The bougainvillea is one of the most chosen plants for the decoration of gardens and interiors. It is a very showy plant with a great decorative character that does not require very complex care, but if we have it in a pot we must learn when to transplant a bougainvillea. For this we need to know some main aspects of the transplant and the material needed to perform it.
For this reason, we are going to dedicate this article to telling you when to transplant a bougainvillea, how to do it and some tips for it.
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necessary care
In order for the bougainvillea plant to grow in good conditions, it needs the necessary care. These are the following. It needs fertile, loose soil, made from muck and compost, which drains well and avoids waterlogging.
Mulch the surface of the substrate to prevent the frost from making it sick and drying out the roots. It is not necessary to water it excessively, 2 or 3 times a week in summer is enough, especially if it is in a pot. In winter, water only when the substrate is dry. When watering, avoid wetting its leaves.
Special care should be taken not to flood the substrate as this can cause root rot and suffocation. It is not necessary to pay, if it is left in the pot without transplanting last season, place organic compost or vermicompost, and replace part of the substrate. Remember to pay only during development and flowering, usually in the spring. Excessive composting should be avoided.
Be sure to put it in the sun, as at least six hours of sunlight is needed. It is important to remember after planting a bougainvillea that it needs a lot of light, especially for it to flower, the ideal temperature for it to flower is 20°C during the day and should not fall below 10°C at night.
It can tolerate severe frosts in winter, during which it loses its leaves. Then, in the spring, its buds and leaves will reappear and it will bloom, giving us its brilliant color.
How and when to transplant a potted bougainvillea
We will use a clay pot. In the lower part we will place some pieces of broken pot to cover the holes and facilitate drainage. We start by filling it with a mixture of manure and compost, although you can use whatever substrate you like. We are halfway there. Now is the most delicate moment. Bougainvillea does not like transplants, so you have to be very careful.
We turn them aside so that the roots do not suffer, then we take the root ball out of the pot little by little, trying not to spread it. We place it slightly above the substrate mixture we just put in the large container and fill it with more substrate. We support the plant while we turn the soil to prevent it from moving, we lightly press and lightly water.
The ideal choice for bougainvillea is a sunny, south-facing wall that, if possible, provides protection from cold winds. We repeat the whole process with the plants that we are going to transplant.
As for the timing of transplanting bougainvillea, it is best to wait until spring when the last winter frosts have dissipated. It is known that it does not tolerate very cold nights and, during the transplant, the upper datings are a little slower, so extra care must be taken.
With everything and with it, it is important to think several times over whether to transplant bougainvillea or not, because it is a plant that does not prefer to be transplanted and grows best in pots in which it has already been able to spread its roots. Bougainvillea should only be transplanted as long as the roots come out of the holes in the pot.
Transplant bougainvillea into the ground
If, on the other hand, we want to know how to transplant bougainvillea in the ground rather than in a pot, here are the steps to follow to do it correctly. This shrub grows best in rich, well-drained soil. It is difficult for it to thrive in clay type soils, so it is recommended in these cases to mix it with a dry substrate.
To prepare the soil, you can add organic compost and substrate to the top layer of the pot or where you want to plant. Bougainvillea tolerates high salinity soils well and a pH between 5 and 6 is recommended.
Although bougainvillea is drought tolerant, once we have transplanted bougainvillea into the ground, we need to know how to water it. The plant needs to be watered about once a week, but allow the soil to dry out between waterings. Watering should be reduced as long as the plant is about to flower. If we water at the same rate, the plant will be stressed and the flowers will not come out with the same spectacular effect.
Fertilizer after transplant
The vast majority of bougainvilleas that have been transplanted into the ground do not need fertilizing. However, potted ones lose nutrients with each watering and over time they will lack the nutrients needed to grow properly. Ideally, add a 14-14-14 fertilizer to the substrate. This fertilizer should be granular and slow release. This is done so that the nutrients are added slowly and the plant can have what it needs to grow once it is transplanted bit by bit. It is best to release the necessary nutrients slowly so that the plant can adapt to the new conditions.
Interestingly, once a year we tackle compost enriched with worm humus and manure to add extra nutrients to the soil. We should do this only if the bougainvillea has been transplanted into the garden. The favorite fertilizers of most users who have bougainvillea are worm humus, fish emulsion and Superthrive. You can use this type of direct-to-soil foliar fertilizer any time during the growing season. That is, if after transplanting the bougainvillea it continues to grow, we will use these fertilizers. The growing season is primarily spring and summer, making it the perfect time to repot.
Hopefully with this information you can learn more about when to transplant bougainvillea and what you need to consider for it.