Saturday, August 21, 2010

GRAFTING BOUGAINVILLEA




Written by Felix Daray, published in Agriculture Magazine, July 2010 issue

Bougainvillea is a beautiful flowering plant that is easy to grow. But it could be more beautiful when grafted, which means it will be more marketable , too.

One plant grower who sell grafted bougainvillea is Reynaldo Balansag. of Cabligan, Matanao, Davao del Sur. He got this idea in 2008 when he accompanied his friend to as well-known flower garden in Davao City. It was there Rey first saw beautiful, multicolored grafted bougainvillea plants.

He was so attracted to bougainvillea plants that he became curious on how to grow these. So even though with his little knowledge on grafting he learned from high school and from his friend who worked in the flower garden, he tried to do it in his flower garden in Cabligan.

What Rey does is that he buys big potted bougainvillea plants and uses these as rootstocks. When he first tried it, he used rootstocks measuring 2 cm to 5 cm in diameter. “The biggest rootstock I grafted is 10 cm in diameter. And I couldn’t believe I did it, said Rey.

For Each rootstock, he inserts three scions of different colors. The plants will bloom after six months.

“Bougainvillea will thrive is almost any soil as long as it is well drained and fertile. At least five hours of exposure to full sunlight is the minimal sunlight requirement for full bloom. Less than that, the plants may not bloom well, but have satisfactory vegetative growth.” says Rey.

“Do not apply fertilizer to dry soil. Use complete fertilizer and apply it every two weeks.” To lessen production cost, use organic fertilizers with humus soil. Moreover, since this flowering plant is not susceptible to fungus, furthers Rey, then there’s no need for insecticide.

Reys sells these at P600 to P800 each depending on the color and the size of the rootstock. The most attractive species, he said, is the variegated bougainvillea from China. Its leaves have three colors: gray pink and light green.

Rey also propagates and sells other ornamental plants, but it’s the grafted bougainvillea that amazes him the most. This is because “from ordinary flowering pots, bougainvillea when grafted turns into an exotic plant.

By Felix B. Daray

10 comments:

  1. It's still exotic in Digos City.Why not try this in Bohol.It is simple and easy to graft if you are an agriculturist.

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  2. hi im elaine from polomolok!! where is matanao? id like to visit...im trying to graft too and i hope i will be successful,,,im so inlove with "bombil" grafted...

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  3. Just ride a jeep from Digos to Bansalan. Stop at Km. 67 and that is barangay Cabligan. The bougainvillea garden is along the road.

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  4. Hello friends I'm rich ocampo and we re here in monkayo comval province..we are now propagating grafted bougainvillea too.eventually we have 6inches in tall yet I think it is the oldest of our collection as I've istemitated 63years a planted..till now still growing .we have more battery size in a different color varieties..
    It is so relaxing when we witness the beatiful creations of GOD..
    THE VARIEGATED BOUGAINVILLEA

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  5. Thank you for reading my blog.Its easy to grow, just cut the stem and plant.

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  6. Meron buh kayo shop dito sa davao city? when po?

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  7. Pwede yung stem ang itanim ? Paano po? Thank you.

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  8. Do you sell variegated bombils that are not yet grafted? And, how much is the cheapest of ur bonsai ( flower must include white)? Am just after of the scion sir.

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