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Although impatien plants are relatively easy to start and grow from seed, they are a slow growing plant. And, because impatiens thrive in cooler, shaded spots in your garden, starting early will give you added bloom time in your landscaping. It is generally advisable that you should start your impatien seeds indoors.
Plan to start your impatien seeds indoors eight to ten weeks before the last frost in your area. In cooler climates this is usually around mid-February. The seeds should be planted in a clean and sterile flat type container with a drainage hole. This is filled with a good seed starting mix and the soil medium is then thoroughly moisten. You may wish to wait an hour or two after moistening the soil to make sure any excess water has drained out. Impatien seeds and seedlings do not like to be water logged.
The seeds of an impatien are very tiny. You can place the seeds in a shallow bowl and use a toothpick that you wet one end of to pick up the seeds. Place the seeds in the soil and cover them lightly with about one eight inch of soil. Impatien seeds will germinate in about 10 to 21 days if the soil temperature is around 70-75 degrees F, longer in cooler temperature soil. For optimum seed germination uniform medium temperatures and moisture levels are required. A bright, sunny location, but not in direct sunlight, is ideal and to maintain an even moisture level cover the flat with clear plastic wrap. Once the seeds begin to sprout, remove the plastic cover. -
In warmer, southern United States areas, impatiens in your landscape during the winter months make for a showy display. You can still start them from seeds, but in order to plant the plants outside in your garden in mid-fall, you will need to start them inside in late summer month of August. Follow the same method as gardeners in cold areas for starting impatien seeds. Make sure the planted flats do not get too hot or the soil dried out. Either or both will negate your seed growing efforts.
If you live in zone 11, you can also plant your impatien seeds directly into the ground of your landscape. Again, this should be done when the temperatures cool, since the optimum soil temperature for impatien seed germination is 70 to 75 degrees F.
Once you have established impatien plants in your landscape in these mild winter zones, the plants can and will re-seed, giving you new impatien plants year after year.
