Tag: Impatiens

As much satisfaction as I get from succeeding at a gardening challenge, sometimes I just want to do something I know is going to work, and propagating impatiens is one of those easy-peasy tasks.

Not to mention that it’s also easier on my wallet than buying flat after flat of flowers to fill up my garden.

Coming up in this guide, we’ll talk in more depth about the common methods for propagating impatiens. Here are the three we’ll go over:

These three methods work for all common Impatiens species you’ll find in stores, including garden (I. walleriana), New Guinea (I. hawkeri), and their hybrids.

Once you have your new plants up and running, read our guide to growing impatiens for a rundown on how best to care for them.

From Stem Cuttings

If you have access to an existing, healthy plant, propagating stem cuttings is the way to go.

You can produce an almost endless number of impatiens plants with minimal effort, and the resulting plants will be a genetic replica of the parent.

Some plants are a challenge to propagate via cuttings, but impatiens are easy-peasy. It’s best to take your cuttings in the spring, but you can do it any time of year.

You can use two methods: rooting the cuttings in water or in a potting medium.

Look for a stem that looks healthy and is about four inches long or more. Snip it off near the soil and strip off all the leaves but the top two, and pinch off any flowers.

If you are rooting in water, place the stem cutting in a glass of water and set it in a spot with bright, indirect light.

If you are using soil, fill individual pots or a six-cell seed-starting tray with a seed-starting medium and moisten it.

Poke a hole in the center of each pot or cell and set your cutting a few inches deep into the soil. Firm the medium up around the cutting so it stays upright.

Once you see roots coming out of the drainage holes for those you started in soil, you can transplant them into their permanent home in the garden after a week of hardening off.

If you started your cuttings in water and you can see lots of roots, pot up the cuttings in one or more containers filled with potting soil.

You want to give the new impatiens plants a little time to develop sturdy roots in soil and harden them off before planting them outdoors. If you’re keeping your new impatiens plants indoors, you can skip this part.

To harden off your starts, take them to the area where you plan to grow them, leave them there for an hour and then bring them back inside. The next day, add an hour outside before you bring them back in. Do this for the next five days, adding an hour each day.

This gives the plant time to adjust to the harsh world of the great outdoors, with its different light intensity and strong breezes.

By Division

Impatiens grow quickly and if you give them a little time to fill out, you can divide the plants once or twice during the growing season.

You can do this anytime you have an impatiens clump that is at least six inches or larger in diameter so that you can remove a clump that is at least three-inches.

Before you start dividing, either dig the new hole that you will be placing the division in, or fill the new container with potting soil. It’s best to have the new growing area ready before you get to work so that you reduce transplant shock – not that impatiens suffer from that too much.

To divide impatiens growing in the ground, take a clean trowel and insert it vertically into the of the clump where you want to separate it from the rest. You can take a section of any size provided it is no less than three inches wide.

Gently lift and insert the trowel a few inches over and repeat until you have separated the section that you want.

Lift it up and gently set it in the new hole or container. Firm up the soil around it and water in well.

Fill the hole you made in the existing clump with potting soil. In no time flat, the existing plant will spread and fill that empty spot.

To divide impatiens growing in a container, remove the plant from its container and gently tease a section apart from the main plant. You might need to use some scissors to gently cut through the roots or stems to completely separate them.

Of course, you can harvest the seeds from plants in your garden and use those, but don’t be surprised if what grows isn’t exactly like the parent.

You’ll want to start your seeds indoors in the spring so you can control the environment. Sow them in trays or cells filled with seed-starting medium.

Place them about four to six inches underneath grow lights, moisten the medium, and sprinkle the seeds onto the surface of the soil and gently press them in.

If you want to be more precise, you can moisten a toothpick and pick up one seed at a time. Gently poke it onto the soil but don’t bury it, as these seeds need light to germinate.

Seeds should be about an inch apart and thinned to about four inches apart after they germinate.

It helps to cover the containers with plastic or glass to help retain moisture, since surface-sown seeds tend to dry out quickly.

For a detailed explanation, visit our complete guide to starting impatiens seeds.

The only downside is if you want dozens of plants like I do, it’s going to eventually hurt your wallet.

Even if you buy the cheapest annuals in the clearance aisle, the cost will add up if you want lots of them. So what to do? Start your impatiens from seed! Seed packets are the most affordable way to get these annuals started in your garden.

No matter the species you want to fill your garden with, you can start the seeds in the same way.

