Caring for your Bougainvillea
Spring
Winter dormancy
Your Bougainvillea is still kept indoors but you can now begin to slowly give it more water as the temperatures start rising in March.
Repotting
If you have purchased a "new" Bougainvillea or have not yet repotted your "old" one, you can do so in March or directly after purchase. Ceramic pots with a hole in the bottom work best. They are heavy enough to keep the plant from being blown over and greatly increase the water reservoir inside the container. Repot using 20% clay soil or the special indoor plant soil available from garden centres.
Position
In May you can place your Bougainvillea in a sunny, reasonably protected spot on your terrace or balcony or in the conservatory. It is recommended that you bring the Bougainvillea indoors if night frost is expected.
Watering
Now that the Bougainvillea stands outdoors its water requirements will increase, especially in sunny weather. Keep the soil reasonably damp from now on. There is no need to feed the plant yet. Remember that your Bougainvillea will produce more flowers if kept on the dry side in spring. In fact, the plant flowers best under stress.
Summer
Watering
Your Bougainvillea will require watering almost every day in summer. But ensure that excess water can drain away, and fertilise once every fortnight. If you use slow-release fertiliser, you can apply the second dosage in July. If the plant has a long stem, we recommend that you trail it along a trellis or a supporting stick, bearing in mind that the flowers will sprout from the tips of the branches.
Pests
Bougainvillea can sometimes suffer from aphids. Mostly green or yellow and sometimes black in colour, and always clustered together, usually on new growth. Treat by spraying the plant with a soap spirit mixture (20 g of washing-up liquid mixed with 10 g of methylated spirits and 1 l of water). For best results, apply once a week for a couple of weeks.
Autumn
Watering
In autumn your plant's water requirements will be greatly dependent on the weather conditions, especially from October. In sunny weather, water a few times a week, but guard against overwatering when conditions turn cold and rainy. Ease away any roots that might be blocking the bottom of the container by forcing a pen or stick 15 cm into the drainage hole. Stop feeding the Bougainvillea after September to prevent it from growing too actively at the onset of winter.
Winter dormancy
If you live in a region where overnight frost is already likely in early autumn, don't be concerned that it will instantly kill your Bougainvillea. The plant can withstand night frost of up to -1 or -2 degrees Celsius. You only need to bring your Bougainvillea indoors in late autumn once the daytime temperatures often remain below 5 or 6 degrees Celsius. Place the Bougainvillea in a cool, light spot. A temperature between 0 and 12 degrees Celsius is ideal. Your plant might lose its leaves during winter dormancy. This will not damage the recovery of the plant, but make sure that there is little to no water evaporation taking place (i.e. keep watering to a minimum).
Winter
Watering
Water very sparingly in this period without allowing the plant to dry out. There is no need to feed the plant during this period.
Pruning
You only need to prune your Bougainvillea if you feel it is getting too large. For a shrub shape, trim back the heaviest and/or longest branches to half their original length. For a standard topiary shape, prune the branches vigorously. February is the best time for pruning your Bougainvillea, but keep in mind that pruned branches will produce fewer flowers the next summer.
Bougainvillea: native to the South American highlands
