Ratty looking New Guinea Impatiens?

Question

For some strange reason I never have much luck with these plants. When I buy them they're gorgeous and they just steadily decline..

I planted a bunch of containers and mixed them in with other plants. I used very good potting soil, they get plenty of water, are mostly in shade and I feed them about every 14 days with liquid Miracle Gro. They're just not good bloomers and the foliage looks kind of ratty. My regular Impatiens are going crazy! I'm in Florida and the weather has been nice an warm and not super-hot. This is about my 4th attempt and am thinking I should probably never plant them again.

Is there something I'm missing?

Answer 1

New Guinea's need plenty of shade. If you are in s.Fl., it may be to hot for this plant. I live in Atlanta and unless they are planted in shade here they will fize out, and burn. I grow for a nursery and we always shade our greenhouse's where the N. Guineas are growing. As far as the blooms go, try a fertilizer like a 20-30-20, the middle number should be higher than the 1st and last. Also at our nursery it is a rule that we do not water them after 10:00am, we treat them as we do begonias, the leaves will burn when they are to hot, especially when you are fertilizing. Water in the mornings, water deep, use a higher middle number on the fertilizer and if possible alittle more shade. Hope this helped you. Love those New Guinea's, one more hint, try to plant them in their own container, these plants can get pretty big, like a bush, if the plant has room to spread it's roots. GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 2

I'm not sure but I got quite a few this year and I lost the ones that got some sun. The ones in total shade, are OK. Do need good drainage.

Sometimes, if you buy a plant that is nice and bit... it has been forces to bloom and they never seem to do as well when you get home. They have been over fertilized and grown in green houses to get big and beautiful. These are often weaker plants.

A smaller plant (more like a starter plant) doesn't look as full or showy when you first plant them as the big plant but they seem to adapt to their environment better. I would be willing to bet that you bought a smaller size in the regular impatient.

Answer 3

Compared to regular impatiens, New Guineas need more sunlight to bloom profusely. Also it sounds like they may be getting too much water--the leaves will start to drop if they are. Cut back on the water. Water them when they start to wilt a little and see how long it takes between water to wilt. If it takes 5 days from water to the first visible wilt then start watering them 4 days apart. Remember plants in partial shade don't use up water as fast. And New Guineas are the world champion at being totally wilted and then snapping back after a watering. It won't hurt them to let them wilt once in a while.