How to Grow Impatiens walleriana and Points to Note
Today, the editor will introduce Impatiens walleriana to everyone; it may be quite unfamiliar to many. It is a plant that grows in Africa. The flowers are brightly colored and the appearance is beautiful. Many people want to grow some Impatiens walleriana at home. However, most people do not understand the flower's growing habits. They do not know how to grow it well. Friends who like growing flowers, do not worry, let us learn together with the editor how to grow Impatiens walleriana!
How to Grow Impatiens walleriana
1. Potted plants overwintering need to be placed on a sunny windowsill or balcony, with the room temperature kept above 12°C, and watered once a week. If the room temperature is below 12°C, the leaves turn yellow, and even the basal leaves drop. If the room temperature is kept above 16°C, the plant continues to bloom as usual. Keep the potting soil moist, but excessive moisture will cause the plant to rot at the roots.
2. As the weather begins to warm, the daily management of potted plants is the same as in January. As the room temperature gradually rises, if ventilation is poor, gray mold and stem rot are likely to occur, so pay attention to prevention and control.
3. Potted plants enter the flowering period, water 2 to 3 times a week, and fertilize once every 2 weeks. Control the amount of nitrogen fertilizer applied to prevent excessive vegetative growth of stems and leaves and reduced flowering. For cutting propagation, cut full apical branches from the mother plant, 10 cm to 12 cm long, insert them into a sand bed, and under conditions of 20°C to 25°C, they root in about 3 weeks and can be potted in 4 weeks.
4. During the full flowering period, its daily management is the same as last month. For water cutting propagation, select apical branches, 10 cm to 1.2 cm long, insert half of the cutting into clean water, change the water once every 2 to 3 days, and at a room temperature of 20°C to 25°C, they root in about 10 days; when the new shoots that sprout are 3 cm to 5 cm tall, they can be potted.
5. Still in the full flowering period, its daily management is the same as in April. If saving seeds, use a soft brush to pollinate by hand to increase the seed-setting rate. For seed propagation, sow indoors in pots; the seeds are tiny and light-loving, so no soil covering is needed after sowing. The suitable germination temperature is 16°C to 18°C, and they germinate about 2 weeks after sowing. During the seedling stage, prevent damping-off. From sowing to flowering takes 8 to 10 weeks, and hanging basket cultivation takes 10 to 14 weeks.
6. In the high-temperature season, it is very unfavorable to the plant's growth and flowering. Prevent strong direct sunlight, set up a shade net with 40% to 50% shading, and prevent sunscald. Too much watering easily leads to stem and root rot, so use spraying more often to prevent leaf wilting. When fertilizing, avoid strong fertilizer to prevent the fertilizer solution from staining the leaf surface. When sown seedlings are 10 cm tall, pinch once.
7. With continuous high temperatures, the daily management of potted plants is the same as last month. After 1 to 2 pinchings, sown seedlings gradually form a full plant shape. If the plant shape has not yet formed and flower buds have already appeared, remove them promptly.
8. As the weather turns cool, clean up dead leaves and spent flowers, water once every 2 to 3 days, and fertilize once every 2 weeks. Potted plants begin to bloom. For cutting propagation, cut healthy apical branches, 6 cm to 8 cm long, with 2 to 3 nodes, insert them into a mixed cutting medium of peat and vermiculite, spray water to keep moist, and they root in 2 to 3 weeks. Pay attention to ventilation to prevent leaf spot and red spider mite damage.
9. Do a good job of cold protection and overwintering for potted plants. Place potted flowers on a sunny windowsill or balcony, keep the room temperature at 10°C to 15°C, water once a week, and stop fertilizing.
10. Continue to do a good job of cold protection and overwintering for potted plants. Place potted flowers on a sunny windowsill or balcony, and keep the room temperature above 10°C. In rainy and snowy weather, extend the watering interval to prevent low temperature and dampness, which can cause stem rot.
Cultivation Methods and Points to Note for Impatiens walleriana
I. Cultivation Methods for Impatiens walleriana
1. Temperature and light
The suitable growth temperature for Impatiens walleriana is about 15°C to 25°C, and the indoor overwintering temperature should not be lower than 12°C. Give sufficient light, but avoid blazing sun exposure. In summer, it requires cool conditions, with appropriate shading and ventilation.
2. Moisture
Impatiens walleriana likes moisture. While keeping the potting soil moist regularly, also be careful to avoid waterlogging, otherwise it easily causes the plant to drown and die. Maintain suitable air humidity, generally around 70% to 90%. In dry weather in summer and autumn, spray water on the leaves regularly.
3. Soil
Impatiens walleriana is suitable for cultivation in fertile, loose, sandy loam with good drainage.
