Hello, dedicated gardener. We sense your desire for us to be fuller, more vibrant versions of ourselves. To achieve that lush, bushy form and an abundance of blooms, you must understand our needs from our perspective. Here is what we, the impatiens, require to thrive for you.
Our relationship with the sun is delicate. We crave bright, indirect light. Direct, harsh afternoon sun scorches our tender leaves, causing us to wilt, bleach, and conserve energy instead of spending it on new growth and flowers. However, deep shade makes us become leggy as we stretch desperately, putting all our energy into reaching for any available light source. This results in long, weak stems with few leaves and even fewer blooms. Please place us where we can bask in gentle morning sun or dappled light all day. Consistent warmth is also key; we truly flourish when temperatures stay between 65°F and 75°F (18°C - 24°C). Chilly nights stunt our growth and delay flowering.
This is the single most important action you can take to encourage our bushy habit. We grow from a central apical meristem (a dominant bud at the tip of each stem). This bud produces a hormone called auxin that suppresses the growth of the lateral buds further down the stem. When you pinch or snip off the top inch or two of a stem, you remove that primary source of auxin. This signals to us to redirect our energy. Instead of one long stem, we will now push out multiple new stems from the leaf nodes below the cut. Each of these new stems will develop its own set of leaves and flower buds. For the best results, begin pinching us when we are young and continue periodically throughout the growing season.
Our succulent stems are mostly water, making us incredibly thirsty plants. We wilt dramatically when underwatered, a clear distress signal. Consistent moisture is non-negotiable for steady growth and bloom production. Stress from drought causes us to drop flower buds and cease new growth as we enter survival mode. However, we also despise soggy, waterlogged roots, which lead to rot. Equally important is food. We are heavy bloomers and require a steady supply of nutrients to support this effort. Please feed us regularly with a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer, but one that is not excessively high in nitrogen. Too much nitrogen encourages us to produce an abundance of lush, green leaves at the expense of our beautiful flowers. A fertilizer with a higher phosphorus content (the middle number) will better support prolific blooming.
Our primary purpose is to reproduce by setting seed. Once a flower is pollinated and begins to fade, we shift our energy into developing the seed pod behind the wilted bloom. By carefully pinching off these spent flowers before they can form seed pods—a practice you call deadheading—you trick us. We respond by rushing to produce more flowers in another attempt to create the next generation. This simple act of removing the old blooms redirects our vital energy back into creating new growth and an endless display of color rather than into seed production.
