On Fri, 30 Apr 2004 09:41:28 +0100, "David W.E. Roberts" wrote:


"FF" wrote in message
.. .
I think I said in the fuchsia thread that I was a bit of a fool.
Well, a couple of weeks ago I bought a bougainvillia - it was love at
first sight
(for me, at least:-) and I just couldn't stop myself.
Things have not gone well since then. It's indoors and I gave it a sip of
water a
week and a half ago, since when the pink bracts have died and fallen off.
It's in a
warm & sunny position.

What have I done wrong? (Other than be too optimistic)

Not sure you have - I think sometimes they drop the pink bracts after being
moved around.

How moist is your compost?

A sip of water through the summer like weather we have had until the last
couple of days may not have been enough.

It's bone dry! I was terrified of over watering. I'll give it a cupful or 2 now,
shall I?

After getting too optimistic and killing off our big one by leaving it out
to late in the winter, we are now raising a 'rescue' one from a sad little
plantlet we got last year.

It is in the sun lounge; looks very sad over winter when virtually all the
leaves fall off however this spring it has grown a nice new set of leaves
and has all the signs of growing well this season.

When it is growing actively we give it considerably more than a sip of
water - we keep the compost quite moist but not waterlogged.

Bougainvillia can drop leaves if underwatered (or severely overwatered) but
seem remarkably resilient in general.

Mine is going to have to learn to be resilient:-)

Ours is due to go outside for the summer soon, perhaps after being potted
on.

Our last one (before it pegged out) grew to quite a nice size - about 4 foot
by 4 foot IIRC.

Lovely! I hope mine does as well:-)

Thanks.

Liz