How Should An Impatient Plant Be Cared For?

Impatiens, a genus of flowering plants, are popular bedding plants in North America, particularly in shady areas. They are also used in container gardens, such as hanging baskets and window boxes. Impatiens are known for their prolific, showy flowers in an array of colors and are low-maintenance, high-quality plants.

The plant’s botanical name is Impatiens spp., which refers to the “impatient” nature of the seed pods, which burst open when ripe to effectively disperse their contents. Common names include Impatiens, Touch-me-not plant, busy Lizzie, and Impatiens.

To maintain healthy blooms, impatiens should be watered regularly and kept moist but not very wet. They are not very tolerant of drought, and they will quickly wilt during prolonged dry spells. However, they are quick to bounce back once watered.

To grow impatiens, they should be grown in well-drained soil enriched with organic material, with a slightly acidic soil with a pH range of 6.0–6.5. They love sun, heat, and humidity, but also don’t mind a bit of shade, allowing them to grow almost anywhere.

To keep impatiens blooming, ensure they receive proper care, including consistent moisture (but not overwatering), well-draining soil, and a balanced, slow-growing environment. Trim the stems back to about 3 inches, provide them with a sunny spot, and a little less water throughout the growing season.

What do overwatered impatiens look like?

Overwatering your Impatiens plant can lead to yellow leaves and mushy stems, while underwatering can result in droopy leaves and dry soil. To prevent overwatering, maintain a stable environment with indirect light and 65-70°F. Overwatering can cause root rot, while underwatering can indicate thirst. Yellow leaves and sogginess in the soil indicate excess H2O, while droopy leaves and dry soil indicate a need for more water. Check the soil for signs of parched Impatiens, as it may be as dry as a bone. Rethink your watering strategy accordingly.

What kills impatiens?

Impatiens downy mildew is a severe pest that poses a significant threat to garden ornamentals, including those grown in Wisconsin. The disease affects garden impatiens, native jewelweeds, and New Guinea impatiens and its hybrids. Symptoms include irregular yellow-green discoloration, curling downwards, stunting, reduced flowering, and eventual plant death. The most distinctive characteristic of impatiens downy mildew is the presence of a fuzzy white material on stems, buds, and the undersides of leaves.

The disease is caused by the fungus-like water mold Plasmopara obducens, which is commonly introduced into gardens on infected impatiens transplants or windborne spore-like structures called sporangia. Once established, P. obducens can spread from plant to plant by wind or splashing water. Cool, wet/humid weather favors disease development, and it can potentially overwinter in a garden in the form of specialized spores called oospores. The possibility of P. obducens being introduced via impatiens seed remains unclear.

How often should I water my Impatiens?

To determine if an Impatiens plant needs water, feel the soil near its base and understand its specific needs. Impatiens are thirsty plants and should never completely dry out. Water when the soil feels slightly damp, waiting to water if it feels wet. Water daily for the first week after planting, monitoring the soil to ensure water drainage. Warm temperatures can cause Impatiens to dry out, so water more often on hot days.

Established Impatiens need water once a week, but plants in sunny locations or drier climates may need more frequent watering. Weather can also affect watering frequency, so it may be possible to skip a week if there is rain or more frequent during a heatwave.

Do Impatiens need sun or shade?

Impatiens thrive in moist, well-drained soils in partial shade, with 2 to 4 hours of filtered sun per day or morning sun and afternoon shade. They can also grow in heavy shade, but taller and less profusely. After frost danger has passed, plant impatiens outdoors and acclimate them to outdoor conditions for several days. Place them in a shady, protected location and gradually expose them to short periods of sunlight. Water impatiens once a week during dry weather and check them frequently when the soil surface is dry.

How do you keep Impatiens alive?

