Marianne's Response
Weak bouganvillea
I am having great difficulty growing bougainvillea up against an arbor. I have eleven plants strategically placed that I wanted to grow up and over the structure. This is my second attempt. The first lot I lost by a frost… this second lot is just very weak, tiny leaves and bare branches. I have fed them, watered them and cared for them as I have to two other plants that are in pots. These just won’t grow! They are over a year old now and struggling… please help!
Posted by Maggie Dobson on May 13, 2019
Marianne's Response
The clue to this mystery is that you lost one plant due to frost. Bougainvillea are tender plants so they only grow well in areas of very light frost. I suspect you live in a region that is too cold for this tropical vine. There are many varieties and some are dwarfs so make sure you do not have a dwarf variety. They do not need a fertilizer or water but do need full sun and heat. Perhaps you may need to use a different vine such as honeysuckle, clematis or wisteria to grow over your arbor. Notice what vines do well in your region and take your cue from them. Keep growing, Marianne Binetti
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