How to Grow Impatiens? Detailed Methods and Tips
Chairman Mao once said in the poem "Ode to the Balsam Flower," “I love the balsam alone, for its will is firm.” Impatiens is easy to grow and slow to wither, with extremely strong vitality and good adaptability. It is not particular about its environment; people can simply scatter a few seeds into the soil, and as long as there is water, with no need for fertilizer, they will break through the soil and grow. Its stems and leaves are thick and glossy, and its flowers are layered and grand. Even when planted in a cracked basin or broken crock, they can still bloom into a small patch of deep red and pale white scenery on a wall corner or windowsill. Therefore, many flower growers like to plant impatiens in their own courtyards or on their balconies.
Although impatiens has strong vitality and good adaptability, the following aspects should still be noted when cultivating it:
1. Choosing the cultivation site: Impatiens likes sunlight, fears dampness, tolerates heat but not cold, and is suitable for growing in loose, fertile, slightly acidic soil, though it also tolerates poor soil. Therefore, impatiens should be cultivated in a location with good light.
2. Choosing the cultivation time: Impatiens is propagated by seed. Sow from March to September, with sowing in April being most suitable; transplanting can be done at any time. The growing period is from April to September. After the seeds are sown in a pot, they generally sprout and grow leaves in about a week. They can be sown in a seedbed or directly in a courtyard flowerbed. Seedlings grow quickly, so thinning should be done in time. After one transplant, they can be planted out in the garden in early June. If sowing is delayed, the seedlings can be potted and can bloom around National Day.
3. Light and temperature: Impatiens likes light and needs at least four hours of scattered sunlight each day. However, it cannot be exposed to the scorching sun for long periods; in summer, pay attention to shading. The suitable growing temperature is 16-26°C, and the environmental temperature during the flowering period should be kept above 10°C. In winter, it should be moved into a greenhouse to prevent freezing.
I. About Impatiens
The stems of impatiens are 40-100 cm tall, fleshy, thick, and upright. The upper part branches, with soft hairs or nearly smooth. The leaves are alternate, broadly or narrowly lanceolate, up to about 10 cm long, with acuminate tips, sharply toothed margins, and wedge-shaped bases; there are several pairs of glands near the petiole. Its flowers resemble butterflies, and the flower colors include pink, bright red, purple, white-yellow, speckled gold, and others, and they vary easily. Some varieties can produce flowers of several colors on the same plant. According to ancient flower records, there were more than 200 varieties of impatiens, and many varieties have now been lost. According to differences in flower shape, they can also be divided into rose type, camellia type, dianthus type, and others.
The flowering period of impatiens is from June to August. It produces capsule fruits; the capsules are spindle-shaped, covered with white down, and when mature they split open into 5 spirally curled valves; the seeds are numerous, spherical, black, and peach-shaped. When mature, the outer shell bursts open on its own and ejects the seeds, reproducing by self-sowing, so seeds must be collected in time.
Impatiens likes sunlight, fears dampness, and tolerates heat but not cold. It prefers sunny terrain and loose, fertile soil, and can also grow in relatively poor soil. Impatiens has strong vitality and good adaptability, and generally has few pests and diseases. If the temperature is high and humidity is great and powdery mildew appears, it can be controlled by spraying a 50% carbendazim wettable powder 800-fold solution. If leaf spot disease occurs, it can be controlled with a 50% carbendazim wettable powder 500-fold solution. The main pest of impatiens is the red hawk moth, whose larvae chew on impatiens leaves. If this pest is found, it can be removed by hand-catching. The sowing period for impatiens is generally March to April in spring. It is recommended to sow in April, after the temperature rises.
II. The Uses of Impatiens
The seeds of impatiens are also called "acute seed," and the stems are also called "toughening bone herb." Both can be used as medicine, with effects of promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis, promoting diuresis and detoxifying, and unblocking menstruation and penetrating the bones. Fresh grass pounded and applied externally can treat sores, boils, swelling, and pain, and insect bites. The seeds are a detoxifying medicine with effects of unblocking menstruation, promoting labor, eliminating phlegm, and reducing masses; pregnant women should not take them. The whole plant pounded into juice can be used externally for traumatic injuries. After the petals are pounded and mixed with garlic juice and other sticky substances, they can dye fingernails; after dyeing the nails several times, they can radically cure onychomycosis. The seeds contain saponins, fatty oils, sterols, polysaccharides, proteins, amino acids, and volatile oils. It is cultivated in all provinces north and south in China; it is used for ornamental purposes, and besides being used in flower borders and bonsai arrangements, it can also be used as a cut flower.
