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Hailing from South America , Bougainvillea(boo - gan - VIL - lee - uh ) is a popular genus of somewhere between 4 and 18 ( depending on whom you ask ) species and over 300 cultivars .
These grand evergreen plant from the Nyctaginaceae mob are hold dear for their sharp thorns , bright flower bracts , and heart - forge leave .
Photo Credit: Instagram @malaysia_houseplants
Bougainvillea plantsare known as lovers of tropical climate . Sometimes with proper care , they can survive a halt at 30 ° degrees Fahrenheit .
Despite being decently enceinte and shrublike , with specimens range from 3 to 39 ’ invertebrate foot tall , they ’re very pop as container plants .
This fact mean you may love a bougainvillea blooms almost year - orotund , once you make love how to properly winter it .
How Do You Care for a Potted Bougainvillea in Winter?
There are two basic rules to wintertime care of a potted bougainvillea plant that can also lend oneself to humans on vacation :
In other speech , select an indoor spot that matches their out-of-door needs and cut back on how much tending you give them .
That Indoor-Outdoor Lifestyle
One of the enceinte misunderstanding gardeners make is toplant bougainvillea in spring , then transplantation itto a stool for wintertime .
This can stress the plant life seriously and can do almost as much harm as leaving it in the ground .
Instead , there are two elbow room to keep your works outside for the strong weather that wo n’t harm them , and both demand container .
The first method acting is the obvious one :
Set the container on a terrace , porch , or another surface area when the plant is away . Bougainvilleas are popular in Florida .
When the weather condition cools off , you could simply move the plant in spite of appearance to a sunny spot until spring .
The 2d method acting involve a morsel of ocular trickery .
compass a deep where you want the bougainvillea vine to be and line the sides so the walls wo n’t collapse , leave behind the bottom bare .
Next , lightly order your bougainvillea – pot and all – into the trench .
Fill the gap with bark or lava stone , let a slight minute to enshroud the edges of the pot .
The bougainvillea will appear to have been found but can easy be lifted out of the trench to overwinter , still safely in its pot .
Before Checking In
Before you bring your bougainvillea indoors , it needs a physical .
Check for any sign of disease , infestation , or pests such as wanderer mites , and be sure to address these issues before expose any indoor plants to a potential contagious disease .
Regular neem soil soaks and/or foliar nebulizer can greatly reduce the risks of bugs and fungal issues , even when the plant is kept out of doors .
When and Where to Bring Bougainvilleas Indoors
Bougainvilleas choose full sun and temperatures of 60 ° degrees Fahrenheit or higher . You may select to institute one inside at any full point when the temperature slip below that .
examine to have it within prior to the first frost in any effect , as containers wo n’t insulate as well as the ground , and even a faint frost will be much nasty on a potted bougainvillea than a establish one .
The plant will require a good “ vacation spot ” , so opt a room that gets serious wintertime sunshine photograph .
Ideally , you ’ll want to keep the plant where it can get bright , collateral sunlight for as much of the day as potential .
Some unmediated sun in the morning or evening can also be skilful .
While it will do fine in normal elbow room temperatures , an overwintering bougainvillea will be happier if you may keep it in a spot where the temperature stays between 45 and 55 ° degrees Fahrenheit .
Additionally , given that bougainvillea stem are equipped with sticker , it ’s important to consider this factor when make up one’s mind on a desirable locating for its growth .
For these understanding , some partizan will actually overwinter their bougainvilleas in a garage , basement , or shed that has insulation and windows .
Avoid Fertilizing in Winter
wintertime is a time when your bougainvillea wants to take a break from the hard work of growing and bloom , so the last thing it wants is a reckless repast .
head off any variety of fertilizer during this period , and give it water sparingly using the soak - and - dry method .
You ’ll find the plant needs less moisture and drink in less while overwintering , naturally resulting in longer periods between waterings .
Maintenance
Light pruning in wintertime can help encourage unexampled outgrowth amount early spring , but this may also be done at the destruction of wintertime .
deflect any heavy pruning if you see yellow leaves , as this could be a sign of hoar damage , and too much cutting back could do more injury than good .
That said , a sizeable plant may require a major haircut before you’re able to bring it in to meet the fellowship .
It ’s also normal for some minor exit of leaf during the winter , so prune away any browning leaves as you spot them to help oneself your works preserve its vim .
Final Notes
As you’re able to see , it ’s much soft to call up what you need to do if you imagine your bougainvillea is fill a much - needed vacation .
As an evergreen , it will still shed a bit of leaf but does not actually go into quiescency like deciduous plant do .
The paint is to give your industrial plant some space , letting it rest up and pull together its energy for the next growing season .
