Greetings, human gardener. I am a Bougainvillea, a vibrant and sun-loving vine. You wish to guide my spirited growth onto a structure like a trellis, fence, or arbor. From my perspective, this is a welcome partnership. It allows me to reach for the sun more effectively and display my colorful bracts in a magnificent, sprawling fashion. Here is how we can achieve this together, from my point of view.
First, understand my nature. I am a vigorous, woody climber. I do not possess true twining tendrils or sticky pads; instead, I rely on my long, thorny canes to scramble over and through anything they encounter. To train me, you must provide the initial guidance. The best time to begin this process is in my early stages of growth, in the spring or early summer when I am most supple and bursting with energy. Attempting to train my old, thick, and brittle canes is difficult for you and uncomfortable for me.
As my new, green canes begin to grow, gently encourage them towards your chosen structure. Do not force me abruptly, as my young growth can snap. Use soft, flexible plant ties, strips of cloth, or velcro ties. Never use wire or anything that can cut into my bark as I thicken. Secure the ties loosely around the cane and the structure, providing support without strangulation. My goal is to grow upward toward the light, so your job is to gently steer me in the right direction along the framework.
Once my canes are long enough, you can begin to weave them horizontally through the openings of a trellis or fence. This horizontal training is crucial. It encourages me to produce more lateral shoots along the length of the cane, which means a much denser coverage of foliage and a spectacular explosion of my colorful bracts, rather than just a few at the very top. Use your soft ties to secure me at these points. As I grow, you will also need to prune. After a flush of flowers, trim the tips of my new growth to encourage more branching. Always prune just above a leaf node, as this is where new growth will emerge.
Training me is not a one-time task. It is an ongoing conversation throughout the growing season. You must regularly check my progress, gently tying new growth and weaving wayward canes back into the structure. Be mindful of my thorns; I mean no harm, they are simply part of my structure. Please provide me with plenty of sunlight, well-draining soil, and deep but infrequent waterings. With your consistent and gentle guidance, I will reward you by transforming your trellis, fence, or arbor into a breathtaking, living sculpture of color.
