How to Grow Impatiens
Impatiens provides brilliant color in the shade where few other flowers thrive. Unlike with most flowers, you never need to trim off spent blooms to tidy up the plant and promote longer flowering. As long as you give it plenty of water, impatiens will bloom magnificently from spring until frost.
- Difficulty:
- Easy
Instructions
Things You'll Need
- Bypass Pruners
- Compost Makers
- Fertilizers
- Garden Spades
- Garden Trowels
- Hand Cultivators
- Mulch
- Plants
- Seeds
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1
Buy healthy, green plants with no signs of wilting or disease. Plants should be stocky with plenty of leaves. It's actually a plus if they don't have any flowers on them - they'll divert their early energy into root development rather than flowering.
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2
Choose a site in full to light shade. Impatiens like rich soil with ample moisture, so work a spadeful or two of compost into the soil.
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3
Plant impatiens in spring after all danger of frost has passed.
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4
Keep soil evenly moist - impatiens like plenty of water. Mulching is a good idea.
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5
Fertilize every four to six weeks or work in a slow-release fertilizer at planting time.
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6
Tear out and discard plants in fall, after frost fells them. In warmer climates, tear them out once they become spindly.
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1
Tips & Warnings
These annuals (they grow just one year) grow up to 1 foot high, in colors ranging from white through peach, pink, red and lavender.
They also have a low, neat growing habit and resist most diseases and pests.
In warm climates - USDA zone 11 and part of zone 10 - impatiens can be grown as perennials.
Keep impatiens from drying out, or they'll become susceptible to disease.
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Comments
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anstria
Apr 04, 2010
I overwinter one impatiens plant and in the spring, take cuttings. They overwinter very well and the cuttings root in water in about 7 - 10 days. I have had no problems with pests or disease. I transplant the cuttigs into potting mix in 4 inch pots and give them a mild feeding. I have a covered porch that faces north and they love it there until I plant them outside in late spring. I am in Zone 5, Canada. -
ashnjulz
Sep 20, 2009
i have got some impatients hanging in a basket mounted to a wall behind a shade cloth, we have had flowers all year round this will be the second year we have had them.We have found watering the actual flowers is no good only water them from the soil and you will find this will have flowers all year ash and julie
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Robbiesue
Sep 25, 2008
I kept my impatiens in pots outside all summer and would like to try to save them for next year by bringing them indoors. Is this possible? Also, there appear to be a lot of baby impatiens growing (just leaves so far) in the soil underneath the originals. Is this normal and do I have a better chance of keeping the babies alive than the originals? Should I pull out the originals to give the babies a better chance? Thank you for any help.
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Robbiesue
Sep 25, 2008
I kept my impatiens in pots outside all summer and would like to try to save them for next year by bringing them indoors. Is this possible? Also, there appear to be a lot of baby impatiens growing (just leaves so far) in the soil underneath the originals. Is this normal and do I have a better chance of keeping the babies alive than the originals? Should I pull out the originals to give the babies a better chance? Thank you for any help.
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Valdeth
Mar 06, 2008
I have grown impatiens for the past 5 years, and they never fail to amaze me. My house faces north and they love all the shade! They get huge: usually 1.5 - 2.5 feet tall and bloom profusely until frost. Each fall I put manure on the beds and in spring turn over the beds, and they seem to love that. I also give them plenty of water all summer long. They've become a summer staple for my garden.
