Detailed Guide to Impatiens Cultivation: Planting Methods and Management Essentials

Impatiens, also known as touch-me-not, garden balsam, "quick seed," "daughter flower," and "golden phoenix flower," belongs to the Balsaminaceae family. It is an annual herb with an upright stem, reaching a height of 30-80 cm. The stem is thick, juicy, and smooth, with swollen nodes, appearing green or dark brown. The stem color is related to the flower color. The leaves are alternate, narrowly lanceolate, with finely serrated edges. The flowers are borne singly or in clusters of several in the leaf axils. There are 3 sepals: the two lateral ones are smaller, and the posterior one is large, extending outward to form a spur. There are 5 petals, with two pairs fused, appearing as 3 petals, or double-flowered, in white, pink, red, purple, or variegated colors, sometimes with stripes and spots on the petals. The flowering period is from June to October. The capsule is pointed-ovate, and the seeds are round and yellowish-brown, easily bursting open on their own when mature.

Impatiens prefers heat and fears cold, has strong adaptability, and can self-sow and reproduce. The whole plant can be used as medicine; the flowers are mainly used to treat snake bites and pain referred to the lower back and ribs; the roots and leaves can dissipate blood stasis and promote menstruation.

Currently, most of the plants on the flower market are New Guinea impatiens. New Guinea impatiens is a perennial evergreen herbaceous plant of the genus Impatiens in the Balsaminaceae family. It has rich flower colors, bright and cheerful hues, blooms in all four seasons, with abundant flowers and a long flowering period; the plant is full and plump, with clean and beautiful leaves, and the leaf color and shape are uniquely distinctive; it grows quickly and can naturally take shape, making it suitable as a fashionable potted flower supplied year-round.

Growing Conditions

The ideal temperature for vegetative growth is 22°C-25°C during the day and 20°C-21°C at night; after 5 weeks, for tall plants, 24°C-26°C during the day and 18°C at night, and for compact plants, 20°C-21°C during the day and 18°C at night; a night temperature of 18°C is the ideal temperature for flower differentiation and development, especially under low light; when the daytime temperature exceeds 28°C-29°C, shading should be provided, otherwise the flower size will be reduced. Temperatures below 15°C or above 32°C will affect normal growth. Sufficient light is needed, but strong light should be blocked in summer.

Cultivation Techniques

Finished flowers are usually planted in 10-15 cm pots; the substrate should be loose, breathable, and have a certain water-holding capacity. It is very sensitive to salt damage, so it is advisable to apply thin fertilizer frequently. Avoid excessive watering or drought. The optimal pH is 5.8-6.5. To make the plant full and well-shaped, pinching and shaping should be carried out.

Fertilization and Watering

Use 50-100 ppm nitrogen fertilizer for the first three weeks, then 100 ppm nitrogen fertilizer for the next three weeks, and afterward fertilize according to soil analysis. Water once every two weeks to avoid salt damage. Twisted, dark green, and curled leaves are a signal of excessively high salt levels. The application of slow-release fertilizers and micronutrient fertilizers often leads to toxicity.

Pest and Disease Control

The main diseases are gray mold, pythium rot, rhizoctonia, and powdery mildew. Low salt and appropriate watering can avoid pythium rot. Pests: before flowering, always pay attention to the control of thrips, spider mites (curled growing points), and fungus gnats; otherwise, the application of insecticides during the flowering period will affect flower development. Drenching the roots with 35 oz/100 GAL of pesticide can control fungus gnats.

Precautions

The problems that easily occur during cultivation are mainly manifested as delayed flowering or no flowers: lack of light, excessively high night temperature (above 20°C), and excessively high nitrogen fertilizer application; the above three causes often exist simultaneously; failure to root or initial failure to grow, root rot, substrate too wet, and often low temperature (below 20°C), sometimes excessively high salinity; if only some plants fail to grow, fungi and gnats may be a cause. Sterile flowers or few flowers: usually caused by low light and high night temperature (night temperature above 20°C), and it becomes more severe when they occur simultaneously; high nitrogen fertilizer, especially high ammoniacal nitrogen fertilizer, can also cause it, and it will be more severe when the above conditions occur at the same time.