Impatiens, a popular bedding plant, thrives in shady conditions due to their brightly-colored, profuse blooms and ability to grow in nutrient-rich soil. To care for impatiens, choose a spot with dappled sunlight or full shade, avoid planting in full sun, prepare moist, well-draining soil, water regularly, and fertilize every couple of weeks during the growing season. Impatiens flowers are popular in North America and are used in container gardens, including hanging baskets and window boxes. To ensure proper care, choose a spot with dappled sunlight or full shade, prepare moist, well-draining soil, water regularly, and fertilize every couple of weeks during the growing season.

How do you care for Impatiens indoors?

Impatiens are capable of thriving in normal room temperatures with a minimum humidity of 50 percent, but require high humidity above 75 degrees Fahrenheit. It is recommended that the plants be placed on moist pebble saucers and misted daily.

Should impatiens be cut back?

Impatiens can become leggy in late summer, especially in deep shade, so pruning off the top 1/3 of the plant can promote bushier growth and more flowers. Old-fashioned varieties without a registered trademark can be propagated from cuttings using sterile pruners. Cut three-inch sections of stem, remove all but the top set of leaves, and stick each stem in moist potting soil. Place in a shady spot and keep the soil moist. Transplant once a good root system has developed.

To grow impatiens from seed, start indoors eight to 10 weeks before the last frost date. Fill a tray with seed-starting mixture, sprinkle seeds over top, and use a clear plastic dome or sheet to keep the seeds moist. Seeds germinate in about three weeks, with plants taking about three months to bloom.

Why are all my impatiens dying?

Impatiens downy mildew is a water mold disease that infects garden impatiens, balsam impatiens, and native jewelweeds. It thrives in highly humid, cool conditions (59-73°F), which are near-optimal for the disease to develop. The pathogen is introduced into gardens via infected impatiens transplants or seeds, and can survive in the infected plant(s), soil, potting mix, or seeds produced by the diseased plants. Early symptoms include a slight yellow-green discoloration on leaves near the tips of the branches, which can be confused with spider mite feeding.

During the summer, the plant might be stunted and produce fewer flowers. Eventually, all leaves and flowers fall off, leaving bare stems and the plant dying. Impatiens showing any of these symptoms should be removed, placed in a sealed plastic bag, and put into the garbage. Surrounding plants/roots should also be removed in a 3-foot radius around the diseased plant. Diseased plants will not recover and will only provide additional inoculant the following year.

Controlling impatiens downy mildew is difficult, but the best control is to carefully inspect all transplants and purchase disease-free seed. When bringing plants home, keep them in an isolated area for up to 2 weeks and check for symptoms. If the plants pass the test, they can be planted.

How long will impatiens last?

New Guinea impatiens bloom from spring to the first frost, and they are perennials in zones 10 through 12. To keep them alive in winter, they can be kept indoors by placing them in a bright window or providing supplemental grow lighting. Once outdoors, they will likely rebloom once frost passes. The flowers have orange, pink, red, white, and purple petals with five heart-shaped petals. They have little fragrance, but some may release a mild fragrance at night. Pruning and deadheading can encourage more blooms.

Why do my impatiens keep dying?

Impatiens Flowers Disease is a serious issue affecting plants, causing fungal blights, rots, viruses, and bacterial wilt. These diseases often result from wet foliage or overcrowding, with leaf spots and rotting indicating fungal problems. To treat these issues, avoid wet foliage and ensure adequate spacing. Neem oil can also help treat fungal issues. Impatiens Necrotic Spot Virus (INSV) is a serious disease caused by thrips. Bacterial wilt is another common issue, characterized by sudden wilting, collapse, and oozing of stems. Plants eventually rot to the soil line.

How do I know if I overwatered my impatiens?

Overwatering a plant can lead to yellow or brown limp, droopy leaves, root rot, dropping old and new leaves, mushy or unstable stems, and rotten odors. This is because the roots can no longer absorb water, and the plant’s leaves can be green, brown, or yellow. The shedding leaves can also indicate overwatering. It is crucial to monitor and address these issues to ensure the plant’s health and longevity.