Guide to growing garden plants - Impatiens Busy Lizzie
Impatiens are a large genus of half hardy annuals or perennials that are normally grown as half hardy annuals in the garden.
Impatiens range in height from 30 to 60cm and carry flat open flowers of vibrant pink, orange, red, white or purple.
They bloom from the end of spring until the first frost of the winter. Some of the common names for Impatiens include Busy Lizzie, Touch me not, balsam, Patient Lucy and Lady's slipper. Latin names include Impatiens parviflora, Impatiens balfouri, Impatiens auricoma and Impatiens walleriana.
How to grow Impatiens
When planting Busy Lizzie and other Impatiens members in the garden the seed should be sown on the surface following the last frost of spring. Busy Lizzies like to grow in a shaded area of the garden, though is tolerant of sun. Members of Impatiens prefer a rich, well manured soil of pH 6 to 7.
If you first plan to grow busy Lizzie indoors then the process should be started about 9 or 10 weeks before transplanting out a few weeks after the last frost of spring. Sow the seeds in vermiculite and supply high humidity and a temperature of 21 to 24 degrees. As Busy Lizzie's are partial to leaf rot it is important only to water the seedlings from below. The germination time is from one to four weeks.
Caring for Busy lizzie - Impatiens Care
Once growing busy Lizzie's should be pinched back to encourage branching. They should be fed a couple of times, and be well watered. If you would like more Impatiens plants then cuttings can be took in spring or autumn. Alternatively let the plants set seed in situ.