Can bougainvillea be pruned in summer? What season is best for pruning?

The growth rate of bougainvillea is relatively fast. When the branches and leaves grow lushly, they will block some sunlight, which is not good for the growth of bougainvillea. We must prune in time, reduce nutrient consumption, and increase ventilation so that the plant can grow and bloom better.

Bougainvillea pruning in summer

Bougainvillea grows vigorously in summer, so it can be pruned at this time . Many bougainvilleas bloom in spring and autumn. If it grows many branches, it will not only consume a lot of nutrients, but also affect normal flowering. It can be pruned. The best time to prune bougainvillea is in spring.

How to prune bougainvillea in summer

1. Light shearing

When Bougainvillea is in the seedling stage, unhealthy branches and leaves can be cut off, and branches with poor growth can be shortened. The more vigorous branches can be changed less and can be slightly shortened. The purpose of light pruning is to retain the main branches of the plant to facilitate the healthy growth of Bougainvillea. It is a commonly used method of pruning in normal times.

2. Middle cut

Medium pruning can have a greater impact on bougainvillea than light pruning. It can remove withered and useless branches, shorten overgrown branches, and retain branches and leaves that grow better and more vigorously. Medium pruning is often used for maintenance of the plant after it has been shaped, in order to maintain the beauty of the shape and ensure that the main branches get sufficient nutrients.

3. Heavy shearing

Heavy pruning is the pruning method that causes the greatest changes to Bougainvillea. It requires cutting off most of the branches of the plant, leaving only some main branches. All unnecessary and useless branches need to be cut off, and the branches that are retained cannot be too long, and can only be retained at two-thirds of the length.