How Do You Shape A Bougainvillea Bonsai Plant?

How Do You Shape A Bougainvillea Bonsai Plant?

There are two main methods to shape a Bougainvillea Bonsai plant: The first method is to train it in an upward direction, either through pruning or coiling the stem.

The second method is to train it downward, either by wrapping the stems around a pole as they are growing or by bending and cutting the stem where needed. The following are simple techniques on how to shape a Bougainvillea Bonsai plant;

• Young plants must be clipped from the base in order to promote thicker growth. By removing the end wood directly after a bud node, tip pruning encourages the formation of a new branch at the cut junction.
• Remove dead wood as it appears, but severe pruning must wait until autumn or early spring, when the plant is dormant.
• Leaf and stem pruning must be done carefully in order to avoid cutting off useful leaves, buds and shoots.
• Bougainvillea Bonsai is a fast growing plant and therefore, you will want to prune back the Bougainvillea Bonsai regularly whilst it is growing to encourage new growth all year round.
• The Bougainvillea Bonsai plant should be removed from the pot as soon as it has reached its final desired size. If you wish for your Bougainvillea Bonsai to keep growing, then grow it in a large pot and either reduce your watering or increase the watering to encourage new growth.
• When Bougainvillea Bonsai is planted in the ground, the roots will be much more extensive than if they are planted in a large container that can retain moisture. In the winter, the plant should be watered every few days and will require less watering in the summer.

How Do I Make Bougainvillea Bonsai Bushier?

Bougainvillea Bonsai can be made bushier by removing small branches and adding more growth. You can prune the branches that are getting too big to maintain the desired shape, or you can increase the amount of growth around the branch that you wish to keep.

To prune branches, you should use wiring and/or superglue to help keep the plants together (to prevent them from going in separate directions). Also, make sure that you have chosen the right branches to maintain your desired shape. The following are ways to make/ encourage Bougainvillea Bonsai become bushier;

Pruning:

Pruning Bougainvillea Bonsai will make it bushier (the more times it is pruned, the bushier it will become). Remove branches that are smaller than your desired size and in turn, new branches will form.

To increase growth around a branch, simply prune some of the new branches that are growing around that branch in order to direct the energy of the plant toward developing bigger/greener leaves/branches.

Bougainvillea Bonsai branches do not need to be wired, however, you can use superglue to attach small branches together.

Bougainvillea Bonsai like most other tropical plants, do best when they are placed in a sunny location.

Fertilizing:

Bougainvillea Bonsai are not fussy about their fertilizer needs. However, you should only fertilize them during the warmer summer months. A high nitrogen fertilizer will promote leaf and flower growth which in turn will stimulate further branching.

Do not fertilize your Bougainvillea Bonsai when they are in winter or in temperatures below freezing; otherwise, you will end up killing them (the best time for fertilizing is in spring and fall, when soil moisture levels are still relatively high).

Watering:

Watering Bougainvillea Bonsai is relatively easy. They like to be watered regularly, however their root system is shallow so they are not tolerant of over-watering (they will die if they are saturated with water).

The best way to water them is to use a watering can with holes in the spout, or you can sprinkle water from the bottom using a push bottle.

Water make Bougainvillea Bonsai bushier Bougainvillea Bonsai can be recut in order to maintain a desired shape or size. To do this, the topmost inch of soil around the plant should be removed and most of the roots cut away (then cover with soil).

The plant will begin to grow again in about 6 months; however, it can take up to 2 years for them to start growing as they did before.

Misting:

Misting Bougainvillea Bonsai will help to promote new growth, which in turn will make it bushier. Misting also helps to keep the soil moist and prevents it from becoming too dry. Misting is also good for plants that are in hanging baskets.

Bougainvillea Bonsai should be given a water-soluble flower food (1-2 times per week), however, this should only be applied to the flowers; otherwise, and it can make the leaves weak.

Bougainvillea Bonsai are not pruned to keep them small, but rather to make more growth occur around the main branch. This is done by cutting off some of the smaller branches growing out from the main one (this makes room for new branches to form).

Which Month Is Best For Pruning Bougainvillea Bonsai?

Bougainvillea Bonsai plants flower best when they are pruned in the summer and the winter. It is advisable to prune Bougainvillea Bonsai in late spring or early autumn when it is dormant.

Pruning should be done at least once a year, but some experts recommend doing so twice a year. Bougainvillea Bonsai will do well with routine pruning, as long as it is not cut back too hard.

The optimal time to trim Bougainvillea Bonsai for cuttings is late winter to early spring, before new growth has emerged, but while bud nodes are swollen. There are now cultivars and crosses from several parent specimens that range in color, size, and hardiness.

Bougainvillea Bonsai is a great plant for the beginner who is interested in growing indoors and will do well in pots on a porch or patio. Bougainvillea Bonsai plants are grown using similar methods to those of the majority of houseplants.

When purchasing a Bougainvillea Bonsai, it is important to verify that it has been certified by an accredited testing laboratory. If a lab has certified the plant, then you can be assured that you are buying a healthy, pest-free bonsai specimen.

How Do You Trim A Bougainvillea Bonsai?

After planting the bougainvillea in its pot, trim off any damaged or dead leaves. Check to see that no insects have taken up residence inside the pot and that there are no dead leaves or sticks on the surface of your bonsai. Tend to your Bougainvillea Bonsai by checking for plant stress, such as leaf tip burn, root rot and fungal pests.

After flowering, cut the sprouts, leaving two leaves on each, then trim the twigs and branches in fall or winter. After rigorous pruning, the Bougainvillea Bonsai can produce buds on ancient wood. If you want the tree to produce flowers, do not squeeze and prune it excessively in the summer. Apply cut paste to bigger cuts.

Bougainvillea Bonsai’s are propagated using tip cuttings in late summer. Take 4-5 inches stems and place them in a pot of soil made up of three parts sand, two parts loam and one part peat moss. Put the pot in a warm, well-lit spot until the roots form. If your plant has flowers on it, choose a flower bud that is not open to place the cutting on.

Bougainvillea Bonsai can be coped into a small pot with soil that is acidic, but make sure the soil to contain high levels of organic matter to encourage root growth and prevent the presence of pests.

Bougainvillea Bonsai can be grown on any type of bonsai from its basic requirements to completely natural styles. Bougainvillea Bonsai is often trained as a single-trunk tree, but it can also be trained as a multiple-trunk tree or cascading bonsai.

Does Bougainvillea Bonsai Need To Be Cut Back?

Bougainvillea Bonsai requires pruning to keep its shape and promote growth. Young Bougainvillea Bonsai are more flexible and can be bent into the desired shapes.

If you allow the branches to grow freely, they will become unruly causing the Bougainvillea Bonsai to become leggy.

Bougainvillea Bonsai requires a heavy trim every year at winter or spring, because this time of year is when new buds are forming. Therefore, even a tip pruning (pinching) will stimulate new growth and consequently flowering.

Consequently, you should trim or lightly prune your bougainvillea after each major flowering. It will result in fresh growth and the desired flowers.

Alternatively, prune plants in early April. In the spring, return potted Bougainvillea Bonsai to full light and start monthly fertilization.

To produce greater color, prune long trailing stems back 20 to 30 inches; blooms and bracts grow on fresh wood. Plants bloom for many weeks, then rest before flowering again. Bougainvillea Bonsai should not be pruned until summer.

If you choose to be ruthless with your Bougainvillea Bonsai, wait until summer to remove xmas-like flowers, being careful not to get prune while they are still green (and sensitive) and include a little fertilizer or soapy water in the process.