How to Plant & Take Care of Bougainvillea
- 1). Plant bougainvilleas according to your USDA growing zone. If you live in zone 8 or higher, plant them in the garden for safe outdoor growing. In zone 7 or lower, plant them in pots to protect them during the winter.
- 2). Find an outdoor site that gets five to eight hours of full sun every day and has a wall or room for an arbor. Make sure that any site gets quick drainage through the soil and will give the bougainvillea at least 10 feet of growing space upward and outward. If you're planting in pots, use heavy 20-gallon pots with drainage holes.
- 3). Amend outdoor sites with a mix that is half quick-draining garden soil and half organic compost to give fine-rooted bougainvillea good drainage and moderate moisture retention. Mix this amendment into the top foot of soil in each site. If you're planting the bougainvilleas in pots, use this same mixture as your potting soil. Fill pots 3/4 full for planting.
- 4). Plant bougainvillea into holes that are as deep and twice as wide as their root balls, as bougainvillea does not tolerate deep plantings. Pack soil around the roots and push your fingers into the soil in several spots to eliminate air pockets. Water each plant with 1/2 gallon of water, then lay 2 inches of organic mulch over the soil to maintain moisture and warmth.
- 5). Provide an arbor or stake if you don't have a wall nearby, as bougainvillea need a growing foundation. Use soft plastic or cord ties to tie the main stem of the bougainvillea to any structure. Over time the bougainvillea will train itself to grow properly.
- 6). Water bougainvillea once a week with 2 to 3 inches of water. Feed the plants once a month with 20-20-20, 12-12-12 or 6-8-10 fertilizer to encourage both growth and flowering. Use water-soluble or granular fertilizer according to the directions on the package.
- 7). Move potted bougainvillea indoors before the first frost. Put them in a spot that still gets full sun, where the temperature stays between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Move the plants back outdoors in spring.
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