Here are the steps of the process that we’ll go over:

Impatient to start? Gather those supplies and let’s start digging in.

When to Sow

You can direct sow impatiens seeds outdoors if you want, but you’ll have more success if you start them indoors, as it gives you more control over the growing environment and the process.

Plus, you can give them a headstart when the weather is still cold and miserable outside.

Impatiens can’t survive a freeze. So if you intend to start them outdoors, you would need to do so after the last predicted frost and when the soil temperature is around 75°F. That’s the soil, not the air temperature.

Otherwise, start them indoors and put those pots or containers onto a heat mat to keep them nice and toasty.

Maintaining the right temperature is key. If you don’t, the seeds will take too long to germinate, and they’ll likely rot before they can even get started.

Impatiens are slow and can take two or three weeks to germinate. After germination, you need about four to eight weeks for the seedlings to grow large enough to transplant outside. So you’ll need to sow the seeds indoors about 11 or so weeks before you intend to plant.

Count back from the last predicted frost date in your area to figure out when to start the process. If the last predicted frost in your area is the end of April, then you should plan to sow in early February.

Preparation

It’s easiest to sow in a tray or cells, but you can also use individual pots if you like. If you go that route, use a small container that’s about four inches in diameter. I prefer to use a plug tray.

Place your pots or trays on a heating mat. If you aren’t using a plug system like the one above, grab yourself some seed-starting medium and fill your trays or containers.

Since you’re starting indoors, you’ll need to place grow lights about four to six inches away from the seedlings once they emerge.

The plants need about 12 hours of bright, indirect light, so if you can’t provide that from a window, you’ll need supplemental lighting.

It’s easiest to moisten the seeding medium in advance of sowing. You can either soak the soil with a spray bottle or set the containers in water to soak up the moisture from below.

If you wish to direct sow outdoors, work some well-rotted compost into the soil and sow them after the last frost or if you live in a frost-free area, in early February. Just make sure that the soil has warmed up to 75°F.

Sow Your Seeds

The timing is right, and the area is prepared – it’s time to sow those impatiens seeds!

Impatiens seeds are tiny, so handling them can be a bit of a challenge. You can either sprinkle them on the surface of the soil, use a moistening toothpick, or get yourself a seed sower.

I have been singing the praises of seed sowers ever since I received one as a gift. I typically do my best to sprinkle them evenly, but you know how hard it can be, they clump and fall too close together as you sprinkle them out of your hand or the packet.

Set a piece of glass or plastic over the trays to help retain the moisture while the germination magic happens. Keep the medium around 75°F by setting your heat mat to the appropriate temperature.

The soil needs to remain moist but not soaking wet while you wait for germination. Remove the cover and use a spray bottle to mist the potting medium so you don’t dislodge the seeds.

Remove the cover when they germinate and thin the seedlings to about four inches apart. Remember, you have to be patient with Impatiens species – it can take weeks for germination.

Continue to care for the seedlings by keeping the soil evenly moist until they have two true leaves.

Transplanting

When the seedlings have two true leaves and all risk of frost has passed, it’s time to transplant.

Impatiens need to be slowly exposed to the outdoors. Give them a day in a shady spot before moving them to the area where you’ll be growing them.

Leave them there for an hour and then put them back in the shade. The following day, give them two hours in the new location before moving them back to full shade.

Keep adding an hour each day until a week has passed. Now, you can put the seedlings into the ground or your chosen container if you’re going that route.

Prepare your planting site by working in lots of well-rotted compost into the soil, then dig holes twice as wide and the same depth as the plugs or containers the seedlings are currently growing in.

Gently remove the seedlings from their containers and place them in the holes you have prepared. Backfill with soil and water in well.

Now that you’ve got your plants in the ground, be sure to read our guide to growing impatiens to learn how to nurture them.

Harvesting Seeds

If you want to give harvesting and planting your own seeds a go, the process is a blast. Honestly, I go out and pop the seeds of my plants just for fun. It’s the little things in life, right?

Impatiens use what is known as “ballistic dispersal” to send their seeds far and wide. When ripe, the pods burst open in explosive dehiscence, sending the seeds several feet away from the plant.

If you want to catch the seeds before the pods burst, look for a pod that is full and plump but hasn’t split open yet. Gently lower a clear plastic bag over the top of it and turn it upside down. Pinch off the pod, keeping the plastic bag in place in case it bursts.

When they’re really ripe, the slightest touch will cause the pods to burst, and they shoot out harder than you might expect.