How to care for bougainvillea in winter
Introduction: Common knowledge about caring for bougainvillea, how to care for bougainvillea in winter. Next, the editor will introduce some knowledge for netizens.
Except for Guangdong, Fujian, and Hainan, most other areas will face the threat of cold in winter, so how to care for bougainvillea in winter is very important. This article is a collection of winter survival tips left by bougainvillea experts, and enthusiasts can choose to refer to the experience according to their own situations.
Ren Shuhua says:
I'm from Wuhan. I've planted several in previous years, and I also bought two in Guangdong last year, which can survive the winter. However, by November, you need to cut the branches short, water them sufficiently, cover them with a plastic bag, secure the bag with clips, and place them in a sunny area. You should check them regularly, water them when they are completely dry, and there won't be any problem with wintering.
314689010 says:
Bougainvillea with purple flowers, such as Angus and Dahong, are more cold-resistant and generally do not easily freeze when placed outdoors. The most vulnerable time for bougainvillea to freeze is early spring. The reason for freezing in this area is that as temperatures rise from the depths of winter to early spring, some people think that the temperature has warmed up and can be placed outdoors, and normal management can be resumed, such as fertilizing and watering. However, due to the unstable temperature, they may freeze again, known as the "chilly days of early spring," and eventually freeze.
If bougainvillea is cared for as Ren Shuhua said in winter, and when the local temperature reaches 15 degrees, normal management can be resumed, and the plants will generally be safe.
Fei Lao from Chengdu says:
In winter, I place all my bougainvillea varieties by the sunny floor-to-ceiling windows at home. The windows are not opened, so they are not exposed to the cold wind. Water them less frequently, keeping the soil relatively dry. Wait a bit later to move them outside in the spring. Last year, I was deceived by the warm spring weather.
Mu Lao discusses the wintering of bougainvillea in Hangzhou:
1. Wintering location: The lowest temperature in Hangzhou in winter is minus six to eight degrees Celsius. Bougainvillea cannot survive outdoors in winter, but it can survive in a double-layered plastic shed against the north wall in a sunny and wind-protected area outdoors, or in a closed south-facing balcony placed 40-80 cm high in a wind-protected and sunny area. It is even better if you can cover them with a plastic bag for warmth.
2. Timing to move indoors: Move indoors when the lowest temperature is 8 degrees Celsius, usually in mid-to-late November in Hangzhou.
3. Winter management:
a. Trim and bundle (see pruning section) to retain the main branches and some flowering branches.
b. Stop fertilizing and control the soil moisture to be slightly dry, preventing excessive growth after moving indoors (shed) due to high temperatures, which weakens cold resistance. After dormancy and leaf drop, do not water excessively; if the soil is too dry, water a small amount (warm) water around the pot.
c. Control aphids, which are prone to occur indoors in winter when leaves are not shed and should be treated promptly.
d. Ventilate and cool down in the sunlight to prevent the temperature inside the balcony (shed) from getting too high.
4. Delay moving outdoors until late March. When the temperature inside the balcony rises, new buds start to sprout, and by Qingming Festival, some may have flower buds. If moved outdoors at this time, the flower buds may freeze and not bloom in May. Therefore, wait until the minimum temperature is stable at 12-15 degrees before moving outdoors (usually in late April). When moving outdoors, trim the dead branches and unnecessary branches to beautify the plant shape.
Mu Lao's experience: The cold resistance ranking of bougainvillea, from strong to weak: 1. Single-petal purple flowers, ordinary purple; 2. Single-petal red (large flowers) Yanjiu; 3. Variegated red; 4. Single-petal red (medium flowers), single water red, single orange, single pink (cherry red), Snow White, single purple (deep color, large flowers), green leaf bicolor, golden heart bicolor; 5. Double-petal red, double orange, double pink (Yijin). The cold resistance range is about 3-8 degrees Celsius, with leaf dormancy. This is closely related to the plant's condition, soil moisture, intensity of temperature changes, and the placement environment.
Tuoya says (north with heating):
No problem with wintering here, but spring is what I worry about. Based on past experience, the indoor temperature is high and the sunlight is good in winter. Try to make the plants stronger to withstand the late spring frost after the heating is turned off. Winter is the time to increase nutrition for the plants, otherwise, the late spring frost is also a big challenge.
Netizen comments:
Although it's not a problem for bougainvillea to survive winter in the north, late spring frost should indeed be taken into account, and it's not advisable to move the plants outdoors too early. The specific timing depends on when heating is stopped in the local area and the temperature conditions. From what I know, some places stop heating in mid-March, and others in April. In general, it is more appropriate to move outdoors when the minimum outdoor temperature is stable above 15 degrees Celsius. Also, when first moving outdoors, place the plants in a wind-protected area to let them adapt to the outdoor climate.
Mo Orchid says:
Bougainvillea in the north will definitely experience late spring frost. Usually kept indoors with heating, they have adapted to the temperature, so they also need to adapt to the spring climate after the heating is turned off. It's not suitable to move them outdoors too early in the spring because the weather can be unstable, especially the wind. Bougainvillea is most afraid of wind. At least let them adapt to the spring climate and move them outdoors in the morning and evening when there is no wind. When the temperature is stable, they can be moved outdoors for normal management, so always pay attention to the weather. Southern regions can also refer to this.
The above-sharing methods for caring for bougainvillea in winter are for reference only.