above freezing provided the compost is kept relatively dry but they will drop leaves, Early in the season, bend and tie in young strong-growing laterals to check the vigour and stimulate bract formation, After the bracts have fallen cut this long growth back by half to encourage a second flush of bracts in the late summer, Plants should respond to hard pruning but old plants are better replaced. Choose a pot with good drainage holes ( more than one central hole) , lift the pot above pavers and the ground using pot feet or small blocks. × buttiana’Raspberry Ice’: Cream margins to the leaves and cerise bractsB. Bougainvillea is a tropical vine that grows well in warm, frost-free climates. I defoliate each time I wire as it makes it easier to work and forces more back budding. Common Pests & Diseases Container-grown bougainvillea requires yearly repotting in the spring before new growth begins. Repotting. Bougainvilleas bloom on new growth, so to encourage the best growth and flowering, prune and pinch the plant regularly. Layering in late winter and early spring is usually more effective and new plants will flower in 2-3 years. This pic was taken by my niece Jessie This one by Dave. When potting, support the rootball, placing compost into position and water to settle. A mature bonsai tree will only need to be put into a new pot every five years. 020 3176 5800 If it gets enough sunlight, it will move into a blooming period, during which little or no vegetative growth occurs. The plant usually produces three rounds of vibrant blooms in spring, summer and autumn. They needs plenty of sunlight for good flowering and in proper conditions, color will last for months. Take care to dig up the entire root ball, and place it into a pot that is just big enough to hold the root ball. They are generally disease free but may be attacked by whitefly, mealybug, aphid and red spider mite. Bougainvilleas require a trellis or pillar for support and can be trained as a standard and spur-pruned to restrict size. Bougainvillea, a genus of tropical and subtropical plants, includes approximately 14 species. RHS members can get exclusive individual advice from the RHS Gardening Advice team. Bougainvilleas need a bright sunny position, but protection from direct sunlight under glass and a minimum night temperature of 10°C (50°F). Wait to repot until the roots have replaced all of the soil and begin to grow out of the pot. The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. Late winter, spring, summer & early fall are best times. To keep Bougainvillea plants at their best they need a regular pruning regime. Also, it is a good idea to plant your bougainvillea on sloped places to help enhance the drainage. Clemson University suggests using a 10-10-10 fertilizer at half the recommended dose once per month during the spring and summer. Use a good quality potting mix, well drained yet moisture retentive. RHS Garden Hyde Hall Spring and Orchid Show, Free entry to RHS members at selected times, RHS Registered Charity no. Continue reading below Our Video of the Day Step 2: Prune, Prune, Prune When repotting, only go up to the next size pot so the root system can grow fully into each new pot. However, do not let the plant dry out too long between waterings because this can be damaging. Enrich border soil with well-rotted compost and a balanced granular fertiliser or controlled-release fertiliser such as Osmocote. It is safe to transplant in the spring until the plant begins to leaf out, but if leaves have developed, wait until fall. You don’t want to repot when it’s sopping wet but being too dry will cause stress. It grows as a shrubby vine with a spreading, round habit, to a height and spread of up to 20 feet. As for the pH level, the ideal range should be from 5.5 to 6.0, which is relatively acidic. With five or more hours of sunlight daily, a bougainvillea will bloom for three to five weeks. Go about trimming the roots for a Bonsai pot? My problem now is when and how to repot. The bougainvillea has two distinct growth cycles. Simply allow the plants to wilt slightly between waterings. Westdale Nurseries provides an A-Z list of hundreds of types of bougainvillea plants, which come in a wide variety of sizes and colours. If this is not possible, use a pallet knife to ease the roots from the sides of the pot as opposed to simply ripping the plant out. A well-draining standard soil mix is fine for this species. Here in Tucson the temps can dip below 32F every now & then in the winter. I have also read that you should only cut back about ¼ of the roots when you depot. Westdale are bougainvillea specialists who have cultivated more than 200 varieties of bougainvillea. 