Grow Impatiens

Impatiens are the ubiquitous colorful flowers that can be seen lining garden borders and blooming out of pots on front porches all summer long. These gorgeous, hardy flowers come in a variety of colors and can be planted in patterns for a stunning visual effect. Read on to learn how to grow and care for impatiens so they produce healthy, vibrant blossoms.

Steps

Preparing to Plant Impatiens

1. Purchase impatiens plants from your local gardening center. 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. Buy impatiens in one color or mix and match so you can create a colorful pattern in your garden.
   • There are three common varieties of impatiens that each come in slightly different colors and have different petal sizes. The Tom Thumb varieties have large, bold-colored flowers; the Super Elfin varieties have pastel colored-flowers; and the Swirl varieties have orange and red colors with swirled patterns on the petals.
   • It's quite easy to plant impatiens seedlings, but you can also choose to start them from seed if you'd like. You'll need to sow the seeds in seed starting mix in January to get them ready for spring planting. Press the seeds lightly into the mix and keep the the seed trays moist and around {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}}.
2. Keep seedlings moist before planting. Impatiens wither quickly when they don't get enough water. Whether you purchase seedlings or start your impatiens from seed, you'll need to make sure they stay moist until you're ready to set them out in pots or plant them in the ground.
   • If you keep your potted seedlings outside, do not put them in direct sunlight, as this could dry out the small pots quickly.
3. Find a good place to plant the impatiens. Impatiens do equally well in pots, planters and garden beds. They like shady spots, so choose an area that has partial shade throughout the day. Make sure the soil is moist but well-drained, since impatiens can get mildew if they spend time in standing water.
   • Impatiens grow best in USDA hardiness zones 10 and 11. This includes parts of the southern and southwestern United States.
   • To determine whether an area drains well, take a look at the spot after a heavy rain. If you see standing water and puddles, you'll need to add peat or another mix into the soil to help it drain better. You may also want to try re-directing rainwater flowing into the area. If the water gets absorbed, it should be a fine spot for planting.
4. Plan to plant your impatiens when the soil warms up. Impatiens should not be set into the ground or planted in pots until after the last frost, when the soil has become warm and there's no chance the flowers will freeze. Planting them too early will result in wilting, and they may die before the warm season gets underway.
5. Prepare the soil for planting. Impatiens like soil that is rich and moist. You can prepare the soil by tilling it to a depth of 12 inches, then mixing in some compost or a light application of fertilizer. If you're planting impatiens in pots, buy nutrient-rich potting soil.

Planting and Caring for Impatiens

1. Dig holes and plant the impatiens. Dig holes as deep as the impatiens' root balls and set them into the ground or pot. The holes may be spaced 8 to 12 inches apart, depending on your preference. Lightly press soil around the bases of the stems. Water the impatiens thoroughly after planting.
   • Impatiens can be planted close together to make nice borders in a flower bed. You can set a few in a container spaced 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7.5 cm) apart.
   • Instead of a container, you may choose to set your impatiens in hanging baskets. Your impatiens will soon grow together and cover any bare soil that is in between them.
2. Keep them moist at all times. Impatiens will wilt quickly if their soil is allowed to dry out. Water them around the roots in the morning every few days. Avoid watering impatiens in the evening and keeping them wet overnight, since they are prone to getting mildewed when conditions are overly wet.
   • Planters dry out faster than the ground, so you may have to water flowers in pots more often.
3. Fertilize impatiens. You may either use a slow-release fertilizer according to package instructions or apply a liquid fertilizer every few weeks.

Tips

• Pinch back impatiens plants at least once to keep them from becoming spindly. The pieces that you pinch back can be put in your house in a glass of water to root. Once rooted, you can set these out to have more plants.
• When the seed pods are mature, they will 'pop' if you give them a light pinch.

Warnings

• Avoid over watering your impatiens plants. Too much water will cause a fungus to develop and the plants will rot. If you are not sure if your plants need watering, just test the soil with your finger to see if it is moist.

Things You'll Need

• Potting soil
• Fertilizer
• Containers
• Hanging baskets
• Water
• Peat moss

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Sources and Citations

• http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/flower/growing-impatiens-flowers.htm
• http://mgonline.com/articles/growbestimps.aspx
• http://www.houseplantsforyou.com/how-to-grow-impatiens/

See also

• Plant Tritoma
• Harvest Tulips
• Plant Night Blooming Jasmine
• Grow Your Own Bouquet
• Propagate Azaleas
• Care for Peace Lilies
• Grow Tulips
• Care for a Begonia
• Plant Flowers
• Propagate Bougainvillea

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