Okay, so, I’ve been growing this bougainvillea for a while now, and it’s been doing great, all bright and colorful. But then, winter came rolling in, and I started to worry. I mean, these plants love the sun, right? So, I did a bit of digging around to figure out what to do.
First off, I noticed that my bougainvillea was in a pot, which turned out to be a good thing. I found out that bougainvillea plants like temperatures above 60 degrees Fahrenheit, but since I live in a colder area, I knew I had to take action. So, I moved the pot to a warmer spot in my house, near a south-facing window where it could still get some sunlight.
Then, there’s the whole watering situation. I learned that you gotta water these plants before a cold snap. I guess it’s like giving them a good drink to prepare for the chilly weather. So, I made sure to give my bougainvillea a good watering whenever I heard that the temperature was going to drop.
- Moved the bougainvillea pot to a warmer spot.
- Watered the plant before a cold spell.
I also read somewhere that you can trim the roots and the top of the plant a bit. I guess it helps to keep it in check during the winter months. I decided to give it a try and trimmed some of the roots and gave the top a little shear. It was a bit scary, to be honest, cutting into my plant, but I figured it was worth a shot.
Now, here comes the tricky part, I checked the temperature outside often, when the temperature got around 40 to 45 degrees, I moved my bougainvillea to the basement. It’s pretty dark and cool down there, which is apparently what these plants need during their winter rest. I watered it very sparingly, just enough to keep the soil slightly moist. I didn’t want to overdo it because too much water can be bad for them in the cold.
After keeping an eye on the weather, in early spring, I gradually started to revive it. I moved the pot back to a brighter spot, and started watering it more regularly, along with some slow-release fertilizer followed by a water-soluble one every two weeks to give it a boost. I made sure it was getting plenty of sun, and I waited patiently for the weather to warm up properly before moving it back outside.
It took a bit of time, but eventually, my bougainvillea started to perk up. New leaves started to appear, and I knew it was on the road to recovery. I guess all that special winter care paid off. Now, I’m just waiting for those beautiful blooms to come back again.
My Tips for You
- If your bougainvillea is in a pot, move it to a warmer spot during winter.
- Water it well before a cold snap.
- Consider trimming the roots and the top to keep it in check.
- Move the bougainvillea to a cool, dark place when it is really cold, and water it sparingly during its winter rest.
- Gradually revive it in early spring with water, sun, and fertilizer.
So yeah, that’s my story of how I cared for my bougainvillea during the winter. It was a bit of a learning curve, but I’m glad I did it. I hope my experience can help some of you folks out there who are also trying to keep your bougainvillea happy and healthy during the colder months. It’s definitely doable, just takes a little bit of extra love and attention. Trust me.
