In North America, impatiens flowers have historically dominated the bedding plant landscape, particularly in shaded locations. Moreover, they are utilised in container gardening, which can include window boxes and hanging baskets.
Impatiens can be grown in any moist soil in a shaded or partially shaded area. Planting time is optimal in late spring, when the soil has warmed to at least a 50 degrees Fahrenheit. The plants will sulk the entire growth season if they are sown in too-cold soil. Plants should be spaced between ten and twelve inches apart. Pinch back the stems after planting to promote bushy growth.
Standard impatiens can be cultivated in a spot with partial sunlight in northern climates if given enough water, but its greatest strength is that they do best in the shade. In fact, even when grown in complete shadow, they are one of the relatively few commonly available, low-cost plant species that will put on an excellent summer-long floral display.
Grow impatiens in well-drained soil enriched with organic material. They prefer a slightly acidic soil with a pH range of 6.0–6.5. The soil must drain well to avoid becoming soggy from the frequent watering that impatiens require.
Standard impatiens need a minimum of two inches of water each week once planted in the ground. You might need to increase that quantity when the average temperature is continuously higher than 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Impatiens in window boxes and hanging pots may need daily watering, particularly if the daytime high temperature exceeds 85 degrees Fahrenheit.
Every two weeks during the spring and summer, treat impatiens using a water-soluble fertiliser to ensure the finest possible flowering. A slow-release granular fertiliser applied at the start of spring and once more midway through the summer is an additional choice. Follow the directions on the product packaging for how much to use.
Use sterile, sharp garden shears to remove the top third of the greenery from your impatiens plants if they start to get lanky late in the scorching summer. This will encourage the growth of fresh blooms and enhance the plants' overall beauty.
Even in colder locations, impatiens readily self-seed, though it may take the majority of the growing season the following year for the seeds to sprout into flowering plants. Because of this, propagating impatiens from cuttings collected in the fall is simpler.
Impatiens are typically thrown away at the conclusion of the growing season, thus they rarely need to be repotted. Even though these flowers are perennial in warm areas, moving them indoors may expose them to mites and other insect problems. The best course of action is to trim the stems back to about three inches, then place them in a sunny spot and provide them with somewhat less water over the winter.
When a specific type of downy mildew emerged in 2004 and quickly wiped out the breeding stock across North America, the popular impatiens fell out of favour. 6 The Plasmopara obducens pathogen, which causes this illness, effectively ended the commercial sale of conventional impatiens for more than ten years.