Bougainvillea is a vigorous grower and needs pruning throughout the year. How often, how severe, and the shape the plant will take on depends on where you live, what shape or form it’s growing in now and what shape to want it to take on.
Starting with pruners.Make sure your pruners are clean & sharp.Take a good look at the plant.Step back & look at the plant. Any dense spots? Sucker growth? Dead or weak growth?Take out any dense growth which usually is overlapping branches.
Tip prune the remaining branches. This pruning of the ends by 1/2in – 5in causes the flowering to be a bit denser.It’ll also cause more inner foliage growth It’ll fill in a bit within the next few weeks.
Let your bougainvillea be in the colder months. You don’t want to stimulate tender new growth only to have it freeze.