Bougainvillea Project in Illinois

[cbrshadow23]

I have a big collected bougainvillea that I keep here in Illinois. I lived in California for 10 years and collected a bunch of bougainvillea's from people's yards, but when I moved to Illinois I figured it would be a pain to keep one so I let almost all of them go. This bougie is doing really well this winter in my heated greenhouse and is just busting with growth. I decided that since it's always 'summer' in my greenhouse I might as well defoliate and wire. I've done this many times in the past with bougainvillea.

Anyways, I thought I'd share some pictures and video from the process below. I defoliated and wired it all this morning moving fast, so the wiring isn't beautiful, but I'm happy with how it's looking now:

Before Defoliation:

After Defoliation (before wire):

After Wire:

A few pictures from the front, back, and some of the ramification.






The top left branch has a weird roundness to it that I don't love, but I'll correct that over time.
I'd love to hear your thoughts. Also lets see your big collected bougies. Any other northerners or midwesterners keeping bougies?

 

[Carol 83]

Any other northerners or midwesterners keeping bougies?

I have had them pretty much since I started the hobby. I don't have a greenhouse, so mine have to come inside for the winter. I don't have room for anything too large.

 

[Melospiza]

I have a much smaller one that hasn't had much progress in the 2 years I've had it. I think I should just let it grow unchecked for a while before trying to train it.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Bougainvillea was the species that drew me into the hobby. I lost my earlier ones when my propane tanks froze from a faulty regulator when we had that arctic winter in 2013-14. As I am a northerner.

I actually shortened mine last year. To a proper shohin. A more manageable size for wintering indoors for myself. Because I had lost the visual of the trunkline to permit that cascading drop branch. Which I bought it for the twisted trunk. It was a pain to winter needing propped up so that cascading branch got the grow lights rays and didn't weaken...add in...a new pup in the house...an aussie. I was just afraid wintering and it being knocked over. So I chose to take it into a new direction that I had chewed on a few years. I've had it since 2015.

It will get a new pot this year. It's unbalanced now in the current one.



Instagram clip/video of it.

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[cbrshadow23]

Bougainvillea was the species that drew me into the hobby. I lost my earlier ones when my propane tanks froze from a faulty regulator when we had that arctic winter in 2013-14. As I am a northerner.

I actually shortened mine last year. To a proper shohin. A more manageable size for wintering indoors for myself. Because I had lost the visual of the trunkline to permit that cascading drop branch. Which I bought it for the twisted trunk. It was a pain to winter needing propped up so that cascading branch got the grow lights rays and didn't weaken...add in...a new pup in the house...an aussie. I was just afraid wintering and it being knocked over. So I chose to take it into a new direction that I had chewed on a few years. I've had it since 2015.

It will get a new pot this year. It's unbalanced now in the current one.
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Instagram clip/video of it.

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

Nice, I really like those pink pixies but don't have any ATM. Great looking tree you have there.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Nice, I really like those pink pixies but don't have any ATM. Great looking tree you have there.

Thanks. Love how they are so compact.

What cultivar is yours...do you know? Nice structure you got going. Love seeing structure set on trees.

What exactly is the size of yours? I don't tend to work my tropical in winter. So seeing you do that. Did make me pause. Assuming not the first for you though.

 

[cbrshadow23]

Thanks. Love how they are so compact.

What cultivar is yours...do you know? Nice structure you got going. Love seeing structure set on trees.

What exactly is the size of yours? I don't tend to work my tropical in winter. So seeing you do that. Did make me pause. Assuming not the first for you though.

I should have added something in the video for scale. The tree is not quite 3ft tall from the soil line. The base at the soil line is about 8-9" diameter. I'm not sure which cultivar it is, actually. These collected trees are probably one of the common ones that people bought at Home Depot since they were dug up from their yards.
Working on tropicals in winter is typically not advised, but it's always summer in my greenhouse It stays between 75-110 degrees 24/7.

 

[Cadillactaste]

I should have added something in the video for scale. The tree is not quite 3ft tall from the soil line. The base at the soil line is about 8-9" diameter. I'm not sure which cultivar it is, actually. These collected trees are probably one of the common ones that people bought at Home Depot since they were dug up from their yards.
Working on tropicals in winter is typically not advised, but it's always summer in my greenhouse It stays between 75-110 degrees 24/7.

Gotcha...yeah. My greenhouse is a controlled cold greenhouse which are the majority of my collection and currently dormant.

My tropical I do open air. I don't fuss with high humidity or high temps. Nothing tropical I own needs it. I've been cautious there. I kind of run off the direction Jerry Meislik did in how he grew his indoor trees.

That's a far larger tree than I first suspected. Nice one! Yeah... mine I even compacted more last year for just to make it easier on myself as I mentioned above. As you can see...I'm small school for tropical. Just enough to play with.

 

[cbrshadow23]

Gotcha...yeah. My greenhouse is a controlled cold greenhouse which are the majority of my collection and currently dormant.

My tropical I do open air. I don't fuss with high humidity or high temps. Nothing tropical I own needs it. I've been cautious there. I kind of run off the direction Jerry Meislik did in how he grew his indoor trees. View attachment 584087

That's a far larger tree than I first suspected. Nice one! Yeah... mine I even compacted more last year for just to make it easier on myself as I mentioned above. As you can see...I'm small school for tropical. Just enough to play with.

Really pretty grow area! It looks like a good mix of functionality and living space.
I went with all function on my greenhouse. It has 3 wall polycarbonate panels and has gas/electric/water/drainage, along with a big natural gas heater, 3000w of grow lights, etc. It's my first winter with the greenhouse, and winters here are COLD, but its been fantastic and all of my plants are doing great. Last winter without the greenhouse was a grind. This year I have a nice warm place to work on my plants all winter which is nice.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Thank ya. Yeah...that's it in a nutshell for myself.

Nice set up. I can't imagine...a tropical greenhouse. I'm to lazy... I'm spoiled with the lack of care needed for my dormant trees. That...I can't imagine tending trees as frequently as they need tended for tropical. By heading out into the cold to reach them. But I'm zone 4...and winters are harsh here.

That said...I can imagine the grind without one. And can see the benefits of yours for you. Congratulations on upgrading and making things more simpler for yourself.

 

[Carol 83]

Really pretty grow area! It looks like a good mix of functionality and living space.
I went with all function on my greenhouse. It has 3 wall polycarbonate panels and has gas/electric/water/drainage, along with a big natural gas heater, 3000w of grow lights, etc. It's my first winter with the greenhouse, and winters here are COLD, but its been fantastic and all of my plants are doing great. Last winter without the greenhouse was a grind. This year I have a nice warm place to work on my plants all winter which is nice.
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Beautiful greenhouse. Lucky you.