Question
Dear Tom,
I live in north Tucson, AZ and every time I plant a Bouganville it dies. Seeing that Tucson has plenty of beautiful blooming Bouganvilles, I wonder what I must do to stablish a Bouganville in the zone I live. Also I wonder when is the best time of the year to plant a Bouganville here.
Thanks alot.
Sam

Answer
Hi Sam,
Thanx for your question.  Two things could be happening.  First, do you live at an elevation where there are freezes?  If so, protect the bougainvillea's roots by mulching it heavily in the fall with hay.  Don't remove the mulch until after your last frost.  Bougainvilleas will usually survive mild frosts as long as their roots are protected.  Another thing that helps with this is bougainvilleas that are planted agains a north facing wall so that the cold north winds have little or no effect on their roots.  The second issue could be water and nutrients.  Although bougainvillea love heat and will tolerate some dry conditions, in Southern Arizona you're going to have to the the bougainvillea a good soaking once a week.  Side dress with well-composted cow manure in the spring and then again in mid-summer.  The best time to plant bougainvillea is in the spring after the soil has warmed and after the last frost.  I hope this helps.
Tom