For most hobby gardeners, the main reason for cultivating a bougainvillea is its beautiful flowers. If this doesn't work, that's of course a problem. Read below what the reasons could be – and how you can fix them.
Why isn't my bougainvillea blooming?
If a bougainvillea does not bloom, this may be due to an unsuitable location, incorrect substrate, lack of nutrients or incorrect watering. Provide sufficient light, warmth, a well-drained substrate, regular fertilization and adequate watering.
The peculiarities of bougainvillea flowers
Bougainvilleas are also called triplet flowers - the three bracts, which are the actual, rather inconspicuous flowers, are responsible for the intense, magnificent color spectacle in red, violet, orange or white that makes the climbing plant from the Andes so popular surround. As decorative as these structures are, they are also sophisticated. In order to attract them, they need a lot of light and warmth, depending on their subtropical homeland. But the right substrate at their base can also be crucial for their willingness to bloom.
So you have to keep in mind:
- Bougainvillea flowers are generally demanding
- They are very hungry for heat and light
- A species-appropriate nutrient supply is a basic requirement for their formation
Is the location sunny and warm enough?
In view of the bougainvillea's great hunger for light and warmth, you should first check the site conditions if it does not bloom. Does it make the most of the available sunlight? If possible, place your bougainvillea in a south-facing location; a winter garden with panoramic sun exposure is of course best. However, just sunshine is often not enough for the beauty of the Andes - warmth is at least as important for flower formation. So give her the warmest possible ambient temperature, not only during the day but also at night.
Is the substrate composed appropriately?
The soil in which you plant your bougainvillea is also essential for its prosperity and the formation of flowers. The best solution is peat-free potting soil that you enrich with permeability-promoting substances. This can be, for example, quartz sand or lava granules. To give the substrate a lasting nutrient base, you can also add a small amount of horn shavings to it. Clay can also be good for the base.
Fertilizing can help
If all the basic requirements are met, you can provide your bougainvillea with extra flowering-promoting fertilizer. Basically, you should give it a phosphate-containing fertilizer (€14.00 on Amazon) every 2 weeks from spring to late summer.
Don’t water too much
If the bougainvillea doesn't want to bloom, don't try to water it more - you risk waterlogging, which is more of an obstacle to the plant's overall prosperity. Of course, the base must not be dried out either. In this case, giving water can of course be helpful.
Delayed budding after hibernation?
If you watch your bougainvillea expectantly in spring and it simply doesn't want to give you the flowers you longed for, the past winter may also be responsible for its hesitation. If the bougainvillea had too little light in its winter quarters, budding may be delayed in the following vegetation phase. So you have to be patient here - just give your climbing beauty even more time and continue to ensure its preferred environmental conditions.
