Use water soluble fertilizer on your impatiens every two weeks through spring and summer. Sign up to get all the latest gardening tips! They are forgiving plants – the beauty of all impatiens. Companion Planting with Impatiens. Perfect in patio pots, hanging baskets or at the front of a garden border. Water: Plant in well-drained, humus-rich soil kept consistently moist If the temperatures rise above 85 F. (29 C.), they will need at least 4 inches (10 cm.) They prefer partial shade and will reseed freely in warmer climates. By using our site, you agree to our. You can place the plants as close or far apart as you’d like. If you are curious about growing impatiens, look below at some helpful growing tips. Growing impatiens is quite easy, but there are a few things to know about impatiens care. In springtime, most gardening centers and nurseries carry flats of of impatiens seedlings in a variety of colors, making it easy to pick up a few trays of your favorites. Invert the pot in your hand and the impatiens plant should fall out easily. They bloom in the summer and fall and grow between 6 to 30 inches tall in zones 10 and 11. On their own or surrounded by other plants, they look great in containers, window boxes, and hanging baskets. They do not do as well in full sun, but if you would like to plant them in full sun, they will need to be acclimated to the harsher light. Like their shade-loving cousins the common impatiens, New Guinea impatiens form small clumps and hold their many flowers above their foliage, where they make a colorful display. Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. He has a Masters in Public Health Nutrition and Public Health Planning and Administration from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. Always keep the soil moist, but never wet, to avoid killing the plant. Let’s take a look at how to plant and how to grow impatiens. Impatiens can be planted close together to make nice borders in a flower bed. To plant your impatiens flowers, gently squeeze the container that you bought them in to loosen the soil. To properly plant Impatiens dig a hole that is approximately the same size as the root ball. current near death situation, as I was watering them in the evenings and wondering why their leaves and flowers have died. Here, 'Pink Swirl' creates a beautiful contrast with 'Riviera Midnight Blue' lobelia. Hypoestes are delicate care-free annuals that make a spectacular ground cover or border plant. You can find Impatiens in orange, pink, white, red, purple and yellow. They mix well with other shade plants, especially those that don't bloom as much because the impatiens flowers will more than make up for any lack of color. You want the plant to sit in the ground, or pot at the same level it was at in the pot you purchased it in. Impatiens also thrive in pots. Impatiens omeiana is a busy Lizzie that hails from China. The plant should sit at the same level in the ground as it did in the pot. It has eye-catching, bright yellow flowers and variegated foliage and looks good in a jungle or exotic planting scheme. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. Inside the border and as far as the landscape permits, a sea of impatiens sets the area apart–and with distinction. Can I take cuttings from an inpatient plant over the winter and make other plants to plant in the summer? Impatiens attract beneficial insects. Exotic plant nurseries and online stores are most likely to have them. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Plant dwarf impatiens, such as those in the "Elfin" and "Elfin Improved" series, in prepared soil spaced 12 inches apart. apart if you like. If the water gets absorbed, it should be a fine spot for planting. These gorgeous, hardy flowers come in a variety of colors and can be planted in patterns for a stunning visual effect. This article has been viewed 94,699 times. Impatiens plants in containers will need watering daily, and watering twice a day when temperatures rise above 85 F. (29 C.). Then, plant the seedlings in pots or a partially shaded garden bed with well-draining soil. Instead of a container, you may choose to set your impatiens in hanging baskets. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. Cluster three or more in groups beside garden features. You can set a few in a container spaced 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7.5 cm) apart. Purchase those specifically listed as border plants or low growing if you prefer short plants. You can do this by exposing the impatiens plants to increasing amount of sunlight over the course of a week. Plant in a potting mix rich in organic matter. To prevent your plants from wilting, water them every few days or whenever the soil is starting to get dry. Impatiens grow best in USDA hardiness zones 10 and 11. They are one of the most forgiving plants you can grow, and can quickly add a pop to color to even the smallest of growing spaces. Buy impatiens in one color or mix and match so you can create a colorful pattern in your garden. