How do you make a bouganville cutting and when should you do it?

Bouganville’s cutting is one of the simplest and most rewarding methods to multiply this splendid climbing plant, but knowing when it is convenient to do it is essential to obtain truly surprising results.

Multiplying bougainville through cutting may seem like an expert operation, and instead it is much more accessible than you imagine. It is often believed that this plant requires complex care, but with few precautions and a little patience you can get new healthy and vigorous specimens. Perhaps it will be the enchantment of its colorful flowers or its ability to transform the simplest garden even into a corner of wonder, but it is undeniable as the Bougainville knows how to conquer. Yet, before grabbing scissors and soil, it is better to understand what is the most suitable time to make the cutting and how to proceed without errors. It is not only a question of timing: choosing the right moment means giving the cuttings the best chance to root quickly and without stress.

Another detail that should not be underestimated concerns the health of the mother plant. The more robust it is, the more the cuttings will be prepared to develop successfully. Curious, right? Basically, nature always follows a surprising logic.

When it is better to be a bougganville cutting

First of all, it is interesting to note that Bouganville offers two time windows ideal for the cutting: winter e l’estate. Each with its peculiarities. In winter, around January, it is recommended to withdraw cuttings from already ripe branches, about fifteen centimeters long. These now lignified branches guarantee greater resistance during the colder months. In summer, however, especially during August, the advice is to focus on the semi-elegant branches, still flexible but not too young, about seven centimeters long. This is because the summer heat accelerates the formation of the roots and offers a favorable climate to growth. Isn’t it wonderful to think how the seasons influence the life of a plant so much?

It should be remembered that each period needs small specific attention. In summer, for example, attention must be paid to irrigation, keeping the soil damp but without exaggerating. In winter, however, what matters most is to guarantee a constant and never too low temperature.

How to make a cutting of bougganville step by step

The preparation of the cutting requires some simple but essential tools: one sharp and sterilized bladeand Vase with draining soiland a transparent plastic bag To create an ideal humid environment for rooting.

Here’s how we proceed, in a practical way:

• A cut is just under a node of the chosen branch. The knot is that point from which the leaves or new sprouts start.
• The lower leaves must be eliminated, leaving only the upper ones intact. This helps the plant to concentrate energy in the formation of the roots.
• The oblique cut is to be preferred: the absorption surface increases and reduces the risk that the water accumulates damaging the cutting.
• Once cut, the cutting should immediately be planted in a mix of peat and coarse sand. Better to practice a hole in the soil first to avoid damaging the fragile base of the cutting.
• The plastic bag, positioned like a small greenhouse, helps to maintain constant humidity. But be careful to condensation: it is good practice to ventilate every day to avoid unwanted mold.

Within three weeks, if everything goes in the right direction, the first shoots will be known. It is the signal that the roots are growing! At this point, you can remove the bag and move the pot to a brighter area. It is better to avoid the sun directed in the early stages.

Other methods for multiplying bougainville

If curiosity pushes further, it is worth knowing that bougainville can also be propagated through Seminar o stratification. These are perhaps less immediate methods, but still interesting for those who love to experiment.

With sowing, it is good to collect pods in autumn, let them dry and then open them to take small dark seeds. They will be planted in a light substrate and kept humid until germination.

The stratification, on the other hand, plans to bend a flexible branch until it touches the ground, practice a small cut close to a knot and internery that portion. A stone or a gardening staple will help to keep it still. After a few weeks, with a little luck, new roots will develop and the branch can be cut from the mother plant.

Isn’t it fascinating to discover how many ways does nature offer to give life to new plants? Each method has its own charm and small satisfactions.

The next time you admire a bougainville in full bloom, the temptation to try it could start: collecting a cutting and following it in its growth. Moreover, see the first roots appear and witness the birth of a new plant always gives a certain emotion.

Maybe that cutting will be the beginning of a small flower corner to be admired.

Photo © Stock.adobe