Why is my Bougainvillea not blooming

We often get to hear this a lot from our friends and clients. What hurts even more is when one sees bougainvilleas growing in the wild or road medians blooming wildly despite very little care and attention. In this post we will try to list the major reasons for little or no flowering and ways we can fix these issues.

Flowers are plants' (majority of them!) reproductive structures that allows them to propagate naturally. Like most living beings, plants too are hardwired to ensure their species' survival. If a plant is not flowering, there has to be a significant reason(s) and it should not be difficult to figure that out with a little investigation. Let's explore a few:

• Over-watering or waterlogged roots is often the reason for poor flowering. Bougainvilleas are drought, wind and salt tolerant plants, making them extremely hardy and thus requiring little or no care. Watering bougainvilleas in line with other household plants results in higher than required moisture level. One easy fix is to water your bougainvilleas only when the top soil looks extremely dry or bringing down the frequency of watering.
  

• If your bougainvillea is flourishing with lots of green leaves but not flowering, it could be that your plant is over fertilized. Over fertilization or nutrient imbalance results in rapid foliage growth at the cost of flowering. An easy fix is to not fertilize your plants for at least one season. Adding organic fertilizer like bone meal can prove very helpful as bone meal is rich in phosphorus, a macro nutrient that aids flowering.
  

• The importance of sunlight to bougainvilleas' flowering can hardly be overstated. Bougainvillea needs 4-6 hours of direct sunlight and absence of the same can result in lush green foliage but little flowering.
  

• If you think that the growth of your plant is subpar with neither lush foliage nor the flowers, it is time to fertilize your plant with balanced fertilizers like NPK 10-10-10 or NPK 10-26-26 or a phosphorus rich DAP. Read the packet instructions carefully before administering the safe dosage.
  

• Avoid excessive pruning or pinching as the stress of the same might adversely affect flowering. Knowledge of when, where and how much to prune is important if you are a shears happy plant enthusiast!
  

• Ensuring the plant is potted in a well-drained soil to prevent root rot and regular inspection for pests are some good practices to follow for plants' overall health.