HOW TO fatten up a bougainvillea trunk?

[Elmar]

My Beautiful wife and I are at 'odds' about thickening up the trunk of her Bougy trunk.

In our joint life together, she has years of proof of having a 'Green' thumb while I have only recently been developing mine (previously known for Black-thumbitis).
Soooo, we have this small Bougy with an insignificant trunk and we both want to fatten it up!
It's still in a nursery pot (approx. 200mm) in nursery mix, however my wife wants to keep trimming it back to fatten up the trunk, while I want to let it run - be free! Thinking that sacrifice branching works best.

So, what is the best option?


Cheers
EZ
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[maryo]

Let it grow. It should not take long where you are. Allow maybe two lower branches to take off to fatten you trunk

[Isitangus]

Sacrifice branches help with taper, height creates girth.
Quickest way will be to plant it in the ground if you can and let it grow up/tall/high.


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[Jarad]

I also vote ground.

Check out thread by Ray M on collanders if you haven't already:
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=14986&

Alternatively I would suggest moving to Sydney and buying one from Ray Nescies

[Elmar]

I also vote ground.

Check out thread by Ray M on collanders if you haven't already:
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=14986&

Alternatively I would suggest moving to Sydney and buying one from Ray Nescies

Hehe, trust me, the children vote is already in! And they want to go to Sydney....

[Raymond]

I also vote ground.

Check out thread by Ray M on collanders if you haven't already:
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=14986&

Alternatively I would suggest moving to Sydney and buying one from Ray Nescies

I would focus on whatever Ray M says. Lots of knowledge, if you follow his advice, you cant go wrong...

[Elmar]

Yup, I pay attention!
Actually have a number in Collanders already...


Cheers
EZ
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[kcpoole]

They are slow to thicken and in the ground will be the fastest way.

Keep any root or low trunk sucker branches cut back, but leave any other branches to go as fast as they can.
Everytime you cut the trunk or brnaches you will slow down the girth building.

Ken

[fossil finder]

This is an interesting topic and coincides with a recent personal observation. While tidying up a rental property recently I found a privet growing directly on top of weed at with only some decomposing casuarina needles covering the roots. There was good radial development of the roots and no roots penetrated the weed mat. It appeared that the good radial development had also encouraged the thickening of the trunk base. It was a bit of a eureka moment.
Driven out of curiosity I, last week, planted a pair of Swamp Cypress on top of weedmat to observe if tinkering like this might help advance the root system and consequently improve stem thickness. Before placing the mat I took the precaution of mixing some 1-6mm Quartz gravel under the weedmat and some in the soil 'lens' directly on top of matting. The idea was to ensure drainage adequate and to encourage the root system to take the path of least resistance through the moist sandy soil. Time will tell.





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[peterb]

Hi Ez
Up there in port Hedland , don't you have a lot of bougy growing there because of the climate, if you have access to them take a cutting as thick as you can no thinner than 75mm , that will save you alot of time , in the mean time plant this little one out in the garden to thicken and forget about it for a few years
regards
peterb

[Elmar]

Hi Ez
Up there in port Hedland , don't you have a lot of bougy growing there because of the climate, if you have access to them take a cutting as thick as you can no thinner than 75mm , that will save you alot of time , in the mean time plant this little one out in the garden to thicken and forget about it for a few years
regards
peterb

G'Day Peter,
you'd be surprised at how may we have up here ... especially the spiky one - to keep out the RiffRaff Having said that, most seem to have their main stem underground and a plethora of leggy twigs popping out the top ... hence my question.

This one is my wife' first tree where she showed interest, so I want to encourage it. It's always easier when you have your wife BY your side than somewhere else ... naging !

So plan for this weekend:
Pop it into a colander (I have one left);
Put the colander into a growing bed (aka the swamp - which has been dried out!! )

In the mean time, I will be scouting the area for a thick cutting as you have suggested, Peter. Striking is not difficult?!?!

we don't want to plant it into the ground because we have massive issues with curly grubs and Termites, and while we poison regularly, its not an ideal environment (for our children, dogs and the environment)..

[kcpoole]

we don't want to plant it into the ground because we have massive issues with curly grubs and Termites,

put 50% Diatomite in the mix and that will solve the grub problem with no pesticides

Re the wifes small tree, let her prune trim wire and shape to her hears content, but grab a few cuttings and strike them. Once on the way, put them into the ground

Ken

[peterb]

Hi Ez
Mate if you can get the missus alongside you will have accomplished much , I tried and failed am now working on my daughter ( if I can get her on side it's 2 against 1 ) in my favour, so yeah mate go all out
regards
peterb

[Neli]

This is how I plant my bougies>>>mostly Pixies. !00% root.

04 12 2014 001 (545x550).jpg

I grow them in the gound and even style them in the ground, but this is a pixie and they have very short internodes.

IMG_0452v.jpg

I have grown this one from a tiny cutting to 30 cm trunk, but dont ask me how long it took.

IMG_0466.JPG

Yhis is glabra cuttings 20 cm diameter.

30 04 2014 036 (550x366).jpg

Hope you will come to some conclusions from this.

[Homer911]

This is how I plant my bougies>>>mostly Pixies. !00% root.

04 12 2014 001 (545x550).jpg

I grow them in the gound and even style them in the ground, but this is a pixie and they have very short internodes.

IMG_0452v.jpg

I have grown this one from a tiny cutting to 30 cm trunk, but dont ask me how long it took.

IMG_0466.JPG

Yhis is glabra cuttings 20 cm diameter.

30 04 2014 036 (550x366).jpg

Hope you will come to some conclusions from this.

With no roots????


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