When it comes to climbing, the triplet flowers are true experts. The climbing shrub from the tropics also impresses with its splendor of flowers in summer and is therefore one of the most popular potted plants for balconies and terraces. But to ensure that it produces a multitude of pink, hot pink and purple flowers in the summer, proper care in the winter months is crucial. We explain why you should cut your bougainvillea regularly and what you need to consider when overwintering.
Why should you prune bougainvillea?
This spring we were given a triplet flower. She felt wonderful on our balcony and spent the whole summer there thanking her for her care with lots of delicate flowers. Now the gardening season has come to an end, but we would like to be able to marvel at the splendor of the bougainvillea flowers next year too. That's why the question arose: How and when should the plant be cut after the end of the flowering period?
Fortunately, most hobby gardeners agree: the bougainvillea needs to be cut in autumn. However, this is more about a nourishing cut than astrong pruning. The first tolerates it very well as long as you limit yourself to the most important cutting measures. The goal is to keep the plant as compact as possible during the dormant phase and still leave enough foliage so that it can get through the winter well.
A caring cut in autumn: instructions
Before cutting, the plant is first checked for pests and diseases. Only then can you start on a dry and sunny day. For the cut you need sharp garden or pruning shears and gardening gloves.
When it comes to cutting, the rule of thumb is: it's better to cut too little than too much. The goal is clear - you should definitely avoid weakening the plant and making it more susceptible to disease through severe pruning.
In addition, the climbing plants grow all year round in their homeland. In this country, however, growth stops during the cold season. So you don't want to shorten the plant too much because it will lose valuable time growing again next year. Accordingly, the flowering period is shortened and fewer flowers are produced.
In order to prevent this, a caring topiary is recommended. The goal is to get the plant into the desired shape so that it can be put back outside after the permanent frost has ended. Follow these steps when cutting your bougainvillea:
- First, only the sick and weak shoots are cut off close to the ground.
- Yellowed or partially dried shoots are cut down to healthy wood.
- Then the branches growing crosswise are also removed.
- If necessary, the healthy secondary shoots can be shortened by a maximum of a third.
- The main shoots are also shortened slightly and must not be cut off under any circumstances. The only exception: yellowed and dried main shoots must be removed before overwintering.
- The crown is then shaped like a ball.
- When cutting, try to keep the cutting surface as small as possible. That means no cross section.
- Make the cut on a sunny or at least dry day so that the cut surfaces can seal. They are entry points for bacteria, fungi and viruses and should therefore remain dry.
- Young plants are not cut in the first year.
Bougainvillea überwintern
After the topiary, the time has come to bring the bougainvillea into its winter quarters. The exotic will overwinter warm and sunny. The temperatures in the room must not fall below 10° Celsius. Gooda winter garden is suitableor a heated greenhouse. The bucket is placed on a Styrofoam plate so that the roots do not freeze. If the temperatures fall below 10 degrees in the evening, you can wrap the bucket with fleece. In the apartment, the climbing plant is overwintered in an unheated room. In the cold season it can cope with very little care. It is enough to keep the soil moist. But too much of a good thing can lead to root rot. So it's better to water too little than too much.
Autumn is also the right time to repot the triplet flower. However, this is only necessary for a few years when the climbing plant has completely rooted through the old pot. When repotting, the soil is also changed. The plant copes well with conventional potting soil. You can do without fertilizer.
Wintering out should be very easy: the plant is placed in a sunny place. Direct sunlight promotes new sprouting. Sometimes it supposedly takes a bit of patience: the friend who gave me her bougainvillea had to wait longer than expected for it to sprout last spring.
By the way, our plant is doing great at the moment. Hopefully we can get them through the winter well and then have lots of flowers again next year. By the way, the triplet flower has rather simple flowers. During the flowering period, however, the leaves that are directly around the flowers change color. And they add to the appeal of the exotic.