II. Points to Note in Cultivating Impatiens walleriana
Do a good job in the prevention and control of pests and diseases to ensure healthy plant growth. Common diseases include leaf spot and stem rot damage, which can be controlled by spraying 50% carbendazim wettable powder at 1000 times dilution. Pests are mainly aphid damage, and 10% chlordecone EC at 3000 times dilution should be sprayed promptly to kill them.
Prevention and Control of Pests and Diseases of Impatiens walleriana
1. Leaf spot and stem rot damage often occur, and can be controlled by spraying 50% carbendazim wettable powder at 1000 times dilution. Pests are mainly aphid damage, killed by spraying 10% chlordecone EC at 3000 times dilution.
2. Powdery mildew of Impatiens walleriana. Symptoms: this disease mainly occurs on leaves and young shoots. It generally begins in June, and after July the leaf surface is covered with a white powdery layer. Subsequently, small yellow granules form in the white powdery layer, the color gradually deepens, and finally turns dark brown. Prevention and control methods: do not plant too densely, provide appropriate ventilation, strengthen fertilizer and water management, and enhance the plant's disease resistance. Remove diseased leaves and diseased plants, and destroy them centrally to reduce sources of infection. During the disease period, use 10% triadimefon wettable powder at 1000 to 1200 times dilution, or 70% thiophanate-methyl wettable powder at 1000 times dilution for control. Avoid spraying at high temperatures above 32°C to avoid phytotoxicity.
3. Brown spot of Impatiens walleriana, also known as impatiens leaf spot. Symptoms: the disease mainly occurs on leaves. Leaf spots are initially small light yellowish-brown dots, then expand into round or oval shapes, after which the center becomes light brown and the edges brown, with indistinct concentric rings. On severely affected leaves, the spots join together, causing the leaves to become withered and yellow, until the plant dies. Prevention and control methods: Impatiens walleriana likes fertile sandy loam and is not tolerant of waterlogging. Therefore, planting in sandy loam is advisable to facilitate drainage; for potted Impatiens walleriana, pots should be tipped promptly after rain. At the end of autumn, diseased leaves and diseased plants should be destroyed centrally to reduce sources of infection for the next year. In the early stage of the disease, use 25% carbendazim wettable powder at 300 to 600 times dilution, or 50% thiophanate-methyl at 100 times dilution, or 75% chlorothalonil at 1000 times dilution for control.
4. Damping-off of Impatiens walleriana. Symptoms: the pathogen mainly infects the root and stem area, causing the affected part to turn black or constrict, and in damp conditions white mold-like substances grow on it. After the plant is infected, the leaves can be seen wilting and drying within a few days, and then the whole plant dies. It mainly overwinters in the form of mycelium or sclerotia in the soil or diseased residues. The mycelium in the soil lives saprophytically and does not dormant. In the field, it mainly spreads through contact, that is, when the roots, stems, and leaves of the plant contact diseased soil, they become infected by the mycelium in the soil. Under conditions with a water film, healthy leaves in contact with diseased parts become infected. In addition, seeds, farm tools, and contaminated compost can all spread and expand the disease.
Cutting Methods for Impatiens walleriana
1. Time for cutting Impatiens walleriana
Impatiens walleriana has a self-sowing function, spreading by itself after the seeds mature to reproduce. However, when cultivating Impatiens walleriana, cutting can also be carried out, especially for double-petaled varieties. The best time for cutting propagation of Impatiens walleriana is in spring and autumn.
2. Selection of cuttings for Impatiens walleriana
When propagating Impatiens walleriana by cuttings, suitable cuttings should be selected. Generally, apical buds are best for cuttings, because apical buds grow relatively quickly and root quickly as well. When cutting the cuttings, generally cut off branches with apical buds and 3——5 nodes for cutting, about 5——10 cm long. Note that the flowers and flower buds should be removed, and all the leaves on the lower half should also be removed.
3. Cutting and planting methods for Impatiens walleriana
First, prepare a flower pot with a diameter of 7.5 cm, fill it with perlite, being careful not to fill it completely, then insert the cuttings into the soil. One pot can hold 3——5 cuttings. After cutting, cover the pot opening with plastic wrap, which helps the cuttings root. Generally, after cutting Impatiens walleriana, they root in 2/3 weeks, and at this time they can be transplanted and planted. When transplanting and planting, fill the flower pot with soil, then place the plant in, fill it with soil and press it firm. Note that after planting, pinching can be carried out to shape a good plant form.
Overall, Impatiens walleriana has strong vitality and is very easy to keep alive. However, we must understand its living habits in advance. During the growth process, it is inevitable that some pests will cause damage. Friends who grow Impatiens walleriana, do you understand now?