Bougainvillea project.

LanceMac10

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Why shade? Bougies have big enough leaves already and the growth can be kinda' rank and floppy.....:(;):D:D:D:D
 

c54fun

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Why shade? Bougies have big enough leaves already and the growth can be kinda' rank and floppy.....:(;):D:D:D:D

I have 4 bougies. Did some testing and in my area full sun make massive flowers with little foliage and partial shade makes tons of foliage. At this point I'm still building foliage so moving it to partial shade will help.
My purple one is almost done shaping and soon I will do the opposite and move it to full sun.

I said shade but its partial shade. Going from full sun all day to about 3 or 4 hours morning sun, then shade after that.
 

LanceMac10

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NH certainly ain't Texas!:eek::D:D:D:D

They grow ok outdoors up here, but too much shade just gives lanky growth that has to get cutback anyways, even if that shoot lives.

Don't you have pretty high humidity as well?
 

c54fun

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NH certainly ain't Texas!:eek::D:D:D:D

They grow ok outdoors up here, but too much shade just gives lanky growth that has to get cutback anyways, even if that shoot lives.

Don't you have pretty high humidity as well?

Yes its 51% humidity now.
 

GrimLore

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They grow ok outdoors up here, but too much shade just gives lanky growth that has to get cutback anyways, even if that shoot lives.

Your weather is similar to mine but the USDA Zone varies greatly where you are - how do they list you?

Grimmy
 

LanceMac10

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Think its 5.....4 would be just a short ride up turnpike...:(

We have these out for another 2 1/2 three months :cool:

Definitely not replicating your wintering quarters, but they get pretty good supplemental lighting in winter. Mediocre growth, but they come out robust after being brought outdoors.
 

just.wing.it

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Raintrees not much but the the bougies grow and even flower.
I ask because I have read that it is actually a sub-tropical tree and only needs to stay above freezing....I assume if I tried to keep one in my garage, it may act like a deciduous tree....or maybe like an azalea.
 

c54fun

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I ask because I have read that it is actually a sub-tropical tree and only needs to stay above freezing....I assume if I tried to keep one in my garage, it may act like a deciduous tree....or maybe like an azalea.

It may do just that? You could try it with a small one and see.
 

c54fun

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Good comparison on how this tree will fill out in about a year or 2. Both styled the same.
20170728_201023 (Small).jpg
 

c54fun

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Decided to change the style of this tree a little. I had it the same as my other. Round top with a pad on the right. Decided to cut the top a little flatter and combine the right pad into the main canopy. Will take another year to fill in but should look pretty nice.
20170823_142112 (Small).jpg
 

thumblessprimate1

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Flowers really stand out at night.
View attachment 152934
The snake also stands out better in this photo.

I'm thinking of joining the Bougie Club. I've not been a huge fan of so much the copious use of their flower and deadwood in bonsai, but their bark and winter silhouette is very attractive to me. What soil do you use on your Bougainvillea? How differently do you repot them from a Japanese maple? I'm curious if work can be done on them year round if I have a heated greenhouse or cuts and chops still should be limited to certain times of the year.
 

c54fun

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The snake also stands out better in this photo.

I'm thinking of joining the Bougie Club. I've not been a huge fan of so much the copious use of their flower and deadwood in bonsai, but their bark and winter silhouette is very attractive to me. What soil do you use on your Bougainvillea? How differently do you repot them from a Japanese maple? I'm curious if work can be done on them year round if I have a heated greenhouse or cuts and chops still should be limited to certain times of the year.
I use a basic soil similar to boons mix with added pine fines and some regular potting mix also. Seems to work well. I have always just worked on them when I want. Don't know if that's good or bad but its worked well for me. I do have a small heated greenhouse and they continue to grow and flower all winter. More flowering than growth in the winter. By spring the floor has bracts all over. I try to do most all re pot in the spring. Raintrees I do in the summer. Bougies like a small pot. In my experience they don't like a lot of root work. I have read others saying they don't mind. I'm real easy on the roots when re potting.
This is during the winter. Mine seemed to flower a a lot in the winter.
20161212_161049_resized.jpg
 

thumblessprimate1

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@c54fun Thanks for the reply. I've found a 4-5 year old bougie, nursery stock. I'll set it aside and save the work for spring then. It's funny how they don't like too much root work, but they can grow from cuttings the size of an elephant's foot.
 
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