The flowers of impatiens are used as medicine and have the effects of promoting blood circulation, reducing swelling, and treating traumatic injuries. The flowers can also be used to treat body odor by pounding them and applying externally. The seeds of impatiens can also be used as medicine; impatiens seeds have the effects of treating numbness and soreness and promoting blood circulation and unblocking menstruation, and can also be used to remove wind-dampness and are very effective in treating rheumatoid arthritis, snake bites, tinea manuum, and more.
The whole plant of impatiens can be used as medicine, especially the seeds and flowers. Impatiens can treat amenorrhea in women; the usual method is to take about 4 impatiens flowers and steep them in water to drink. To treat traumatic injuries with impatiens, the usual method is to dry the roots and stems in the sun, grind them into powder, and take them with water and wine, or pound the stems and leaves to extract juice and take it with yellow rice wine. To treat edema with impatiens, the usual method is to use it in cooking, that is, stew impatiens with pork to reduce swelling. To treat vomiting blood and coughing blood with impatiens, the usual method is to decoct about 10 impatiens in water and take it. To treat onychomycosis and goosefoot wind with impatiens, the usual method is to pound impatiens and apply externally.
III. How to Plant Impatiens Seeds
1. Find a patch of loose, fertile, slightly acidic soil, or find a container such as a flowerpot, fill the container with about 80% loose soil, and leave a small portion of dry soil for later use.
2. In the container, sprinkle a little water evenly, not too wet (spray a few drops, just slightly moist). Scatter the prepared impatiens seeds on top of the soil; they do not need to be scattered too densely, just keep an appropriate distance.
3. After scattering the impatiens seeds, cover the seeds with the reserved dry soil. The editor of World Factory Network reminds you that this top layer of dry soil only needs to be a very thin layer, just enough to cover the seeds; do not spread it too thick.
4. In the early stage, you can first cover the top of the flowerpot with a layer of plastic film, which helps the impatiens seeds grow. If the weather is warm, it is also fine not to cover with plastic film.
5. Place the flowerpot in a place that can receive sunlight, but prevent excessively high temperatures and sunscald. Water once each morning and evening, and avoid watering the impatiens seeds at noon. The amount of water should not be too much.
6. After the impatiens seeds sprout, they need to be transplanted. I generally transplant after the impatiens has grown 4 leaves. During transplanting, try to avoid sunscald, and transplanting should not be too dense; a plant spacing of about 30 cm is sufficient.
7. After planting out, water in time and keep the potting soil moist frequently, but not waterlogged, and note that the soil must not remain overly wet for a long time, otherwise the roots and stems are prone to rot.
Finally, the above is an introduction to impatiens and the uses of impatiens. Growing impatiens indoors can not only satisfy your visual enjoyment well, but it can also care for the health of you and your family like a competent little doctor.
How to Cultivate Impatiens: Teaching You Tips for Growing Impatiens
Impatiens is a very beautiful flower. Its leaves are brightly colored and its flower shape is unique, giving it excellent ornamental value. It is often used to decorate courtyards or living rooms. Impatiens was also the tool used by girls born in the 1980s and 1990s to dye their nails when they were children. How is such a magical plant cultivated? Let us take a look below at the introduction to impatiens cultivation techniques.
I. Basic Information About Impatiens
Impatiens, also known as balsam flower, nail-dyeing flower, nail grass, small peach red, touch-me-not, and others. Its Latin scientific name is Impatiens balsamina L. Because its flower head, wings, tail, and feet all curl upward like a phoenix, it is also called golden phoenix flower. Impatiens belongs to the Balsaminaceae family as an annual herbaceous flower, 60-100 cm tall, with the whole plant divided into six parts: root, stem, leaves, flowers, fruit, and seeds. It is produced in India and various parts of China. Because its flower head, wings, tail, and feet all curl upward like a phoenix, it is also called golden phoenix flower. It can be eaten, is ornamental, and has medicinal value. Because it can dye fingernails when combined with alum, it is also called nail-dyeing flower.
