When and how to repot bougainvillea

Bougainvillea prefers warm climate and humid environment and has poor tolerance to cold. In my country, the climatic conditions in South China and Southwest China are more suitable, so open-air cultivation is often used. In the Yangtze River Basin and colder areas in the north, bougainvillea is usually grown in potted plants . When caring for your bougainvillea, if you notice that its growth rate has slowed significantly, this is often a sign that your bougainvillea may need to be replaced with a larger pot to meet the needs of its root development and growth. Let’s learn together the time and method to repot Bougainvillea.

1. Preparation of potting soil

Before repotting the bougainvillea, you need to remove the plant from the original pot, gently peel off about one-third of the old soil to expose the outer layer of fibrous roots, then plant the plant in a slightly larger new pot and add new potting soil around it.

Although Bougainvillea is not very demanding on the soil, for home maintenance, the following soil formula is recommended: the ratio of garden soil, leaf mold and sand is 5:3:2; or the ratio of peat soil, leaf mold, sand and perlite is 5:2:2:1.

2. Pruning of plants

During the repotting process, it is necessary to heavily prune the branches of Bougainvillea. First of all, withered branches and flowers should be cut off, and branches that have no ornamental value should be removed to reduce nutrient consumption and reserve energy for the subsequent growth of the plant. Before watering the roots, the overcrowded branches, overgrown branches, dead branches and diseased and insect-infested branches should be thinned out and pruned back to promote the sprouting of new branches.

After repotting in summer, the inner branches need to be fully thinned to ensure ventilation inside the plant. During the hot and changeable summer months, proper thinning can prevent the leaves from falling off after repotting, which would affect its growth and flowering. At the same time, pinching operations are carried out to prevent branches from growing too long, promote flower bud differentiation, and ensure the prosperity of flowers in autumn.

3. Watering of rooting water

The last step of repotting is to water the plants to establish roots. This watering must be thorough so that the new soil can settle, air can be expelled, and the roots of the bougainvillea can be in close contact with the soil to facilitate the absorption of water and nutrients. Watering the roots well will help Bougainvillea resume growth quickly, enhance its disease resistance, and is extremely beneficial to its later growth.

After repotting in the hot summer, water should be applied in the morning or evening. At this time, the soil temperature is lower, and the temperature difference between water and soil is small, which has less impact on the root system. In other seasons, try to water at noon, because the temperature is higher at this time and the plants are more willing to absorb water.

4. Care during the seedling growth period

After repotting, Bougainvillea enters the seedling growth period and needs to control the amount of watering and provide appropriate shade. Give it about ten days to adapt to the new environment. You can spray water on the leaves from time to time to keep the air moist and reduce the pressure on the roots to absorb nutrients.

Bougainvillea is a positive plant. In order to promote the normal growth of branches and leaves and increase the number of flowering times, Bougainvillea should be placed in a well-lit and well-ventilated place half a month after repotting, ensuring that it receives 8 to 12 hours of light every day.