222879/SC038262, Increase water in February-March as the increasing light levels and temperatures stimulate growth, Maintain high humidity in bright periods to encourage buds to break, If containerised, place outdoors in full sun, ideally 18-21°C (65-70°F) at night, a few degrees warmer by day, Once plants are growing strongly around mid-April, water freely and feed weekly with a high nitrogen liquid feed, When bracts show colour, change to a high potassium feed and move plants to cooler conditions (if possible to 10°C (50°F)) with good ventilation and protection from direct sun. Bougainvillea ‘Barbara Karst’ is one of the hardiest varieties available, with stunning magenta-purple flowers all summer long. Shop for bougainvilleas online or call us on 01225 836258. The plant will continue dormancy for several weeks. Although it is frost-sensitive, bougainvillea can be used as a houseplant or hanging basket in cooler climates. When Do I Bring My Bougainvillea Plant Inside? Use loam-based compost like John Innes 3 for containers. Young Bougainvillea bonsai trees will need repotting annually, and the length of time between repotting can be drawn out further as the tree gets older. Bougainvillea can’t grow well in a soil which keeps too much water. How do. The roots of the bougainvillea are yellow, thin and delicate. Some growers choose to plant their bougainvilleas in pots buried in the ground, which works to marry the concept of root binding with landscape integration. When to prune bougainvillea : There is no particular time for pruning bougainvillea, but it is better to prune after flowering. You can remove up to one-third of the old roots (or one-third of the root ball) without harming the plant. This encourages the bracts to mature and persist longer on the plant. Case in point, bougainvillea do not bloom well in South Florida during the summer months (June – August) because of the long days and excessive rainfall. The vibrant colors of bougainvillea are not from its small flowers, but from the bracts that surround each flower. Bougainvillea can technically be pruned at any time of the year, but the best time to do so for the integrity of the plant is in very early spring, before the plant has begun to produce buds for new flowers. Mon – Fri | 9am – 5pm, Join the RHS today and support our charity, Vibrantly coloured bracts of Bougainvillea brighten warm greenhouses and conservatory borders during the summer. It is best to transplant any plant when it is dormant. When planting your Bougainvillea in a pot, use a loam-based compost. These late season cuttings may take three months to root. Repotting My Bougainvillea Beastie. Take the plant out of the pot. Bougainvillea grows outdoors in temperate climates with warmer winters. Bougainvilleas have a delicate root system, so try to avoid disturbing the roots. Because of the delicate root system, dig as far away from the root system as possible to avoid damaging the roots. × buttiana (B. glabra, B.peruviana) are best for containers as they flower when young. Once flowering ends, usually in September, reduce frequency of watering, allowing the plant to become drier between watering and stop feeding From November, water occasionally but thoroughly Maintain a minimum night temperature of 10°C (50°F). Here are our top tips for growing Bougainvillea in containers. While many plants show signs of stress when they are pot-bound, bougainvillea blooms best in this state. I have read that the best time to repot Bougainvillea is at the height of summer, so I have that going for me. Take the bougainvillea pot out of the soil and then be careful to handle the roots so you do not damage them. When deciding when to water the bougainvillea plants, keep the plants slightly on the dry side because these plants produce flowers most effectively when they experience stress. However a bougainvillea will grow best when it is root bound. This plant performs best when night temperatures stay above 60 degrees Fahrenheit. When you do water the … Bougainvillea is a genus of thorny ornamental vines, bushes, and trees with flower-like spring leaves near its flowers. The University of Florida recommends wearing gloves when pruning, as many cultivars have sharp thorns. University of Florida IFAS Gardening Solutions: Bougainvillea. This tree was on display for the 2012 Epcot Flower and Garden Festival in the Japanese pavilion. Bougainvilleas are frequently grown in pots both to restrict their size and because they grow well as a bonsai. Join These can be placed in the garden in summer but must be kept frost free in winter. Your pot must have many draining holes and trellis or support where the vine can crawl vertically. Once the plant is large enough, aim to repot it every two years. If the rootball is a bit tight, gently massage the roots to loosen them up. Because the new flowers develop at the new growth, the more they are pruned the more new growth will be encouraged. Thus, keep in mind your garden is well drained. Make sure the plant is well watered 2-4 days in advance. Bougainvillea is best grown in terracotta pots. Unless you’re using the same mix the plant is already in, the new soil is a sensitive variable. Cooler conditions may cause the leaves to droop for several days so water less frequently until plant