Hello,

My name is Rick and I live in New England. (USA, zone 5). In my part of the land we are at the time where you bring all your tropicals indoors and prepare your hardy trees for the winter ahead. I have a Bougainvillea that I purchased last winter. It was bought from a nursery where it was kept in a heated greenhouse with other tropicals. At the time it had flowers. Once spring came around I brought it outside where it continued to grow but lost all its flowers and never flowered again.

I have read that they need a dormant period with temps around 49-54 F. (6-12 C). Is this really neccessary? I dont see how I can accomplish this while keeping it indoors. I read that they need this dormant period in order to flower in the summer. So I guess what I am asking is this:
What is the best way for me, Zone 5, to winter my bougie? (here is a pic)http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ga...pic.php?t=2053

As always, I am very grateful for any advice offered.....................................Rick

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I looked at the picture and it looks like glued on rocks on the surface of
the pot. If it is remove them NOW. I'll bet you are over watering. Bougies
don't respond well to cool, wet situations. I seem to have better luck in peat
based soils and use Metro Mix 500 for mine.
They do like to be pruned and will respond well to pruning. They bloom only
on new growth and yours doesn't look healthy.
I wouldn't worry about the dormant period. Thye grow and bloom all year in
south Florida. Put it indoors, don't over water, give it as much light as
possible, prune as needed and it should repond well next spring when you can give
it full sun again.
Remember that this is a tropical plant and even in summer the sun in Zone 5
is not anything like the sun in Zone 10.


Billy on the Florida Space Coast

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I have read that they need a dormant period with temps around 49-54 F.
(6-12 C). Is this really neccessary? I dont see how I can accomplish this
while keeping it indoors. I read that they need this dormant period in order
to flower in the summer. So I guess what I am asking is this:
What is the best way for me, Zone 5, to winter my bougie?

I don't know about a dormant period. Mine don't seem to need one
artificially induced.

Last fall, as an experiment, I took a patio bougie in and stuck it by a west
window for the winter. It survived, if not thrived, and by late summer was
blooming profusely (outdoors as soon as possible.)

I feed it generously, and often withold water until the leaves go limp. I
mooch greenhouse space for my specimen trees, but feed and water them the
same way here in New Jersey. They are tough plants, so don't give up on the
tree if you lose all leaves. Chances are, it will come back.

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Tlsrider wrote:

Hello,

My name is Rick and I live in New England. (USA, zone 5). In my part of the land we are at the time where you bring all your tropicals indoors and prepare your hardy trees for the winter ahead. I have a Bougainvillea that I purchased last winter. It was bought from a nursery where it was kept in a heated greenhouse with other tropicals. At the time it had flowers. Once spring came around I brought it outside where it continued to grow but lost all its flowers and never flowered again.

snip

I have found that aphids were the biggest challenge for me last winter. Stay right on top of that. I sprayed with an insecticidal soam (Safer) and that helped.

Craig Cowing
NY
Zone 5b/6a Sunset 37

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----- Original Message -----
From: "Tlsrider"
To:
Sent: Tuesday, September 28, 2004 5:29 PM
Subject: [IBC] Bougainvillea winter care


Hello,

My name is Rick and I live in New England. (USA, zone 5). In my part of the
land we are at the time where you bring all your tropicals indoors and
prepare your hardy trees for the winter ahead. I have a Bougainvillea that
I purchased last winter. It was bought from a nursery where it was kept in
a heated greenhouse with other tropicals. At the time it had flowers. Once
spring came around I brought it outside where it continued to grow but lost
all its flowers and never flowered again.

---
Hi,

I live in Ottawa. I bring mine indoors during the nights where the temps go
below 10 deg. C and then put them out during the day. I do this until the
day temperatures are too cold and then bring them in for the winter. I keep
them either under grow lights or on a south facing window sill. They need
lots of light to bloom, but will survive in moderate bright light. You also
need to see the leaves go limp once in a while during the summer to stress
them a bit to initiate flowering. I usually feel the leaves to determine if
it needs water. If it is soft it is time to water, if it is rough and
stiff, let it dry down some more. A peat based mix works better than the
usual gravel bonsai soil. I have both and the peat mix produces more
growth. It should be light and drain well though. Flowers are produced at
the tips of the branches. Mine are usually about 2-3 ft long by the end of
the summer. When you chop them back they readily resprout, so go back to
1-2 leaves per branch. I usually have to cut them back a couple times
during the winter as they get too large for my space. I think too much
fertilizer may reduce the blooms. Mine work best with benign neglect.

My plants have a few blooms during the winter months. After they go outside
in the spring they stop blooming for a couple months and then come on full
force.

Regards,

Gordon Williams

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