Bougie McBoug Face

Starfox

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Well I had to dig this up today as a shed is going up in that spot. Not entirely sure it will live and then if it does just what I'm going to do with it but we will cross those hurdles when we get there.
I would of preferred to do this in a month or two but it was now or nothing.










Yes the soil is muck but I figure I would throw some of the soil it was growing in with some potting mix and a few handfuls of lava rock.
 

Starfox

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lol, everything is getting the Mc Face treatment lately. :D

I didn't have time to grab anything else so just had to use what I had lying around, would of wanted a better tub and soil but thems the breaks. The wife is happy though that's gone so the shed can go up now.
 

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So after an adult beverage or two last night there was more chopping to be had, not much but there is a definite shape that it lends to.



 

GrimLore

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Not entirely sure it will live and then if it does just what I'm going to do with it but we will cross those hurdles when we get there.

Not every dig survives but looks to me that one will be ok with the dog guarding it, or is it sad cuz it used to pee on it?:eek:

Grimmy
 

Starfox

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I'm pretty sure he was eyeing off the putty stuff I put on the cuts, he is such a good helper with things like that. For some reason he pee's on the two Melaleucas in the garden, the Bougies have spikes and I think he figured that out early on.

I do hope this dig will live, too early to tell but I hope for the best at least.
 

GrimLore

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I do hope this dig will live, too early to tell but I hope for the best at least.

Just don't let it dry out. I have seen a member here with a large one in a tiny pot - no substrate :eek: Serious and it did fine with diligent watering...

Grimmy
 

Starfox

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Yeah I think the big pot and soil from the dig will give me a good chance of keeping it damp, I know they don't like too much water but that doesn't mean completely dry either. Summer will be the big learning curve for me I think and hopefully I can stay on top of it all.
 

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It's not curl but more a wilt, the tree stalled and the growth turned a deep purple colour all over. From reading this suggests a P deficiency so I switched to a high P feed and it started greening up and pushing bracts and now even new buds so I think it may be related to that and it's recovery.
The soil is mainly what it was dug from which is not dissimilar to concrete and I´m sure that does not help, interestingly I note the same on all the landscape bougs we have and even the neighbours so I´m guessing it is a related issue.
It does seem to have recovered quite a bit since I changed the water and fert regime so while things are better I will keep it up.
I also think that given the hard root prune and the fact it is probably putting all of it's energy into the blooms is likely depleting from the leaves, there is an argument for removing the bracts but they are perty.
 

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Today I discovered an ants nest in the root system of this tree. Decided an emergency repot was in order , pretty sure I got the Queen out but more importantly it is now in much better soil so hopefully it can bounce back. Both the crappy soil and ants explain a lot.
 
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