Everything you need to know to grow one of the most beautiful climbing plants.
Extraordinary and colorful, bougainvillea is a climbing plant that produces beautiful flowers that announce the beginning of summer and are reminiscent of Mediterranean and holiday landscapes.
Fortunately, it is as beautiful as it is easy to grow. As always, here are all the steps to follow to grow one.
- The first thing to know is that bougainvillea loves heat ( it cannot live at temperatures below 5 degrees).
- You can grow this plant directly in a pot from a cutting . The optimal period to plant it is spring.
- After placing the cutting in potting soil, it will take about 3 weeks for the roots to appear.
- The soil should be a mixture of universal soil and peat , add pebbles to the bottom of the pot for drainage and to prevent the formation of stagnant water.
- Bougainvillea tolerates drought well , water it only when the soil is completely dry.
- During the month of February, pruning should be carried out , removing all dry branches to allow the plant to grow again and renew itself.
- Bougainvillea is usually very resistant, however it can suffer attacks from aphids and mealybugs . In this case you can use a mixture of 500ml of water and 2 tablespoons of Neem oil to kill the pests.
- To stimulate flowering , focus on frequent fertilization (weekly) with fertilizers rich in zinc, nitrogen and potassium.