The new indoor flower care favorite - Comprehensive guide to growing bougainvillea

Choose the Right Bougainvillea VarietySoil Selection and PreparationLight and TemperatureWatering and FertilizingPruning and ShapingPest and Disease Control

With the acceleration of life pace, an increasing number of people are beginning to pay attention to indoor flower cultivation, which not only beautifies the living environment but also cultivates one's temperament. Bougainvillea, known for its bright colors, long flowering period, and simple management, has become an excellent choice for indoor flower cultivation. This article will introduce you to the indoor cultivation methods of bougainvillea, allowing you to easily grow beautiful bougainvillea.

Choose the Right Bougainvillea Variety

Bougainvillea comes in many varieties, including common ones like red, yellow, and purple bougainvillea. When cultivating indoors, you should choose varieties with compact growth and shade tolerance, such as 'Flame' and 'Golden Edge'. These varieties adapt well to the indoor environment and are easy to care for.

Soil Selection and Preparation

Bougainvillea prefers well-draining, breathable soil. You can mix materials like peat, decomposed leaf soil, and perlite. The ideal soil pH value is between 5.5 and 6.5, with acidic soil being beneficial for bougainvillea growth.

Light and Temperature

Bougainvillea enjoys sunlight but avoids direct strong light. When growing indoors, place the bougainvillea in a place with ample scattered light, such as a balcony or windowsill. During the hot summer, pay attention to shading to avoid leaf burn. The suitable growth temperature for bougainvillea is between 15-35°C, and the temperature should not be lower than 5°C in winter.

Watering and Fertilizing

Bougainvillea prefers a moist environment but fears waterlogging. Watering should follow the principle of "watering when dry and keeping the soil slightly moist." During the hot summer, you can slightly increase the watering frequency, while in winter, when the temperature is lower, you should reduce the watering frequency.

For fertilizing, apply a compound fertilizer once a month during the vigorous growth period and phosphorus-potassium fertilizer during the flowering period. After fertilizing, water promptly to prevent fertilizer damage.

Pruning and Shaping

Bougainvillea grows rapidly and requires regular pruning to maintain an attractive shape. When pruning, remove diseased, weak, crossed, and inward-growing branches, and retain the outward-growing ones. After pruning, you can apply a rooting agent to promote the growth of new buds.

Pest and Disease Control

Common pests and diseases of bougainvillea include aphids, red spiders, and anthracnose. The control methods are as follows:

1. Aphids: Spray the leaves with soap water or laundry detergent water every 5-7 days, for 2-3 consecutive times.

2. Red spiders: Spray the leaves with miticides every 7-10 days, for 2-3 consecutive times.

3. Anthracnose: Promptly cut off the diseased leaves and spray fungicides such as carbendazim.

Cultivating bougainvillea indoors is relatively simple. As long as you master the above methods, you can easily grow beautiful bougainvillea, making life more beautiful with indoor flower cultivation!