I'm determined to learn how to prune my bougainvilleas for maximum bloom.

Bougainvillea Pruning, July 22, 2022

Bougainvilleas are some of my favorite plants. But why have they been such a challenge for me? I've had quite a few Bougainvilleas that have passed on and thrown into the compost pile, and I continue to purchase more. I'm determined to grow Bougainvilleas that are big and beautiful like the ones I've seen in many gardening blogs. Here I go again, I'm not giving up.             

Bougainvaillea A - No Pruning

I've had this Bougainvillea for about a year. I don't think I've ever really pruned it, except for some dead branches after winter. It came back for the spring and this growth pattern is what I'm used to because I never wanted to prune them and lose the bright pink bracts they did have. But this growth pattern isn't what I want.

• Watered when it was dry
• Fertilized in June 2022
• Not Pruned

Bougainvillea B - With Pruning

I cut this Bougainvillea back to about 3-5 inches of growth remaining. I hated doing it, but I trusted that it would be worth it. It took a few months but it started becoming very happy after some watering and fertilizing. I'm enjoying how this bushier Bougainvillea is growing much more than the one I didn't prune. ←

• Watered when it was dry
• Fertilized in June 2022
• Pruned in July 2022

So this is not quite maximum bloom, but it's definitely a good start!