Detailed Guide to Seed Planting Methods and Growth Habits of the Annual Herbaceous Flower Impatiens

Impatiens, Impatiens is an annual herbaceous flower. The flowers are bisexual, bilaterally symmetrical, axillary or several flowers grouped into racemes. Flower colors include red, pink, purple, white and other colors. It is widely cultivated in China, so do you know what the seed planting methods of Impatiens are? What kind of growth habits does it have?

Seed Planting Methods of Impatiens

Both sowing and cutting propagation are possible. Sowing can be done in all four seasons, either by broadcasting or by dibbling. For dibbling, use a 128-cell plug tray. The suitable temperature for sowing is about 20°C, and seedlings emerge in about 1 week. Cutting can also be done year-round; select robust growing branches, cut off about 8 cm as cuttings, maintain a temperature of 20°C, and roots form in about 20 days. Water cuttings in summer also root easily. When sown seedlings reach 5 cm in height, carry out the first transplanting, moving them into 8 cm nutrient pots; when they reach about 12 cm, plant them in 15 cm pots. The soil is a mix of 2 parts peat soil, 1 part vermiculite or river sand, and 1 part furnace slag, and an appropriate amount of sheep manure etc. can be added as base fertilizer. For the few species and varieties with poor branching, such as Impatiens hawkeri, the seedlings should be properly pinched during the seedling stage. High temperature and dryness will make Impatiens leaves thicker and not spread out, and the internodes shorter, affecting plant shape and even stopping growth in severe cases. Therefore, during the summer, keep the environment cool and provide appropriate shading. Too strong sunlight will scorch the leaves, while too weak light will make the plants leggy, with thinner leaves and light green leaf color. To have flowers for "National Day", besides choosing more heat-tolerant varieties, you can also sow in June and place the young seedlings on mountains at an altitude of about 800 m to spend the summer in July and August. In winter and spring, Impatiens needs sufficient light, so no shading is needed. During the growth period, ensure water supply; especially in summer, watering should be timely and sufficient, keeping the potting soil moist but not waterlogged. When the potting soil dries out, the plants wilt very easily, and watering only after wilting appears can easily cause rot. Waterlogging easily causes root rot. Throughout the growing season, maintain a certain air humidity; in summer, you can spray water on the leaves and ground to increase air humidity. Apply a thin fertilizer once every 10 days. To control plant height and shape, besides applying more nitrogen fertilizer in the early stage, control the application of nitrogen fertilizer before and after flowering.

Growth Habits of Impatiens

It likes sunlight, fears moisture, tolerates heat but not cold, and is suitable for growing in loose, fertile, slightly acidic soil, but it also tolerates poor soil. It has strong adaptability, transplants easily and grows quickly. The plant height is 20-40 cm, and flower colors include white, water red, pink, rose red, bright red, carmine, box purple, purple, snow white and other colors. Impatiens is one of the most popular herbaceous flowers among the Chinese people, with strong adaptability, easy cultivation, rich flower colors, diverse flower forms, and changeable plant shapes, suitable for flower beds, flower borders, natural clumps and potted plants, etc.