that’s basically it. It’s in the ground and watered regularly. Gets a fair bit of afternoon sun in the summer.
Hi @gab666,
Yellowing and browning at the tips and edges of the leaves is often due to general stress at the root level, which can be exacerbated as this stress can block the ability to uptake essential nutrients, particularly potassium. Bougainvillea are quite sensitive to root conditions, and when they’re under stress they often respond with leaf damage and reduced flowering which can compound if nutrient uptake is blocked.
The main focus now should be on improving root conditions. Make sure the soil is draining freely and not staying wet for long periods. Drainage can be improved through aeration with a garden fork and by mixing in compost. If you’ve been watering frequently, ease back and let the top layer dry out between deep waterings. Bougainvillea tend to perform better when they are not constantly moist.
If fertiliser has been used regularly, it’s worth holding off for a bit and giving the soil a chance to flush through with plain water. When you do feed again, go for something lower in nitrogen and aimed at flowering, and avoid overdoing it. Once the plant is a bit less stressed at the roots, you should see both leaf condition and flowering start to improve.
It would also be worth conducting a soil PH test to see if anything is out of balance as this can affect plants abilities to uptake nutrients. Bougainvillea like slightly acidic soil, between 5.5 - 7 on the PH scale. You can test the PH using this https://www.bunnings.com.au/manutec-garden-care-products-soil-ph-test-kit_p3016727 . If there is an imbalance, follow the advice in https://www.bunnings.com.au/diy-advice/garden/planting-and-growing/how-to-test-and-adjust-your-soil-ph-level to help bring it back into a range that is suitable for your bougainvillea.
Check out https://www.bunnings.com.au/diy-advice/garden/planting-and-growing/how-to-plant-grow-and-prune-bougainvillea for some further guidance.
Let me know if you have any further questions.
Jacob
