How to grow impatiens in pots

 

The impatiens plants also known as Impatiens walleriana​  is one the blooming plants that add instant color to semi-shady areas of the home landscape. If they are planted in pots they brighten up a patio, balcony or entryway. The impatiens plants is a Cheerful, low maintenance plants that are usually grown as annuals, even though they are perennials in USDA plant hardiness zones ten and eleven.

Furthermore, the common impatiens colors are white, red, violet, and several shades of pink. The lush, glossy foliage adds extra interest. The impatiens is actually a good choice for areas with cool summers and mild winters. You can plant the impatiens in containers when all danger of frost has passed in spring.

 

How to grow impatiens in pots

1.    Make sure you choose seedlings wisely: Buy the impatiens seedlings at a garden center or nursery. Make sure you look for bushy plants with healthy green foliage.

2.    Harden off the Impatiens: You have to harden off the seedlings before planting them in outdoor containers. To harden off the impatiens seedlings, just place them in a shady location for 1 to 2 hours, and then bring them back inside. You can increase the outdoor time by a 1 or 2 every day, until the impatiens plants are accustomed to the outdoor air. 

3.    Adding a quality potting soil: Fill your container to the top with ½ inch of a good quality, lightweight commercial potting mixture. Make sure you look for a potting mixture containing a combination of substances such as compost, peat, perlite or vermiculite. Any container is suitable if it has a good drainage hole in the bottom.

4.    Create a hole in the potting soil: Just make a hole in the potting soil, using a garden trowel or your hand.

5.    Planting the Impatiens: Make sure you remove the impatiens seedling carefully from the nursery container. Just place the impatiens seedling in the hole, and then pat the soil around the roots. Make sure that the crown of the plant (the spot where the main stem meets the roots) is not buried. Make sure that the impatiens plant is planted at the same soil depth it was planted in its nursery container.

6.    Water the plant when the soil is dry: Water your impatiens plants until water trickles through the drainage hole. After that, water the impatiens plants whenever the top inch of soil feels dry to the touch. Allowing the soil to dry slightly will actually help to prevent rot and fungal disease. Make sure you check the plants daily, because soil in containers dry quickly during warm weather, and bone dry soil stresses the plants.

7.     Applying a liquid fertilizer: Feed your impatiens plant every other week by using a general purpose liquid fertilizer, make sure it is applied according to the label recommendations. On the other hand if your potting soil has fertilizer premixed, you may not actually need to fertilize immediately. Some potting mixes contain a starter fertilizer and the impatiens may need supplemental fertilizer in about a week. Others may contain slow release fertilizer, which sustains the plants for a month or more. Make sure you read the potting soil package for specifics.

8.     Choose a good location: You need to place the impatiens in a location where the plant can be exposed to morning sunlight and afternoon shade. The plant also does well in a spot with filtered sunlight, like under a tree. Try and avoid hot, direct afternoon sunlight, which can stunts blooming and even kill the plant.

 

Some of Things You Will Need

The following are the things you will need;

-         General purpose liquid fertilizer

-         Trowel (optional)

-         Lightweight potting mixture

-         Container with drainage hole