Can bougainvillea be pruned in October? How to prune bougainvillea and what is the pruning season?

Bougainvillea has always been a favorite ornamental flower among flower lovers. It blooms very well under suitable conditions. Generally, Bougainvillea can bloom almost all year round and is recognized as a "flowering machine". Can Bougainvillea be pruned in October?

Can bougainvillea be pruned in October?

Bougainvillea can be pruned in October , but the pruning range should be smaller , and it can be pruned lightly . In October in autumn, densely growing and relatively long branches can be pruned appropriately.

This not only saves nutrients, but also allows the plant to be more ventilated and light-permeable, which is also helpful for its photosynthesis. During the maintenance process, you can choose to prune in March and April, and also prune in time after flowering.

The best season to prune bougainvillea

1. Spring

Spring is the growing season for bougainvillea. During the period from March to April, you can focus on pruning the bougainvillea. Topping and pinching the stronger branches will promote the germination of new branches and make the crown shape fuller. At the same time, more flower buds will grow and the amount of flowering will increase. After spring pruning, try to make the bougainvillea plant symmetrical and full.

2. Summer

Summer pruning is the second pruning of Bougainvillea in a year, which takes place from late June to around July. It mainly prunes the strong branches in the front to balance the tree's vigor.

The withered spring flowers of bougainvillea cannot be kept. Cutting them off in time can save nutrients and make it resume growth as soon as possible. It should be noted that if the bougainvillea grows poorly in summer, pruning can be postponed.

3. Autumn

Autumn pruning can be done after the bougainvillea has finished blooming. Pruning after flowering is very necessary. Because the next winter is coming, it is necessary to cut off part of the bougainvillea's annual branches, cut off the long branches appropriately, and cut off the sick and weak branches and dead branches to help the bougainvillea survive the winter.

How to prune bougainvillea

1. Prune the remaining flowers

After the bougainvillea blooms, we can pick off the remaining flowers. However, most of the remaining flowers of the bougainvillea will be blown away by the wind, and will fall off even without pruning. But for the remaining flowers of the bougainvillea that cannot fall off, we need to prune them in time.

2. Pruning of long branches

When pruning the overgrown branches of Bougainvillea, it is best to prune from the base of the branch, leaving 3 to 5 leaves, and then cut off the branch, so that the Bougainvillea can grow more side branches.

Because the flowers of bougainvillea grow on newly grown branches, the more side branches there are, the more flowers there will be. In addition, we also shorten the bougainvillea to control the plant shape, making the plant fuller and not as thin and slender as it looks.

3. Pruning of thin branches and dead branches

When we prune bougainvillea, we need to prune it according to the plant shape. Dead branches must not be left, and all need to be cut off.

The slender branches need to be pruned or not according to the shape of the bougainvillea. Because the purpose of pruning bougainvillea is to grow more side branches and make the plant fuller. So if it affects the fullness of the plant, even slender branches can be appropriately left.