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Impatiens became popular in the United States in the 1950s, after "the father of impatiens" Claude Hope began mass-producing seeds for the American market, according to The New York Times Magazine. The Impatiens Walleriana is the most popular among the Impatiens and one of the common names of this plant is busy lilies. Thank you. ", http://homeguides.sfgate.com/time-plant-impatiens-42213.html, http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/flower/growing-impatiens-flowers.htm, http://mgonline.com/articles/growbestimps.aspx, http://www.houseplantsforyou.com/how-to-grow-impatiens/, consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Last Updated: March 29, 2019 Planters dry out faster than the ground, so you may have to water flowers in pots more often. Make sure to cut back hard in the spring - about two-thirds or more to promote fresh growth. of water a week if planted in the ground. Their pointed oblong leaves stay attractive throughout the season … Light: Full shade. Too much water will cause a fungus to develop and the plants will rot. The ones in full sun do wilt during the sunny afternoon hours here in Raleigh, but they perk back up in late afternoon when it gets a bit cooler/less sunny. If it doesn’t, squeeze the pot again and check for roots that may be growing through the bottom. Or are some varieties sterile? Andrew Carberry has been working in food systems since 2008. 4. Do all impatiens self sow? Andrew Carberry has been working in food systems since 2008. I have great success with impatiens, maybe too much, because by the end of the summer, they're almost waist high and hide my hydrangeas. It is an annual flowering plant and it blooms in the summer and fall. The nice thing about adding annuals is that you can mix it up and try different plant combinations or flower colors every year. Impatiens are the perfect plant for those limited on space, sun, and time. You can use impatiens flowers as bedding plants, border plants, or in containers. The name impatiens is a Latin Place the impatiens plant in a hole that is at least as deep and wide as the rootball. They enjoy moist but well draining soil and partial to deep shade. New Guinea impatiens related varieties: Tango, grown from seed, has fluorescent-orange flowers. They can also be propagated from seeds or cuttings very easily. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 94,699 times. When the seed pods are mature, they will 'pop' if you give them a light pinch. New Guineas can also take a little more sunshine than can the walleriana species. Impatiens prefer humus-rich, moist, and well-drained soil. Impatiens. You can do this by exposing the impatiens plants to an increasing amount of sunlight over the course of a week. Press the seeds lightly into the mix and keep the the seed trays moist and around 70 °F (21 °C). Purchase impatiens plants from your local gardening center. Sign up for our newsletter. Propagate Impatiens: Rooting Impatiens Cuttings, Impatiens Plant Companions – What To Plant With Impatiens In The Garden, Houseplant Impatiens: How To Keep Indoor Impatiens Plants, Planting A Giving Garden: Food Bank Garden Ideas, Giving To Food Deserts – How To Donate To Food Deserts, December To-Do List – What To Do In December Gardens, Why Citrus Fruit Get Thick Peels And Little Pulp, Uses For Goat Manure – Using Goat Manure For Fertilizer, Allotment Gardens – Learning About Urban Community Gardening, Recipes From The Garden: Pressure Cooking Root Vegetables, Gratitude For The Garden – Being Grateful For Each Growing Season, 7 Reasons To Do Your Garden Shopping Locally, Thankful Beyond Words – What Represents Gratefulness In My Garden. How to grow Busy Lizzie / Impatiens from plug plants. How far apart should they be planted if you are planting them in the ground? The closer they are planted together, the faster the plants will grow together to form a bank of lovely impatiens flowers. You can cut back impatiens to the node where the healthy leaves grow, but don't cut back too much or else you will kill it. Once all danger of frost has passed, you can plant your impatiens out in your garden. % of people told us that this article helped them. If conditions permit and the design is appropriate for the home landscape, try adding impatiens as a border around trees. The pieces that you pinch back can be put in your house in a glass of water to root. Always buy plants from trusted retailers and pick out the healthiest ones. Good luck. Impatiens are the ubiquitous colorful flowers that can be seen lining garden borders and blooming out of pots on front porches all summer long. Seeds sprout easily and plants grow quickly, requiring very little pruning or maintenance. Plant in window boxes or hanging baskets, at the front of a border, or as a groundcover under trees and shrubs. If the area where they are planted does not receive that much rainfall, you will need to water them yourself. Plants require good light but shade lightly on very bright days to keep flowers above the foliage and prevent leaf burn. As a rule of thumb, three glasses of water should be enough for a single plant. In this case, 92% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. Can impatiens be grown in dirt and limestone screening? Approved. Great planted in flower beds, especially in large groups, and also as border edging. Positive: On Nov 14, 2006, dansgirl from Atascadero, CA (Zone 10b) wrote: I've had success with all of my "accent" impatiens except for one plant which baffles me because it has been taken care of in the same manner as all of the others I have, including the one right next to it which is flourishing. Impatiens ‘New Guinea Group’ has exotic, vividly marked, often large leaves, and conspicuous large flowers in various shades of lilac, red, rose and orange. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/6\/6d\/Grow-Impatiens-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Grow-Impatiens-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/6\/6d\/Grow-Impatiens-Step-1.jpg\/aid1382616-v4-728px-Grow-Impatiens-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"