Question
QUESTION: I have a bouganvillia tree on the south side of my house that I planted 3 years ago.  Last year it stopped flowering, and started losing it's leaves.  My gardener said it was because I had taken it out of the pot to plant, and bouganvillia likes to be pot-bound.  So I sliced a trench all around it, and shoved a pot down into the soil, which I stapled closed.  Lo and behold, it started to grow new leaves and flowered beautifully.  Now I see it stopped flowering again and looks very sad.  All the neighboring trees are flowering, so I know it is the season.  I feed it with bouganvillia fertilizer.  Could it be because I planted annuals all around the base?  Can you help figurew this one out?

ANSWER: Hi Susan, Bougs don't like water, they color best when stressed, (hence the pot confinement); I'm going to assume that the trouble you are experiencing is the same that most do with Bougs, and thats overwatering.....regards Nick

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: The puzzling part is that I haven't changed my watering habits.  I have an automatic sprinkler system, and there is a head that directly waters the Boug area.  Maybe I'll try putting up some kind of diverter so that it gets less water.  Thanks for your help.

Answer
Your welcome Sue, just keep in mind that Bougs like stress, that is the key to getting them to color, and the color is bracts, not flowers as most people think, if you look closely, you will see that the actual flower is very small and white, it is the bracts around the flower that provide the color.....:)