Bougainvillea advice

[jsmart]

I got this California gold bougainvillea from a nursery in the beginning of April I repotted it in this pond basket with a bonsai soil mix that I got from the same nursery. The few leaves it had at the time I repotted ended up wilting. I pinched them off and all that was left were the branches. I increased watering to once daily and have been using bougain twice a month. Seems to be doing well (pic below). I’m focusing on letting it grow and thickening the trunk, but looking for any advice or tips with training this for bonsai.
I live in zone 9a, it gets at least 6+ hours of direct sun

 

[jsmart]

Here’s an updated picture of my bougainvillea maybe 2 weeks from my original post. I’m looking for tips to encourage flowering. Is it too late in the season to expect it to bloom at this point? Is it ok to prune it a little bit this season or should I just continue to let it grow? Thanks!

 

[Carol 83]

Is it too late in the season to expect it to bloom at this point? Is it ok to prune it a little bit this season or should I just continue to let it grow? Thanks!

It's only June, so it has lots of time to bloom. If you want blooms, don't prune it. Bracts form at the ends of new growth.