AusBonsai

Hi All, I bought my first Bougainvillea to start training, I have been reading care tips on this site and it's been very helpful, So i have found they are very easy to take care of but i have only found a small amount of pics for inspiration.

I plan on moving it to a more upright position but unsure about branch layout, I think pic 2 would be the front ,
Also should i remove the flowers to save energy for winter then spring??? I would love some advice.
Ido not plan on doing any hacking just yet.

Don't worry about the flowers - they are only the tiny insignicant white or yellow flowers inside the bracts which are really coloured leaves. If you are lucky it may flower up to 4 times a year. The good thing about bougys is it will readliy shoot off old wood so if you don't have a branch where you want it chances are one will come. Be careful about making it too upright - they just tend to look like a stick with foliage on top. Sometimes having them on an angle can make them look more interesting. That's the hard part about taking cuttings - it's very hard to find a branch with any movement in it. I have a heap of early cuttings that are just straight sticks

WoW! Nice girth on that trunk you got there!

The stuff I have been looking at, looks like sticks in pots compared to that.

Will be keeping tuned to see where this goes, keep us updated please.

The colour is magnificent, I've a pet bougie in a pot with variegated leaves and the same fuchsia colouring.

Bougy Fan wrote:Don't worry about the flowers - they are only the tiny insignicant white or yellow flowers inside the bracts which are really coloured leaves. If you are lucky it may flower up to 4 times a year. The good thing about bougys is it will readliy shoot off old wood so if you don't have a branch where you want it chances are one will come. Be careful about making it too upright - they just tend to look like a stick with foliage on top. Sometimes having them on an angle can make them look more interesting. That's the hard part about taking cuttings - it's very hard to find a branch with any movement in it. I have a heap of early cuttings that are just straight sticks

Hey Bud, this is the type of info i am looking for , Thanks heaps. il take some more if you got it lol( like should i try and remove that black stuff at the top of the trunk type info? )
I will try and take a cutting from this one and put some movement in it down the road.

Ray Nesci has some more left , not alot atm but well priced, I think i got this for $20 or $30 , I cant remember as i bought a tone of other stuff and put an advanced stock maple on hold as i didnt fill the wallet with enuff green before i headed out.

blkrota wrote:
Ray Nesci has some more left , not alot atm but well priced, I think i got this for $20 or $30 , I cant remember as i bought a tone of other stuff and put an advanced stock maple on hold as i didnt fill the wallet with enuff green before i headed out.

When were you there? I was there yesterday arvo for a few hours....

The black stuff at the top of the trunk is most likely Steriprune which is a tree sealer. Bougys are very prone to rot anywhere where the heartwood is exposed - they must be sealed to stop this. The go soft and spongy and just keel over. Leave it there - you can get an acrylic coloured sealer from bonsai shops if you want it to look more realistic. I got brown and white and mix them together. Its a good idea also to cut on an angle to stop water sitting, and if you do any carving make a way for the water to drain away and not sit. Bougys only flower on new growth, not old wood so if you want it to flower don't prune back - let it grow until it finishes flowering.

Bougy Fan wrote:The black stuff at the top of the trunk is most likely Steriprune which is a tree sealer. Bougys are very prone to rot anywhere where the heartwood is exposed - they must be sealed to stop this. The go soft and spongy and just keel over. Leave it there - you can get an acrylic coloured sealer from bonsai shops if you want it to look more realistic. I got brown and white and mix them together. Its a good idea also to cut on an angle to stop water sitting, and if you do any carving make a way for the water to drain away and not sit. Bougys only flower on new growth, not old wood so if you want it to flower don't prune back - let it grow until it finishes flowering.

Can anyone say "Book in the making" ? Your a fountain of knowledge.

Mitchell wrote:

blkrota wrote:
Ray Nesci has some more left , not alot atm but well priced, I think i got this for $20 or $30 , I cant remember as i bought a tone of other stuff and put an advanced stock maple on hold as i didnt fill the wallet with enuff green before i headed out.

When were you there? I was there yesterday arvo for a few hours....

I was there at about 430 and he let me stay till it was dark, do you drive a toyota cam?

Yea vote number 2 for a Aussie Bougy book

I will try the double seal trick i read today from mel and you putty mix, cheers

Still don't have as much spare time as you Mitch - and all with 2 fingers I think that's the best thing about Ab.c - the passing around of hard earned knowledge. Most people here are happy to share their wealth of knowldege in the hope others don't make the same mistakes. I realise how little I know but am happy to pass on what I do.

blkrota wrote:

Mitchell wrote:

blkrota wrote:
Ray Nesci has some more left , not alot atm but well priced, I think i got this for $20 or $30 , I cant remember as i bought a tone of other stuff and put an advanced stock maple on hold as i didnt fill the wallet with enuff green before i headed out.

When were you there? I was there yesterday arvo for a few hours....

I was there at about 430 and he let me stay till it was dark, do you drive a toyota cam?

Nah mate not me, was gone by 3:30.
Oh so ray does hold some stock? Was wondering that, there was a nice juniper for $190 a month ago, I should of put on hold. Had a few too many symetrical curves in the trunk for my liking. Should have bought it though.

Will definatley check the bougs next time.....

Is it just me, or do you get the un-dieing erge to jump that back fence? I keep on joking with Ray, about showing me his good stock.

[/quote]Oh so ray does hold some stock? [/quote]

Dont know if he holds stock ,Ray was on a bushwalk, I forgot to grab it from the middle pathway as i pulled it out to bring up with me after looking around .
After i had paid for everything (even saying out loud "i know i have forgotten somthing" ) , he had shut the door and gone home a few meters lol, i called back and asked if he could hold it for a week or two.
He knows i am comming back tho

Yea il try and spot stuff too, should have done it on friday while he was on his walk lol