II. Ecological Habits of Impatiens
Impatiens likes sunlight, is somewhat afraid of dampness, and tolerates heat but not cold. It prefers sunny terrain and loose, fertile soil, and can also grow in relatively poor soil.
Impatiens likes sunlight, fears dampness, and tolerates heat but not cold. It prefers sunny terrain and loose, fertile soil, and can also grow in relatively poor soil. Impatiens is propagated by seed. Sow from March to September, with sowing in April being most suitable, so that it can bloom in early to mid-June, and the flowering period can last more than two months.
Impatiens likes sunlight, fears dampness, tolerates heat but not cold, and is suitable for growing in loose, fertile, slightly acidic soil, though it also tolerates poor soil. Impatiens has relatively strong adaptability, transplants easily and survives, and grows rapidly.
III. Propagation of Impatiens
Impatiens is propagated by seed. Sow from March to September, with sowing in April being most suitable. Before sowing, the seedbed should be watered thoroughly to keep it moist. Impatiens seeds are relatively small, and after sowing they cannot be watered immediately, lest the seeds be washed away. Then cover with a thin layer of soil about 3-4 mm, and pay attention to shading. Seedlings can emerge in about 10 days. When the seedlings grow 2-3 leaves, transplanting should begin; transplanting can be done at any time, and later they can gradually be planted out or potted for cultivation. They can also be germinated in a greenhouse, but before fixed planting outdoors, thinning must first be carried out at night.
The growing period of impatiens is from April to September. After the seeds are sown in a pot, they generally sprout and grow leaves in about a week. When they grow to about 8 cm, keep 1-3 plants per pot. When they grow to 20-30 cm, pinch the growing tips. After planting out, the main stem of the plant should be topped to enhance its branching ability and make the plant shape full. After 5 leaves, apply a decomposed dilute human manure urine and similar fertilizer once every half month, and apply phosphate fertilizer and plant ash once before and after budding.
After the flowers open, cut off the flower base so that it does not set seed, and then the flowers will bloom even more abundantly; remove flowers at the base at any time, which will encourage the tops of each branch to bloom successively, but they are prone to variation. It can bloom in early to mid-June, and the flowering period can last more than two months.
IV. Impatiens Cultivation Techniques
1. Site selection and land preparation. Soil with sufficient sunlight, moist texture, fertility, looseness, and good drainage is suitable. Apply base fertilizer, prepare the land, and make beds. In the south, make high beds; in the north, make flat beds, with a bed width of 1.2 m.
2. Sowing method. The seeds are tiny and have a relatively long lifespan; stored at room temperature for 3 years, their germination rate still reaches 79.7%. Direct sowing: in the south, in March, and in April. With a row spacing of 875px, open a shallow ditch 1 cm deep, evenly scatter the seeds into the ditch, cover with soil, press lightly, and then water. After sowing, keep the soil moist; at about 25°C, seedlings begin to emerge in about 5 days. The seed rate per 667 sq m is 500 g.
3. Raising seedlings. Scatter the seeds on culture soil, lightly cover with about 0.3 cm of soil, and they will germinate after 5-6 days. When there are 3-4 true leaves, they can be planted out in flowerpots or flowerbeds, with a plant spacing of 30 cm.
4. Cultivation and weeding. After emergence, to prevent weeds from competing for water, loosen the soil and weed in a timely manner. Water promptly during drought. Cultivate and weed 2-3 times a year.
5. Fertilization. When the seedlings are 30-1000px tall, remove the old leaves at the lower part of the stem and pinch off the growing tips to encourage more branching. At this time, apply 40 kg of cake fertilizer per 667 sq m. A ditch can be opened along the rows, the fertilizer scattered into the ditch, covered with soil, and watered. Pay attention to drainage during hot and rainy seasons.
6. Pest and disease control. Powdery mildew mainly harms leaves, and can also spread to tender stems, flowers, and fruits. During the disease period, spray with a 25% triadimefon wettable powder 2000-3000-fold solution, or a 70% thiophanate-methyl wettable powder 1000-1200-fold solution, or a 25% carbendazim wettable powder 500-fold solution.
For brown spot disease, in the early stage of onset, control it with a 25% carbendazim wettable powder 300-600-fold solution, or a 50% thiophanate-methyl 100-fold solution, or a 75% chlorothalonil 1000-fold solution.