When to prune bougainvillea?

Bougainvillea is a climber that produces bracts (false petals) of very bright and cheerful colors. But it is not only very decorative but it is also a very easy to care plant that will give us great satisfaction from the first moment.

Still, in order for it to stay beautiful it is important to know when to prune bougainvillea, since if we let it grow on its own we would end up having stems covering areas that we do not want.

When is bougainvillea pruned?

I love bougainvillea. It is one of the climbing plants that has a longer flowering season (it can be blooming from spring to early fall!), And also all you need are regular waterings and a contribution of fertilizer every month to be healthy. But yes, if its growth is not controlled ... its appearance deteriorates a lot, so we will have no choice but to take some pruning shears and do the odd hairdressing session from time to time, but when?

Well, it will basically depend on what type of pruning we want to do. For example, if what we want is to simply trim a few green stems, we can do it without problems from spring to fall, but if we have to give it a more important change, it will be better to do it at the end of winter, before it resumes its growth, since otherwise it would lose a lot of sap and could become quite weak.

You have to always remember clean scissors before and after use, either with pharmacy alcohol, a few drops of dishwasher or even with a few wet wipes. In this way, we will avoid the risk of infection, which is very important so that both the bougainvillea and the other plants that we want to prune remain protected against possible fungi and / or viruses that may adhere to the tools.

How to prune a bougainvillea?

As we have mentioned, there are two types of pruning that have to be done to bougainvillea: one is pinching, and the other, somewhat more drastic, which is training pruning.

Pinching

Pinching is the type of pruning that simply consists of trim the stems by removing the first pairs of leaves. Being so small pruning does not pose any problem to bougainvillea, which is why it can be done throughout the year. But yes, always use previously disinfected scissors; otherwise, the plant would be at high risk of being infected by fungi, bacteria and / or viruses.

How is it done? It is very simple: reduce a little - no more than five or ten centimeters - the length of the stems that are growing too much.

Training

When, for example, we have a bougainvillea it has been growing on its own for a long time -years-, or we have achieved a large one, it will have produced so many stems that it will require a training pruning; that is It will be necessary to trim and even remove stems that are growing too much, or that are giving it a matted appearance.

For this reason, this pruning is carried out when the plant is in a dormant period, in autumn after flowering, or in early spring (but yes, if you choose to prune it in spring you must bear in mind that flowering may be scarcer).

How is it done? With the help of scissors for example of crafts for the green stems; Pruning shears for semi-woody stems less than one centimeter thick, and with a hand saw if stems more than one centimeter thick are to be cut. Once we have everything, it is time to proceed with the task:

1. First, observe the plant from a distance. This will help you see which stems are left over, and which ones need trimming.
2. Then remove those that intersect, as well as those that are broken, sick, or weak.
3. Finally, trim those that are well positioned but are getting too long.

How to prune bougainvillea in a tree?

Bougainvillea is a climbing plant, which means that it grows by climbing on large plants, poles, ... in short, on whatever can support it 🙂. But it is woody, so it is not unreasonable to think that it can be worked as a tree. Yes indeed, It requires a lot of patience, because this is not a job of one or two years, but of several more.

The growth rate is rather slow, so that pruning must be done regularly. In addition, even once you have managed to have it as a tree, you will have to continue trimming its stems because these, naturally, will continue to look for surfaces to climb.

But How is it to be pruned? Well, doing the following:

1. First, it has to be planted in the ground, or failing that, in a large pot.
2. Afterwards, a stem has to be chosen, which will be the main stem.
3. Now, put a stake next to it, and tie it to it with a rope or bridle so that it grows straight. Do not forget to loosen it regularly so that it does not dig into the trunk.
4. Next, go removing the shoots that emerge from the stem. Leave only the top ones to make them the top of the future tree.
5. Finally, although this is a task that you have to do from time to time, trim the stems so that the crown maintains a rounded shape, or if you prefer, more open.

So, if you had questions about how and when to prune bougainvillea, we hope we have answered your questions. 🙂