When should Bougainvillea be water-controlled?
This article introduces the knowledge of growing Bougainvillea at home, including when to water-control Bougainvillea. The following editor will provide you with a detailed answer.
Every Bougainvillea enthusiast knows the purpose of water controlling Bougainvillea, which is to transition the plant's nutritious growth into reproductive growth and obtain more flowers. So, when should Bougainvillea be water-controlled? And to what extent? Let's find out some key points of water control.
Bougainvillea is usually water-controlled from July to August. No fertilization is needed during the water control period. Before water control, you can trim the Bougainvillea to the desired shape, remove weak branches, cut back strong branches, and trim inner branches.
Bougainvillea water control must be completed before bud differentiation, and the water control period lasts about 2-3 weeks. It usually starts in early August when the temperature is still high. A potted Bougainvillea that has been watered sufficiently can dry the potting soil slightly after a day of sun exposure. At this time, there is no need to water. Continue to expose it to the sun until the leaves continue to wilt early the next morning, then add a small amount of water to the saucer at the bottom of the pot.
To what extent should Bougainvillea be water-controlled? When your Bougainvillea clearly shows drooping leaves, lack of vitality, significant inward curling, and new branches hanging down, it is time to water.
After several repetitions, the Bougainvillea will show yellowing and falling of old leaves, or even almost no leaves left on the whole plant. Don't worry, this is the plant's self-protection. After about 2-3 weeks of water control, once bud differentiation is complete, you can spray the leaves or water the roots with a fast-acting soluble phosphorus fertilizer at 1000 times to promote bud growth, and water when the soil is dry but not completely moistureless.
Water control can be risky for beginners, so be sure to master the degree. It's better to fail at water control and have fewer flowers than to overdo it and dry the plant to death.
Here are some key points for the daily care of Bougainvillea for reference by flower enthusiasts.
1) Environment: Bougainvillea loves sunlight, and the care environment should be able to receive sunlight for a long time. Insufficient light may result in fewer or no flowers.
2) Watering: Bougainvillea is afraid of waterlogging, so the principle of watering is to water when the potting soil is not dry and to water thoroughly when watering. Additionally, Bougainvillea needs more water during the flowering period, so it is necessary to ensure sufficient water in the potting soil during the flowering period.
3) Fertilization: Bougainvillea likes fertilizer, so it should be fertilized every 5-7 days (apply thin fertilizer frequently), with phosphorus fertilizer as the main nutrient before flowering. Do not fertilize during the flowering period, and apply a thick fertilizer after flowering.
4) Soil: Bougainvillea prefers loose, fertile, slightly acidic soil (relatively not strict with soil requirements), is afraid of waterlogging, and does not tolerate flooding.
5) Temperature: Bougainvillea is not cold-resistant and can easily lose leaves due to frost. Therefore, attention should be paid to temperature changes during maintenance, and it is best not to let the temperature fall below 10℃.
6) Pot: When choosing a pot for potted Bougainvillea, it is best to choose a shallower pot to help with drainage. It is better to plant a large flower in a small pot than a small flower in a large pot.
7) Pruning: First of all, Bougainvillea is very tolerant of pruning. Bougainvillea pruning is divided into post-flowering pruning and winter entry pruning. The purpose of post-flowering pruning is to adjust the plant shape and promote the early opening of the next batch of flowers, so the remaining flowers should be cut off as soon as possible, and the whole plant should be pruned to bloom simultaneously next time. When Bougainvillea enters the slow growth or dormancy period in winter, the plant can be pruned more intensively to reduce the plant size and prevent branches from freezing. For Bougainvillea grown on balconies, the new branches of the current year can be cut off from the old branches of the previous year.
The above is the related explanation of when to water-control Bougainvillea and to what extent, hoping to bring a little help to your life!