How do you shape a bougainvillea bonsai tree?
Use a 12-10-10 every two weeks during the growing season and a 2-10-10 fertilizer during winter. Prune your bougainvillea bonsai plants every month during the growing season. Take off a little bit at a time to shape the plant and promote a center trunk. Never prune the plant while it is dormant.
What is the best soil for bougainvillea bonsai?
loamy soil
Bougainvillea has an extremely fine root system, will grow best in well-drained loamy soil (made up of equal parts sand, silt, and clay), mixed with organic matter which allow nutrients and oxygen to more easily reach the roots.
How long does it take to make bougainvillea bonsai?
Trim it to 4 to 6 inches, and bury it about 2 inches. It should root in four to six weeks, according to the Texas A&M Agrilife Extension. Then begin the pruning process, using clean, sterilized tools: Remove all branches on the lower third of the trunk, cutting flush against the trunk, to begin to form a tree shape.
How do I make my bougainvillea bushy?
Hard pinch the bougainvillea at least once per year, after the plant has finished a blooming cycle. Remove hardwood growth from previous growing cycles, causing your bougainvillea to fill out and become bushier. Use a pair of sharp, sterilized pruning sheers.
Does bougainvillea come back every year?
Answer: Bougainvillea blooms twice per year: spring and fall or early winter. The colorful bracts will fade when spent, then will brown and drop to the ground.
Can bougainvillea grow from cuttings?
Bougainvillea plants are commonly propagated by cuttings but seed growing is possible too.
What kind of fertilizer do bougainvillea need?
Use complete, balanced fertilizers with a nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (N-P-K) ratio such as 5-5-5 or 10-10-10 to promote good bougainvillea health and plentiful flowers. Too much nitrogen promotes vegetative growth at the expense of blooms, so slow-release fertilizers that moderate nitrogen release are best.