Bougainvillea plant problems.....?

i just bought a beautiful hanging bougainvillia with lots of blooms about 3 weeks ago, but since i've brought it home its flowers and foliage have been dropping. i have it on my west facing patio so it gets afternoon sun (the tag said it likes sun) and possibly have watered too much. what i don't understand is this plant was so full of leaves and flowers when i bought it, yet the nursery had it in a shady area of the nursery. how could they have been doing everything the tag said not to do with excellent results and i'm struggling to keep it from dying. should i move it to more shade? and i read that if i let the soil dry between waterings it will produce more blooms. when i bought the plant the soil was quite moist. i'm so confused!

Bougainvillea plant problems.....?
Bougainvillea plants are one of a few that prefers to be neglected. They seem to do better when the soil is kept on the dry side. The plant you purchased at the nursery must have just been watered.





I received a bougainvillea several years ago and assumed the same as you....... I watered it twice a week and the blooms began falling off. Once I began watering it once every 10 to 14 days, it began to show signs of recovery and now it's growing beautifully. I'd recommend keeping the soil on the dry side and see if starts to show signs of improvement. For fertilizing, I've been using Peter's 20-20-20 and apply it half-strength once a month.





Remember to keep the soil slightly acidic (pH between 5.5 to 6.0). Try not to use a soil that contains too much peat since it retains too much water. They love the sun........the more the better!





Good luck!
Reply:they freeze at 40 degrees so are you keeping them warm enough and alot of sun light
Reply:they thrive on heat to bloom and grow i have all mine in full sun untill they are established even then they like heat to bloom....as like hibiscus