Bougainvillea dropping leaves, new leaves grow quickly but drop while still green - over or under watering?

Outside in the summer, now inside for winter, (west window normal house temps 66 - 72F) bougainvillea drops all leaves to be just sticks, regrows leaves quickly, then drops them even while they are still green. Leave stems are very delicate, come off at slightest vibration. Leaves are very soft and delicate. Outside this summer it fared best when left to nature's watering and it did bloom. When moved inside lost all leaves and as mentioned above nice new green leaves are falling off almost if you just look at it. I water about every 8 days. I have a watering stick in it and wait for it to read dry. Am I overwatering, underwatering? When I do water, I stop if I see water come out the bottom. Help.

Bougainvillea dropping leaves, new leaves grow quickly but drop while still green - over or under watering?
Over watering. Don't water until the soil is completely dry to the depth of 1-2".





They will bloom better when you go to the point of almost neglect.
Reply:Your plant may also react to the temperature changes from being brought inside. Bougainvilleas thrive in South Africa where the summers are hot and dry. In winter the plant drops its leaves and goes into winter hibernation. The outside temps is then about 8 to 15 °C in the daytime.
Reply:The delicate feel to the leaves is due to a loss in "turgur" pressure which is either over or under watering.


If you keep getting leaves then you are watering enough, if they keep falling your watering to much. My Bougainvilla gets watered about every two weeks. It is also in almost the same temperature and light conditions as yours


Cheers!
Reply:there have been a lot more house plants killed by over watering, than under watering.

larry