You can kill them with too much water and fertilizer. They bloom best when kept on the dry and hungry side.

Let it get dry a couple inches down in the soil, then soak it and let it dry again.

If you fertilize it, use 1/4 the recommended amount and use it way less often than recommended.

they are plants .. not children ... they do not need to be fed ... and when you get that idea .. you will begin to understand ... that you have the potential to do more harm overFEEDING them .. than you would if you didnt..

i like to call it.. loving them to death ...

you complicate this by growing it in a pot ... can you not grow it in mother earth... where it would be a near carefree plant .. if it zone appropriate for you ...

if you must use the pot... i would suggest ... that you use 1/4 strength water sol fert.. once in a blue moon .... not on a regular schedule.. maybe once a month ... and only during the growing season .... of which i sure dont know in FL ... all plants have a slow down period... in winter.. during which they dont need fert ...

using a very diluted fert.. will hopefully help avoid.. using too much ...

these plants grow like weeds in the Caribbean ... in lean sand.. so i would think... you should not need to much of anything .. other than PROPER water ... of which.. i would suggest ... that you ONLY water.. when the plant needs water ... and you find that out.. by inserting your finger an inch or two into the media... and only watering.. when it seems like it is drying down there....

also.. i hope the pot has proper drainage.. and i hope you used a good potting media.. rather than mother earth in the pot ...

we grow them here in MI as houseplants.. and you MIGHT find other peeps with experience.. in that forum ... since you are dealing with a pot ....

remember.. just dont kill it with too much love ....

good luck

ken

ps: i cant tell you.. how many times i have had to replace memory plants... understand.. that the plant is not the issue.. its the memory.. which is kept fresh.. by seeing the plant... so if it passes.. you get another plant.. to keep the important memory intact ...

BGI sells Bougain. It is a specialized fertilizer made just for bougainvilleas. (I have a bougainvillea bonsai and went that route to fertilize.) They also sell a quick draining soil for bougainvilleas.

Yes, as mentioned above...let them dry out in between waterings. I have no doubt when you grasp they need to dry out between waterings...and also need a quick draining soil, you will have success.

Sorry to hear of your mothers passing...

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.bgi-usa.com