Bougies finally blooming...and a question

[Steve C]

These are my pair of Bougainvillea that I have had for about 3 years now. When I got them I chopped them back because they were real leggy and wild. For the first 2 yrs they never bloomed or seemed to grow much so I started using Bogain fert this year based on advice from Darlene @Cadillactaste and that seems to really have helped with blooms as well as growth. I'm tryin to get the trunk size increased because the 1st one (top pic) is only about 7/8" trunk, and the 2nd one is about 1.25" trunk. So I have been letting them get growth and leggy this summer. Wondering though if I should trim the legginess back a bit now, or just let them keep growing wild and leggy for the rest of the summer? I want the trunks to increase but I also want to keep them from getting too top heavy as well as start thinking about indoor winter rooming for them which is starting to get cramped the taller they get.

BTW the one pot is not normally sitting off the stand edge like that, that was just for the pic

 

[LanceMac10]

This is a shot from Sept. 1 '15.....brought in a few weeks after this and cut back hard. If it's growing vigorously, it should back bud strongly.
Honestly, the cutback is more about getting it in the building!


July 14th.... Aug. 25th, both from this year...

 

[Steve C]

That's a beauty Lance, I love that twist in the trunk!

 

[Cadillactaste]

If your focusing on thickening...I would allow the sacrifice branches be for awhile longer if your wishing to thicken that trunk. Looks healthy and happy though.

@LanceMac10 thanks for sharing...lovely bougainvillea!

 

[Steve C]

I had to come back and take another look at your tree Lance. That's such a beauty You have any idea how old that one is? How's your growth rate there in NH on your bougies? I'm in somewhat the same zone (Michigan) and mine seems pretty slow growing here.

 

[LanceMac10]

It's my neighbors tree, I'll pass along the compliments. Bought at Bonsai West 4-6 years ago. Not sure of it's age. I think he started carving it as soon as we got back!!
Growth is pretty strong, obviously it will slow after it goes indoors. Does flower indoors. Likes full sun and heat, don't baby these things up north in summer.
Usually cut back to old wood when pruned. Shooting for minimal foliage growth before flowering. Almost ready to start flowering on old wood.

I know it's hard to do when you start seeing flowers, but you probably should have done a hard cutback a month ago.

 

[LanceMac10]

Wish I had a better camera to pick up the subtleties, the light was great and created a fluorescent look....oh well