Bougainvillea from nursery.

[SumatraDave]

I got a Bougainvillea plant from a local nursery for a presentation and I decided to keep it around. I'm in a student apartment so it's going to be in a pot. I live in Middle Tennessee so I can keep it outside for spring/summer and I was wondering if I should start maybe pre Bonsai taming or just leave it alone for the summer. Let me know what you think.

 

[Cadillactaste]

I hope your pot has a drain hole...many have poor drainage with permanent drain trays. Which not certain that is the case. But, curious if it is with your pot. For they are tend to be supseptible to root rot if their feet stay wet. And it looks like highly organic soil. Which I would assume drainage should be a big concern.

Curious...do you have a hybrid bougainvilla...or if the bracts were recently sunburned. Maybe offer a bit of history of what you have done with it while in your care so far. So one may offer if you should do anything with it.

 

[SumatraDave]

It does have a drainage hole and I plan on removing the tray it is on. I am more than willing to repot I just put it in that specific one purely for aesthetics. I got it yesterday and all I really know about it is it's called Royal purple

 

[aml1014]

Looks like you've got a couple little guys in that pot. Why not do a repot, separate them and let one grow and start training one for the hell of it!

Welcome to the nuthouse by the way

Aaron

 

[SumatraDave]

Welcome to the nuthouse by the way

Aaron

Thank you for the welcome I ment to post an introduction thread but I got so excited about my new plant lol.
Also could I keep the one I'm taming inside? Student apartment, not alot of room.

 

[aml1014]

You can since it's a tropical but outside will always yield the best growing conditions when it's warm enough. Many people use grow lights indoors for their tropicals.

Aaron

 

[SumatraDave]

What would be a good way to promote thick trunk growth?

 

[aml1014]

Only growing, but it can take a long time, most of us have learned some patience here, just make sure your in this hobby for the long haul.

Aaron

 

[Geo]

And the word is 'Training' not 'Taming'. Get them out of that teacup in some decent substrate.Watch the root pruning. At that age they do not like it.And ditch the bracts as well.Wet soggy soil will kill it.BTW welcome and hit the books.

 

[SumatraDave]

Its actually a pot thats much bigger than it looks.

 

[Geo]

www.bonsaimary.com/bonsai-bougainvillea-care.html

 

[Stickroot]

Those guys will do a lot better if you dump them out on the ground
If you mix that soil with a bag of coarse sand and use what you need to repot, you will have a good mix. Bougies like dry, dry, dry!
Welcome to the forum.

 

[SumatraDave]

Alright I will repot in some dryer soil, possibly a deeper pot? And I'm not sure if I should train it, just let it go for a few seasons and cut it when I bring it in for the winter, separate the multiple spouts that I have or let them grow together.

 

[ColinFraser]

Welcome. Here is the oversimplified version: if you want the trunk to fatten, don't cut anything . . . at all . . . ever, until the trunk is approaching your desired thickness (except maybe removing flowers). When you start applying bonsai training techniques, trunk development will pretty much slow to a crawl.

 

[sorce]

Welcome to Crazy KarmaSumatraDave!

Sorce

 

[SumatraDave]

You guys thing I should get a different potting mix? What it's in right now is just an all purpose organic potting mix I used for my girlfriends strawberries.

 

[Cadillactaste]

You can since it's a tropical but outside will always yield the best growing conditions when it's warm enough. Many people use grow lights indoors for their tropicals.

Aaron

I have grown bougainvilla inside during winter without grow lights. What you end up with is leggy growth that you must cut back. I changed things up to a grow cart this year...and I must say I love the tight internodes this has created.

 

[AaronThomas]

You guys thing I should get a different potting mix?

What its in now will stay too wet... as mentioned earlier... course sand is good. You want a well draining large grained sandy soil.
I put my first bougie in this type of mix about 3 month ago (a bit too early in the season) and it has exploded with growth and bracts.

 

[SumatraDave]

Cool, thanks for all the advice. I think once I get some exposable income I'll go get some new mix and a new pot and let it go wild till this summer when I move to a new place or this winter when I bring it in. Thanks for all the advice.

 

[eferguson1974]

Bonsai soil must be free draining. Lots of folks are using Napa autoparts oil dry. Pn 8822. Thats where I would start. Also a bigger pot means more roots, and faster trunk growth. You might like using a colander instead of a pot. There are mixed opinions about them, but for my bougies theyre working great, and cant be overwatered. There are threads about soil and colanders, where many of your questions will be answered. Soil for bonsai is like pasta sauce, everyone has their way of mixing it and opinions. But the 8822 with a little organics mixed in is a good place to start. Even 20% potting soil will work for organics, you just want a little water retention. Read about parched water and how it works in little shallow pots. Learning watering and having the right soil are the two things you should study up on. They are very important, and need to be learned first IMHO. Im kinda new to bonsai and can tell you those are common advice that we all agree on. Even if we dont agree on the soils make up, I think we all agree that its very important. Like live bonsai or dead bonsai. I hope that helps. And welcome to the nut. Bring alligator thick skin, read a lot, and you'll fit right in..