Growing tips for New Guinea Impatiens
 (Read 500+ times)
By Glory Lennon
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Every spring nurseries, garden centers and even supermarkets and department store are over- flowing with bedding plants. Those annuals which every gardener who wants instant and abundant color for their yard are grabbed up by the thousands and the most popular of these is arguably Impatiens. However, being Impatiens are perhaps overused they can also be considered a bit commonplace, pedestrian and downright boring for your more experienced or easily bored gardener. That may have been the case until a new contender showed up to spice things up.
When they first made their appearance several years back New Guinea Impatiens were like a breath of fresh air for the gardener who had grown bored with the “same old, same old”. The best thing about this “new” plant was the fact they had virtually the same growing requirements as its cousin the regular Impatiens or I. wallerana to give it the correct botanical name.
New Guineas have a slightly different look to its cousin Impatiens but are still an easy plant to have in your garden, in container planters or hanging pots. The1-2 inch wide flowers come in many bright and pastel colors, sometimes even bi-colors, raging from pure white to pink, red, orange and violet but not true blue nor yellows. These single, semi-double and some fully double blossoms are produced less profusely than regular Impatiens.
Like the regular Impatiens, New Guineas do not require any deadheading although if they become leggy pinching back is suggested. These snipped off pieces can then be potted up to grow more plants as they root quite as easily as the regular Impatiens and make wonderful houseplants for some color for those deary winter days.
Impatiens are said to be shade loving plants but this is only true in the very hottest regions where shade is absolutely necessary so they do not burn. Being able to tolerate more sun than the regular Impatiens, however, the New Guinea cultivars who require a bit of sun to bloom well should be placed in such a situation where they get the softer sun of the morning hours or the late afternoon sun. They will wilt if left in full sun all day. Morning sun with midday semi or full shade is best.
New Guinea Impatiens like a rich, well draining yet moisture retentive soil. They do not like to be dry but they also rot easily if sitting in water. Raised beds, a compost rich soil and the use of an airy type mulch with regular watering will make them quite happy. Though they are easy to grow, it can be difficult if not impossible to find seeds for New Guineas.
Buying plants and then taking cuttings and rooting them in soil is the best way to propagate and about as easy to do as with regular Impatiens..
Although any “real” gardener can see quite clearly when they are placed side by side, some people have a problem differentiating the two types of Impatiens. The best way to tell the difference between the New Guinea from the regular Impatiens is the foliage. Leaves are more slender on the New Guinea Impatiens and in some cultivars rather showy and variegated. Leaves can have a reddish, purplish or bronzy tint to the glossy, darker, more vibrant green, veining is more pronounced and the stems are generally burgundy in color. The leaves are about 3-5 inches long depending on cultivar and 1-3 inches wide. New Guinea Impatiens grow a bit more upright than the regular kind and about 1-2 feet tall with a 15 inch spread. They look their best in hanging pots or as single specimens in large containers with other less showy annuals.
Whenever spring comes around gardeners by the hundreds will be flocking to garden centers in search of lovely annuals to bring them color and excitement for their gardens and patios and you can be certain the New Guinea Impatiens will be one of the more sought after plants. Better get yours while you can.
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Author Bio Box: Glory Lennon
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