How to Transplant a Bougainvillea Plant

Water the bougainvillea plant that will be transplanted, saturating the entire root area to make sure roots are moist and the plant is fully hydrated.

Prepare the new planting area. Cut into the soil to a depth of 12 to 18 inches, using a garden spade, then turn it thoroughly. Break up any clods. Thoroughly mix 4 to 5 inches of compost into the top 12 inches of soil.

Cut into the soil all the way around the bougainvillea to a depth of 12 to 14 inches, also cutting underneath the plant, making a very large root ball.

Place about 3 or 4 inches of moist soil in the bottom of the plastic transplant pot, and place it next to the bougainvillea. Carefully leverage the entire root ball up and out of the ground, using a garden shovel.

Move the plant carefully -- root ball balanced atop a shovel blade, keeping the root ball intact -- over to the container. Carefully lower it inside. Recruit a helper if possible to gently hold the root ball together with two hands while lifting and maneuvering the shovel.

Dig a planting hole in the newly prepared bed that's wider than the transplant container but the same depth. Place the container inside the container by slitting it down the sides in at least two places and then pulling the bottom out from under the root ball.

Fill the hole around the root ball with soil as needed. Saturate the soil with water. Apply a drench of broad-spectrum fungicide, to protect the plant against root rot. Follow the label instructions for application details of the fungicide.

Wait until the plant has re-established and is growing again -- producing new shoots and leaves -- before applying any fertilizer