adapts, When bracts have dropped resume high nitrogen feed to encourage a second flush of bracts, Once flowering ends, usually in September, reduce frequency of watering, allowing the plant to become drier between watering and stop feeding, From November, water occasionally but thoroughly, Maintain a minimum night temperature of 10°C (50°F). Take good care not to tear off the roots when you remove the rootball from the pot! This Bogi is rootbound in a 2 gal nursery pot. Watering Bougainvillea in Pots. If you wait until the buds have formed, you'll cut off the new growth and limit flower production. If you do need to repot your bougainvillea, you should gently break the pot from around the roots if at all possible to avoid disturbance. Now that we live in Zone 8-b, I no longer grow this vine, but I sprinkled used coffee grounds around the one I had. Answer: The bougainvillea (Bougainvillea spp.) Join the RHS today and support our charitable work, Keep track of your plants with reminders & care tips – all to help you grow successfully, For the latest on RHS Shows in 2020 and 2021, read more, RHS members get free access to RHS Gardens, Free entry to RHS members at selected times », Reduced prices on RHS Garden courses and workshops, Our Garden Centres and online shops are packed with unique and thoughtful gifts and decorations to make your Christmas sparkle, General enquiries Transplanting can be traumatic for the plant, and it is less likely to go into shock if it is dormant. ‘African Sunset’: Large bright orange bracts. This seems to go against repotting ethics for most tropicals, but bougainvillea do best in the sun. Propagate by semi-ripe cuttings taken with a heel in summer. Firstly, they should be given a good annual pruning in early spring to get the plant back into shape. × buttiana ‘Poulton’s Special’ AGM]B. If you turn the pot upside-down to shake the rootball out like you would another normal potted plant, a Bougainvillea rootball will fall apart, and the plant will most likely die. These tropical climbers are suitable for large containers placed in the garden during summer but must be kept frost-free in winter. Bougainvillea bloom best in pots when their root system is … This needs to be completed before the new growth starts as Bougainvilleas form flowers on new wood. Bougainvillea × buttiana ‘Poulton’s Special’ AGM: magenta-rose bracts [B. Bougainvilleas grow best in full sun. is a spiny climbing subtropical shrub that can bloom on and on for months, even all year long under very good conditions. Bougainvilleas do not make a good strong rootball so they are hard to repot. Bougainvilleas have a sensitive root system that can be damaged during transplanting. A vegetative growth period occurs for several weeks, during which new leaves and stems grow. You can keep a bougainvillea in a 1-gallon pot for three or more years. Again, your bougainvillea thrives on neglect, including being allowed to become root bound. Bougainvillea spreads rapidly and, in suitable environments, will quickly grow into small trees or large shrubs several feet high. Therein lies the problem. You can keep a bougainvillea in a 1-gallon pot for three or more years. Here’s some pics of it at that time. Alternatively, take hardwood cuttings in deep pots in winter with bottom heat of 3-6°C (5-10°F) above the air temperature to encourage rooting. Non-flowering – prune established plants in May and expose to cooler temperatures to stimulate flowering. Bougainvillea is a hardy tropical vine that grows in areas where winter temperatures remain above 30 degrees F. (-1 C.). Early spring or late fall are the best times to transplant bougainvillea. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Some plants, like Bougainvillea, tend to throw a plant fit and languish for months afterwards. the RHS today and get 12 months for the price of 9. Larger specimens can be repotted every three to five years. Bougainvillea grows in U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zones 9 and up, but is often kept in pots in cooler climates and overwintered indoors. If your bougainvillea has outgrown its original site or isn’t getting enough sun and you want to move it to a more suitable spot, early spring or late fall are the best times to transplant bougainvillea, while the plant is dormant. Select your primary branches, then return later and wire the secondary growth. A sudden variance in nutrient levels, pH and composition can shock the plant. For those of us lucky enough to call South Florida home, you already know that the coolest months of the year (October through March) have the most spectacular show of bougainvillea. Repotting: Repot smaller bougainvilleas every two or three years. Choose a planting site that has plenty of sun because bougainvillea blooms poorly when planted in a shady area. How to Transplant a Bougainvillea From the Ground to a Container. This is why landscape bougainvilleas often don’t bloom as rigorously or as frequently as those planted in pots.