It is always a good idea to water deeply when the topsoil goes dry, rather than shallow watering them frequently. The species prefers a pH value of 6 to 6.5, so avoid using highly calcareous water. - Gardening Know How Questions & Answers. Once established they need nothing. When establishing (in the 1st couple of years), be sure to give your bougainvillea regular water. This is the queen of large flowering shrubs, a fabulous plant that can be grown as a viney shrub or a shrubby vine - or even as a stunning tree . Feed bougainvillea vines that grow in containers once per month with a water-soluble, all-purpose, 5-5-5 fertilizer. Bougainvillea are drought-tolerant plants, and require very little water once established. Too much nitrogen will encourage your plant to produce leaves instead of blooms. Also, help answer other questions about General Gardening and Bougainvillea Plants, and plants at GardeningKnowHow.com Bougainvillea spp. When it comes to watering, Bougainvillea is pretty drought tolerant once established. Watering Bougainvillea Plant. In winter, when they go dormant, watering them once a week is enough. Bougainvilleas flower best when kept on the dry side. So this bougainvillea went from April through October in the full sun of a Phoenix summer with not a drop of water. Water is another key factor. Water. Did it bother it? Over-watering can cause rot and weakening of the plant. Bring the soil to visual dryness between waterings. If the plant receives too much water when the small buds appear from new growth, the bud will drop off and in its place a thorn will develop. Bring the soil to visual dryness between waterings. Note: Keep bougainvillea on a slightly drier side for abundant blooms. The second thing we need to know these plants are quite resistant to dry seasons when they are quite large but, water require if our bougainvillea very small. the plants receive about 8 hours of sun, I have cut back on watering, i use coffee grounds 2X a week, bougainvillea food, removed, the juniper around it, added more mulch, more organic soil, but the leaves are all green, and have maybe 6 flowers between 7 bougainvilleas plants. Bougainvillea comes in lots of colors—from the traditional hot pink to red, soft pink, apricot and even white. Watering: Water the bougainvillea thoroughly when the soil gets dry, but avoid constant soil wetness which will lead to root rot, fungal problems, insect susceptibility and death. The colors that attract us are the bracts—modified leaves—like poinsettias. A tropical landscape showstopper, bougainvillea flaunts its flowers in a magnificent display of color on and off all year. It’s subject to a few types of root rots so don’t over-water. Water sparingly as bougainvillea plants produce too much leaf growth in place of flowers with excessive water. Bougainvillea is native to arid climates, so check that your irrigation system isn’t applying more water than the plant needs. How often do you need to water bougainvillea? Help answer a question about How often should i water a potted bougainvillea that is in my conservatory? Tropical bougainvillea dazzles our containers, hanging baskets and even garden beds in summer. Bougainvillea. It prefers a good, deep watering every 3-4 weeks rather than frequent shallow waterings. Bougainvilleas are pretty drought tolerant and don’t ask for frequent waterings. If you’re pruning too often, you could be cutting off new blooms as well. Bougainvillea do not like water stores near their roots. Heck no, I had to cut half of it down because it had grown so much. Wilting is the best indicator that watering is needed. We must water them 2-3 times a week without swamping the soil. 3. I have a ten year old bougainvillea at a rental house I own that I shut off the water to in april. Mix 1 tablespoon fertilizer with 1 gallon of water, and water the plant's soil. Finally, go easy on the fertilizer.