Bougainvillea - Barbara Karst

[HorseloverFat]

I am (enjoyably) currently in the process/phase of transitioning plants that were purchased or grown indoors over the colder season, outdoors.
Soon enough it will be prime(esque) climate conditions (I guess merely acceptable, in Wisconsin) that my bougainvillea will be able to actually get a tan.
During this aforementioned acclimation process, my plant room became very lonely and I noticed how unruly this bougie’s growth has become. I decided to treat it to a haircut in preparation for the outdoor season.

This thread is mostly just for me , to aid in the analysis of this particular plant’s progression.

So here she is... before after maintenance prune.. I plan on watching her grow for a season or two before approaching any kind of design or branch selection.
(As she is VERY young and has just begun her journey)

 

[Carol 83]

I like the gentle curve in the trunk. You could probably have cut it back even further to see if the leaves reduce any. Are you trying to root any of the cuttings?

 

[HorseloverFat]

I like the gentle curve in the trunk. You could probably have cut it back even further to see if the leaves reduce any. Are you trying to root any of the cuttings?

Looking at the picture i was thinking the same thing about taking it “further back” Just debating HOW much further (knowledge and advice appreciated/accepted)

I have the cuttings de-foliated and in some rain-water at the moment..I was planning on letting them “Soak” for a day before introducing them to a cutting-geared substrate. (Unless there is a better method or order if operations )

 

[HorseloverFat]

I took it back another set of buds or so.. not really warranting of a pic...

..or a post, I guess.

 

[Arlithrien]

Do you know what color the blooms will be? When I bought mine at Lowe's, all of the different colors were given a Barbara karst tag even though there were bougainvillea with white, purple, pink or orange bracts.

 

[HorseloverFat]

Do you know what color the blooms will be? When I bought mine at Lowe's, all of the different colors were given a Barbara karst tag even though there were bougainvillea with white, purple, pink or orange bracts.

This one had ONE flower intact on it when I had it shipped to me (last november).. it was DARK red with a magenta-esque hue... if that makes sense.

 

[HorseloverFat]

FINALLY got ‘er outdoors. The weather has been... inconsistent.

 

[HorseloverFat]

(((Update)))

 

[HorseloverFat]

Do you know what color the blooms will be?

Well I let it retain this ONE..

Doesn’t seem right to take away ALL their flowers. (Yes, I understand the “why?”, though.)

 

[HorseloverFat]

Planning my DIP.. but will have to perform the operation a few weeks early.. BEFORE the “I”.. because it is trying to flower EVERYWHERE.

 

[hinmo24t]

nice!! i have been growing a 10" pot boug from nursery all summer in MA and it grew a lot.
i cut those long runners down because it was approaching 6' wide lol. will have to again when i bring her to south window
setup soon. i think during hardcut in spring it will be similar to yours! keep her going, nice tree

its been one of my favorites

pic from when i first got it or soon after, and it grew by 1.3 or 1.5 (30 and 50%) in 3 or 4 mos

 

[HorseloverFat]

Damn! ... I meant “BIP”...

DIP sounds like a stuttering service robot.

*robotic voice* “DIP! . Would you like some.. Dip! Dip! .toast?”

 

[HorseloverFat]

Would I be alright to perform the BIP early. as long as i do not completely defoliate?

 

[Carol 83]

Would I be alright to perform the BIP early. as long as i do not completely defoliate?

What does "BIP" mean??

 

[HorseloverFat]

The bring inside prune.

 

[Carol 83]

The bring inside prune.

It wouldn't hurt to cut back some of those long runners if you don't care about the flowers, but I wouldn't defoliate it this late in the year myself. My trops usually have to come inside by mid-Oct, probably sooner for you there. My bougies pretty much self-defoliate when they are brought indoors. Their way of protesting, I guess.

 

[HorseloverFat]

So.. I gave this lil’ gal a styling prune and set some basic structure with wire...

The wire slipped off the last “loop” of the leader and made the whole thing slightly catawompus... but it’ll hold.

 

[HorseloverFat]

Whoah! I thought I updated this one more recently!

Well I decided to “move stuff around” to take a picture of her, today.. because she was looking ESPECIALLY “pretty”


(Off screen are two led-panels resting against my neck... it was warm )

 

[hinmo24t]

very nice ^

 

[HorseloverFat]

Thank you! I really appreciate that!



(I want SEEDS... but I doubt my “climate” will allow their production.. but I don’t know TOO much about it.)