Why does the bougainvillea need regular pruning?
First of all, the bougainvillea is a fast growing plant. It goes without saying that in domesticated culture it has to be stopped a little at regular intervals. As with other plants, the cut also serves to rejuvenate and strengthen. In addition, the bougainvillea is, after all, a particularly decorative gardening plant and the cut is therefore “purely a matter of form”. Depending on whether you want to keep it as a small tree with a trunk, as a shrub or as a high-vine trellis figure, the contours must be gradually sharpened.
also read
- When to bring in the bougainvillea
- Fertilizing bougainvillea: when, how often and with what
- The supreme discipline of bougainvillea cultivation: the flower
The cutting grounds at a glance:
- rapid growth of the bougainvillea needs to be disciplined
- Pruning rejuvenates and strengthens the plant
- Sharpening of the culture form
The ideal cutting frequency
So how often should you give your bougainvillea a rejuvenating and shaping cut? According to your winter sleep, which is necessary in our latitudes, a cut is recommended before and after the vegetative break.
Before the winter break
Before moving into the winter accommodation, a reduction is usually necessary solely for reasons of space. If you have let the bougainvillea tendrils up outside over the summer, its tendrils also have to be detached from the wall or railing, which costs them substance anyway. In any case, shorten all long shoots for wintering.
After the winter break
If you get the bougainvillea out again in spring, you can give it another finer cut. Now it is a matter of removing all dead branches and contouring them according to your preferred cultivar. If you want to keep them as a sapling, shorten the growth below the crown. As a shrub, you can give it a few precise cuts in shape, depending on the silhouette you prefer. In espalier culture, the vertical length is the measure of the shape of the cut.
Beware of thorns and too much pruning
Since the bougainvillea is thorny, its pruning is of course tough. So equip yourself with robust gauntlets and hard-wearing clothing before the action. You should also be careful not to cut back too much. In view of the comparatively poor light conditions here, that would be too bad for the overall lifespan of the bougainvillea.
