AusBonsai

Hi All!
I live in Sydney west. Six months back I had bought a bougainvillea for $20 from a local garden centre.trunk was roughly 1/3 inch. Immediately I transferred that to a bigger pot containing bonsai mix. My aim is to grow that until I achieve trunk thickness of 1 inch. Unfortunately in six months time few branches grew and flowering nicely, but trunk thickness has not increased a bit. Plant is at sunny location and trying to give less water as possible. Any idea or experience please share.
Cheers
Dips

One of the most common problems with bougainvillea is over-watering. The roots like to be kept on the drier side. They also are a creeper, so the trunk doesn't thicken like a 'normal' tree would. If you are only interested in trunk thickening, allow the thing to explode, fertilize, plenty of sun and only water when the soil is dry. And encourage branches to grow down low.

Alternatively, trunk chop it very low in the growing season, then allow all the new shoots down low to elongate and build better growth in the lower area. But try to avoid bar branching on bougys, as they will encourage reverse taper easily.

Many thanks Rory.
I will Certainly try your suggestions after winter.
I will merge your first part of suggestion and alternative suggestion.
- chop that low
-allow to explode the branches below chopped point
- feed more
-water less
- lot of sun
-avoid bar branching.
Great advice.
Cheers
Dips

I have one in a colander in the ground that is growing fantastically. All my potted ones are much slower. Two of them are doing nothing at all! They seem to grow in phases. Sending out lots of green then slow down, and maybe flower. They won’t do much thickening while flowering. Yes they don’t like to be too wet but if they’re too dry, it can trigger them to flower, which is pretty, but not thickening.

G-day Dips
If you have the space ground growing will thicken it fastest. I find they take about a year to settle in
to a garden bed and don't really explode into growth until year two. Preparing the bed well first will help.
I wait for mine to take off in the ground before chopping trunks or big branches.
Remember to seal the large cuts as they will rot being soft wood. Which can spoil all your hard work.
When the trunk size and shape is to your liking then dig it up.
Here in Sydney I dig them out in September on wards.
If you don't have space in your garden then the advice already given will give similar results just a bit slower.
Hope that helps.
cheers

You can also let it root through the pot into the ground - that gives you the best of both worlds. I find they like organic fertilisers much better than chemical ones. So heaps of DL or Rooster Booster.

Many thanks to beano, robb63 & bougy fan. Sorry for late response. I really appreciate that you guys are sending valuable information. I have couple of bougainvilleas growing in ground for last three years and they are doing fantastic. I have no more ground available, so tried to grow in bigger pots expecting same result. As u all have noted in 1 year I didn’t achieve much. I will certainly consider using compost fertiliser than chemical soluble fertiliser. I will try to grow them in ground wherever possible. Pot over ground soil also not a bad idea. Cheers all.
Dips

Hi you all. Beeing from Québec, Canada, it is hard to leave my bougs in the ground for more than 1 season. It Gets cold up here. If it takes 2 years to see some results, What do you suggest?

The dwarf varieties thicken well in large pots much better than the larger growers

Bougies are technically a vine so to thicken the base you need to let the climbing branches shoot upward. As these very straight branches grow and get heavier you will need to hold them up with bamboo or what have you. If you dont the growth will slow and eventually the heavy branch will snap at the shoulder. You can keep them in pots but place them over dirt or gravel and make sure there are large enough holes in the bottom of the pot for the roots to grow through into the ground. I'd also fertilize with a low P fertilizer to stop excessive flowering. Whenever you notice the plant producing flowers cut that whole branch away these flowering "branches" take valuable resources from the growing tips and die back eventually anyway.

Jesse

Here is my planed essay folowing your suggesions.

A-Spring, year 1
Cutting from last year's growth of 10 to 12 cm. Cut just under a node, where the wood becomes brown. Keep 1 or 2 leafs, dip in hormone powder and put in 6 cm pot.
Let dry between watering.
Bring inside when temp is <10 C.

B- Autumn, year1
Transplant in 20 cm pot. Screen in bottom with 0,5 cm dry chicken poop (5-3-2), 10 cm potting soil (good drainage). Water less for inside wintering with lots of artificial light.

C-Spring, year 2
- After risk of temp < 8 C, put pot in the garden with dirt to the collar and support or trellis.
-Fertilize every week, water as needed and let dry.
-Pinch long branches to encourage back budding
-Cut branches with flowers, keeping energy for quantity of growth.

D-Autumn, year 2
-Bring inside when temp is < 10 C. with a good Keening.
-Choose the good branches and trim to 1 or 2nd node.
-Water less for inside wintering with lots of artificial light.

E- Repeat sections C and D to your satisfaction.

What do you think of this plan