Impatiens

This is the epitome of the shade garden plant. Impatiens have been used for years for their bloom power and wide variety of colors. These plants are blooming powerhouses and will fill a space with blossoms as long as there is no frost. In fact, they can bloom for a whole growing season and don’t need maintenance, like deheading, to keep up. They’re great for those who want a whole lot of color, but don’t have a lot of time to spend in the garden. They make great fillers for garden beds and containers because of their ability to grow fast. Most commonly, these flowers can be seen in soft pastel shades, but some tropical species come in warm colors like yellow, coral, and orange. With their soft color pallet, impatiens will blend well with pretty much any plant you pair them with.

Location

Impatiens are perfect flowers as bedding plants, border plants, or in containers. They enjoy moist, well-draining soil and shady areas. If your area is shady, place the flowers in an area that receives bright, filtered light from trees. Beds that are exposed to two to four hours of morning sun and shaded in the afternoon will work as well. Too much sun and heat dries out the soil and causes the foliage to lose moisture through rapid evaporation. This results in wilted, dying plants and poor flowering. However, while impatiens will do best away from the heat and intensity of the direct sun, they can be acclimated to harsher light if you have a sunny area. Do not put these plants in full sun once you bring them home. Acclimate your plants by exposing them to increasing amounts of sunlight over the course of a week

Soil

Impatiens can be planted as soon as all danger of frost has passed. Before planting in the ground, you need to prepare the soil. Proper soil reparation results in better moisture retention and healthier flowers. Mix the soil with organic matter before you plant so that it retains moisture but doesn’t become waterlogged or soggy easily. Apply up to 2 inches of compost and work it into the top 6 inches of soil. If you are growing them in a container, use well-draining, standard potting soil.

To plant impatiens, gently squeeze the container you bought them in to loosen the soil. Invert the pot in your hand and the plant should fall out easily. If it doesn’t, squeeze the pot again and check for excess roots that may be growing through the bottom. If there are roots, they can be removed. Dig a hole that is deep enough so the plant can sit at the same level in the ground as it did in the pot. You can plant impatiens as close as inches apart if you like. The closer they are planted, the faster the plants will grow together.

Impatiens need to be fertilized regularly. Use a water-soluble fertilizer on your flowers every two weeks through spring and summer. You can also use a slow release fertilizer at the beginning of the spring season and again halfway through the summer.

Water

To produce the healthiest and most productive flowers, plant them in soil that remains evenly moist. These flowers need watering when the top one inch of soil begins to dry out. Supplying one to two inches of water a week will be enough if your impatiens are planted in the ground. When temperatures rise above 85 F, they will need at least four inches per week. If you live in an area that doesn’t receive much rainfall, you will have to check your impatiens regularly. For impatiens in containers, water daily until water drains from the bottom of the pot. When you bring your annuals home from the store, make sure that you keep them well watered until you get them in the ground. They are very sensitive to lack of water and will wilt quickly if they lack water.