Soil mix for bougainvillea

Soil mix for bougainvillea
Bougainvillea will grow well in almost any soil, provided it is well drained and fertile.
Choose a growing medium that is permeable to water but also helps to prevent the plants from drying out between waterings. The key to successful growing of bougainvillea in a container is finding soil with good water retention.
Since you are not growing your plant in the open ground, the limited volume means that you need to design the growing medium to provide the right physical and chemical properties for the plant to grow.
Field or garden soils are not suitable for container growing of bougainvillea. This is mainly because these soils do not provide the aeration, drainage and water-holding capacity necessary for healthy root development.
A wide range of premixed growing media is now available in garden centres. Be careful not to use only peat. Peat by itself tends to compact, is too light and difficult to moisten. My biggest problem with peat, or mixes with high ratios of peat, is that when the soil dries out completely, the root ball detaches from the sides of the pot and it is almost impossible to completely re-wet the soil. The water simply runs down the sides of the pot and out the bottom. If this happens to you and the peat ball dries out completely, let the pot stand in a pot filled with water until the ball is completely rehydrated.
In addition to the soil mixes available from garden centres, you can also make your own. The most important thing to consider is to make the growing medium loose and airy. This is vital because summer watering and rainfall will compact the soil if it doesn’t have a looser texture. This will result in the roots of the bougainvillea being smothered, which can even lead to the death of the plant. In Hungary, peat is the main soil used to improve soil structure. You can achieve a good soil structure by mixing general soil and peat in half and half proportions. In addition, you can use horticultural perlite or even coarser-grained river sand for loosening, all of which contribute to optimal soil water management.

For Mediterranean ornamental plants, the most important thing is to plant in loose, aerated, nutrient-rich soil.
Although many people don’t bother to do this, the correct adjustment of soil PH is crucial for the health of bougainvillea. If you buy pre-mixed topsoil from a nursery, you should have no problem with this, as the PH is adjusted when the soil is mixed. You will find the PH value of the soil on the side of the bag. If you mix the soil yourself, you have to adjust the PH yourself. Bougainvillea thrives in a slightly acidic PH range of 5.5 to 6.5. So, if you are not using your own mix, buy soil with a corresponding PH.
Bougainvillea needs nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium and iron, as well as small amounts of other nutrients. But if the PH of the soil is not in the right range, these nutrients cannot be properly utilised. Bougainvillea absorbs most of the nutrients in the soil at a PH of 6.5.
As an artisanal nursery based in Hungary, we are dedicated exclusively to growing, propagating and selling bougainvillea mutations. Our purchasing system is overseen by the National Food Chain Safety Office (NÉBIH). Our mother plants and propagations are supervised by a plant protection expert, a plant protection specialist and a plant doctor, assigned by NÉBIH. Our bougainvillea are delivered with a plant passport. The plant passport is the official label required for the transport of plants within the European Union, certifying that the plants bearing it meet the health requirements of all EU plants. In addition to the bougainvillea varieties known in Hungary, our collection also includes the rarest tropical mutations. The procurement of mother plants and propagation from them is continuous. We propagate locally and do not sell to other traders. All our Bougainvillea for sale have strong roots, are healthy and resistant to disease. Plants are delivered by GLS, MPL, or other local couriers. Our plants can be delivered to any place in Hungary within one day of order. Need more reasons to buy?

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