Impatiens - outdoors
Hi everyone. I've always steered clear of impatiens since a few died on me when I planted them in pots a few years ago. No idea what I did.
However, saw 4 beautiful red plants today and couldn't resist. Intend either planting them or housing them in pots in dappled shade. I would like to have success with them this time so am asking advice on: best soil conditions, do they have to be in shade or can they survive in sun for 5 hours and then shade the rest of the day? Can they be planted in an area where I have just dug in shop bought bag of manure soil improver or is that likely to be too strong to plant anything in?
Any advice on how you deal with impatiens would be grate. It was a whim buy due to the lovely colour...and I'm not feeling brave about them surviving with me. I see others in gardens or in containers and they look wonderful. But I have a nervous 'thing' about never having had success with them and keeping them alive!
Thanks everyone.
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Thank you so much.
I buy a four pack of the type you have there, the New Guinea strain every year. I keep them in the conservatory, full sun and lots of heat all day long, they come from a hot country!
You can take cuttings by standing cuttings in little pots of water, they root very quickly but wait until its a bit cooler.
I have grown the usual ones from seed this year, so far so good with the virus!
Thanks Lyn. I have placed mine in containers outside at the moment - and also lack a proper greenhouse or somewhere sensible to house them. I will certainly try cuttings as I would like to have them in the same place next year and am sure I will not successfully over-winter them (if they're not treated as annuals? and disposed off).
How long did your seed process take Lyn to flower-production?
Thanks Verdun.
I've had a "traditional" busy lizzie for the last 2 years now, no problem with any virus so far. I agree with Verdun, not keen on the New Guinea types, they look too artificial for me.
These are the old type, very slow growing process from seeds, but they were my collected seeds from last year so I know they wouldn't be infected.
these are the New Guinea strain, growing inside a very hot conservatory in full sun all day.
I don't think I will bother to take cuttings, they are so cheap to buy and all my greenhouses are taken up with seedlings now for next years perennials.
These are the old type, very slow growing process from seeds, but they were my collected seeds from last year so I know they wouldn't be infected.
these are the New Guinea strain, growing inside a very hot conservatory in full sun all day.
I don't think I will bother to take cuttings, they are so cheap to buy and all my greenhouses are taken up with seedlings now for next years perennials.
photo has come out very distorted!!!