What should I do if bougainvillea does not sprout?
As an ornamental plant that is deeply loved by flower lovers, the long-term failure to sprout new buds will make growers feel anxious. Aiming at this common problem, this article combines botanical principles and practical experience to systematically sort out five core maintenance techniques to help you quickly awaken the growth vitality of your plants. 1. Light control: Activate growth signals 1.1 Characteristics of light demand Bougainvillea is a typical strongly positive plant that requires 6-8 hours of direct light per day. Insufficient light will lead to a decrease in photosensitizer activity, which directly affects the synthesis of cytokinins, which is manifested as bud point dormancy. 1.2 Outdoor planting of indoor and outdoor dimming plans requires removal of surrounding obstructions to ensure that the lighting surface is>270°. It is recommended to use full-spectrum plant fill light for indoor maintenance to supplement artificial light for 2-3 hours every day. The combination of southbound bay window + reflector is especially recommended. 2. Water management: Balancing the root environment 2.1 Scientific watering cycles adopt the rule of "seeing dry, seeing wet", and wait until the basin soil is 3cm deep to dry before watering. 5-7 days per time in spring and autumn, 3 days per time in summer (combined with morning and evening leaf spray), and extended to 10-15 days per time in winter. 2.2 Water treatment plan immediately raise the flowerpot in case of water, and use bamboo sticks to make ventilation holes in the pot soil. In serious cases, the substrate needs to be replaced, and the permeable medium should be prepared according to the ratio of perlite: leaf soil: vermiculite to 3:5:2. 3. Nutrient supply: Precision fertilization strategy 3.1 Fertilizer ratio plan Apply water-soluble fertilizer with N-P-K=15-30-15 during the germination period, diluted by 1500 times and applied once every half a month. Combine it with organic stimulants such as alginate/fulvic acid to promote the germination of hidden buds. 3.2 Trace element supplementation and monthly foliar spraying chelated iron + boron fertilizer (concentration 0.02%) can significantly improve the stress resistance of new buds. Be careful to avoid mixing it with alkaline pesticides and it is recommended to apply it in the evening. 4. Pruning and shaping: Optimize the growth space 4.1 During the prime period of pruning, select the morning operation on a sunny day when the temperature is stable at 18-25℃. Focus on cutting off inner branches, parallel branches, and weak branches, and retaining 45° oblique strong branches. 4.2 Key points for wound management: Incisions with a diameter of>1cm need to be applied with Yushang ointment to prevent the invasion of bacteria. Avoid getting wet within 3 days after pruning, and spray 800 times carbendazim solution to prevent infection. 5. Temperature control maintenance: Create a suitable environment 5.1 Temperature range management is best to maintain the day temperature of 25-32℃/night temperature of 15-18℃. When the temperature is lower than 10℃ in winter, the heater is turned on to keep a distance of more than 1.5 meters away from the plants for circulation heating. 5.2 Temperature difference adjustment skills create a temperature difference between day and night of 8-10℃ during the spring germination period, which can be achieved by opening and closing the greenhouse in the morning and evening. Combined with 75% air humidity, it can effectively stimulate axillary bud differentiation.
By systematically implementing the above five major maintenance strategies, combined with regular observation and records, significant improvements can usually be seen within 2-3 growth cycles. It is recommended to take growth comparison charts every month, establish a maintenance log, and gradually grasp the personality characteristics of the plants, so that you can finally harvest the blooming bougainvillea landscape.