How to grow beautiful New Guinea impatiens
My New Guinea impatiens plant was huge and hardy with many flowers and buds.
It was dry when I bought it so I watered it as soon as I got home. The next day it was wilty so I gave it some water solvable fertilizer and within an hour it perked up and was beautiful.
Within two days it was badly wilted (I think my cat tried eating some of it).
So I moved it outside where the cat couldn’t get at it. Now it’s been a week and it’s almost dead.
It has early sun, then some shade. It’s in bad shape. I had two plants last year that thrived. Help.
— Sharon
Wilting New Guinea impatiens can usually be traced to three causes: Overwatering, under watering and heat stress. Sharon seems to have encountered at least two of the three. The best situation is for evenly moist soil without water extremes. These watering problems can then cause other problems, more fatal ones as they create conditions ideal for fungal and bacterial problems.
These disease agents, spores, and bacterium, are present in the soil, This is one of the reasons fresh, sterile soil is always recommended in containers. The other is that fresh potting mix drains well, allowing the soil to drain excess water.
Stem rot is caused by several different fungi; all live in the soil, The fungus girdles the stem causing the growth above to wilt and die. It is more prevalent in heavy soil that remains wet after watering. Bacterial wilt has a similar effect on the plant and can be distinguished
by a yellow ooze inside affected stems.
Mulching would normally be a good solution as it would limit the number of spores splashed onto the plant during watering or rainfall. However, the mulch also will retain moisture in the soil, allowing the fungus to spread/, Mulch should not be placed against or near where the stems emerge from the soil.
Sadly the answer is that once affected by wilt or rot there Is little to do but clear out the damaged material, keep the soil moist not wet, and allow the surface of the soil to dry slightly between waterings. Generally, the plants will not survive. Next year, be sure the pots are sterile, the potting mix fresh, the container
has ample drainage and watering is regular but not excessive. Do not allow the pots to sit in water. Remove infected plants and discard in the trash as the problem can quickly spread to all nearby impatiens.
Fungus gnats on Norfolk Pine
We have a question regarding our Norfolk Island Pine ( fondly called Bob).
About a year or so ago we transplanted it due to the fact it was pot-bound and starting to become top-heavy.
Since that time we have noticed some bugs (which we think are fungus gnats) crawling around the roots in the top portion of the pot.
We tried yellow sticky
traps, which did not work, and then read somewhere to try quartered raw potatoes which we placed in the pot in the morning and disposed of the next morning.
These potatoes were loaded with these crawling bugs. Although this seems to have helped somewhat, it has not eliminated all the bugs and just seems tedious to continue.
We don’t think we should transplant Bob again because we have read that Norfolk Island Pines do not like to be transplanted or moved.
Do you have any advice on how to get rid of the bugs? Thank You!
— Arndt family
If you have fungus gnats, you should see tiny fly-like insects around the plant, I
suggest the following:
Don’t overwater and be sure to drain any saucer or tray under the tree.
Cover the surface of the soil with a layer of gravel or small stones to keep the adult gnats from accessing the soil to lay eggs.
Consider using a product specifically labeled for fungus gnats and apply as a soil drench according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
In our garden
I potted up a red mandevilla this week, adding an old pyramidal trellis for support, It is already twining up the trellis and has multiple open blooms. Although I rarely winter over these plants, they are well worth the price for summer color. Larger plants can be quite pricey so I generally go for the six or eight-inch pot and transplant into a larger fancy container.
There is another pot with three lantana plants set on the deck railing. It has quickly become a favorite with the butterflies and the occasional hummingbird.
My new oak leaf hydrangea, Ruby Slipper, is healthy but a bit small so it will just get a larger pot this year and maybe move into the garden in a year or two.