Impatiens, also known as balsam or busy Lizzie, covers a large genus of more than 450 species. Most household Impatiens plants are the varieties and hybrids derived from Impatiens wallerana (or walleriana), which is generically referred to as busy Lizzie. There are also New Guinea hybrids, which are gaining in popularity for the home grower too, due to their ever-blooming nature. These plants like to be fertilized regularly but moderately. The fertilizing approaches outlined here work for both kinds of Impatiens.
Seedlings
Use a general purpose, slow acting fertilizer. Choose one that is either 15-15-15 or 20-10-20.
Combine with the seedling-appropriate soil. Water as usual.
Apply a second dose when the plant's buds develop. This is optional.
Garden growing
Use a pellet fertilizer that has slow-release properties. Various brands of slow-release pellet fertilizer can be obtained from your local garden center or nursery.
Place the pellet fertilizer directly into a hole that has been dug around the root area of the plant.
Water a little more than usual directly after fertilizing. Then water as normal.
Repeat doses every 6-8 weeks. Any more often than this risks burning the plant. If the plant is growing well, you may not even need to repeat the does that season.
Comments
0 comment