Impatiens (IMPATIENS) is an ornamental plant, also known as “impatiens” and “wet Roly”. Florists know over 600 plant species. It blooms with white, pink, red flowers, up to 5 centimeters in diameter. The structure of the flowers is double or semi-double. There are also multi-colored balsam, the cultivation of which from seeds does not seem particularly difficult, both for professionals and for beginners in floriculture. The flower is propagated by seeds and cuttings.
A lush and beautiful plant does not leave a single person indifferent. It deserves only the most positive reviews for everyone who has at least once encountered the process of growing a flower.
In addition, various legends, signs and superstitions are associated with the plant. According to one legend, balsam is a lantern turned into a flower, which was lit by the bride in anticipation of her groom, who had gone to war. The groom did not return, but his beloved did not lose hope and did not extinguish the lantern all her life. After her death, he turned into a delightful flower, providing positive influence on people's thoughts and feelings.
Selection of seed
Wet Vanka flower is an unpretentious plant, the seeds of which remain suitable for sowing for 7-8 years after collection. Naturally, it is possible to obtain a greater number of seedlings only from freshly harvested seeds, therefore, when purchasing seed material Special attention should be referred to the date of collection. There are many varieties of balsam, some types of plants are annual, others are perennial. detailed information The number of years during which the impatiens will delight the garden plot is indicated on the packaging.
Annual plants are most suitable for planting in pots and placing them on the balcony; perennials can easily take root in the garden. A common belief is that balsam is indoor flower, is fundamentally wrong.
The best seeds are produced exclusively by large companies. The reliability of the manufacturer is the key to obtaining exactly the plant indicated on the package. The quality of seeds sold on the market secondhand is in most cases questionable.
So, the main thing you should pay attention to when planning to grow balsam from seeds at home is:
- time of seed collection;
- annuals, or perennials proposed for sale;
- a mixture, or one variety is in a bag;
- Name trademark engaged in the sale of seeds.
Balsam seeds
If desired, you can obtain balsam seeds yourself. To do this, it is necessary to artificially pollinate an adult plant during the flowering period. This should be done with caution, using a soft brush and gloves. Pollen is taken from flowering buds and carried to the pistils. Upon completion of flowering, fruits are formed, during the ripening process of which translucent boxes with seeds are formed. The seeds are collected in such a way that the capsules remain intact. The seeds are very small, similar to dust, and when the shell breaks, the capsules scatter instantly. The collected seed should be sent for drying and then stored in a paper bag.
note
It is best to collect seeds in the morning. The dew-covered fruit becomes wet and slippery, and the chance of crushing the dry capsule with your hands decreases.
You can grow any variety of balsam from seeds.
Basic landing rules
Balsam seeds (vanka wet) are planted in mid-March. Before planting, the seeds should be left for 10 minutes in a solution of potassium permanganate, then soaked in warm water for 24 hours.
To plant the plant, loose, slightly acidic soil is required. To prepare such soil, you need peat, vermiculite, leaf soil, and river sand. Ready-made soil mixture is sold in stores. Before using it, you need to add some sand to the pot. Sand is necessary for quick removal excess moisture from the soil. Otherwise, the roots of young plants may rot.
The height of the seedling pot should not exceed 7 centimeters. Its bottom must be covered with a layer of expanded clay, at least 2 centimeters thick. Expanded clay will prevent water retention in the soil layer and will serve as another guarantee of the safety of the root system.
Before planting the seeds, the pot is filled with soil previously soaked in Fitosporin solution. Pre-treatment significantly improves the soil microflora and protects the plant from certain diseases.
note
The planted seeds are scattered over the soil layer. It is not advisable to cover them with soil, as this will deprive the seedlings of the sunlight they need.
The seeds should be at an equal distance from each other. To ensure contact with the ground, they are lightly pressed into the soil and sprayed with water. A pot of seeds is placed in plastic bag, filled with air, and placed on the windowsill. You should avoid exposing it to direct sunlight and raising the room temperature above 25 and below 22 degrees.
Seedling care
The first shoots will appear by the end of the 3rd week. During this time, it is necessary to thoroughly ventilate the artificial greenhouse by opening the bag and spraying the seeds with water from a spray bottle. In the absence of natural light sources, the plant should be illuminated with a special lamp.
After germination, the roots of the plant must be sprinkled Not big amount soil, remove the bag and plant the seedlings in different containers. At the same time, it is necessary to change the plant’s watering system. It is best to place the pots on trays and fill them with water daily. For planting young plants it is best to use plastic cups With drainage holes and a layer of expanded clay at the bottom. Caring for balsam at home is very simple.
note
Lack of light can lead to unnatural elongation of young shoots. To prevent this, during the picking process the lower parts of long stems are buried deeper. The plant should be picked immediately after shoots appear.
At home, balsam develops quickly, the plants begin to branch and soon turn into small fluffy bushes. It is better to pinch the upper part of young plants with special scissors. In this case, the shape of an adult plant will be more accurate.
Hardening and transplanting
From the beginning of May, containers with plants can be taken outside. This is done so that young balsams get used to temperature changes and are not afraid of possible cold snaps. Plants are taken out only for the day; at night the seedlings should be taken back into the room. Such hardening lasts at least 2 weeks. If the weather becomes cold outside, the duration of the hardening period increases.
Around the end of May, plants planted in March can be transplanted into permanent pots, or open ground.
Balsam (wet vanilla) does not tolerate low temperatures. A temperature drop below 5 degrees Celsius is a cause for alarm. For irrigation, use warm, settled water. The plant can be replanted in open ground only after the air temperature rises to 20 degrees. New Guinea balsam deserves special attention.
Seedlings must be planted at a distance of 25-30 centimeters from each other. Balsam loves diffused light; it is not advisable to plant it in the shade. The plant is unpretentious to the soil layer, but feels best on chernozem, well-fertilized soils. Immediately after transplantation, young plants should be watered and fed abundantly. Impatiens need to be sprayed periodically. The effect of moisture on the plant gives a positive result even when the flower is sick.
After transplantation, attention must be paid to pest control. Impatiens is susceptible to spider mite, aphids and whiteflies. Diseased plants are best removed.
Balsam feeding begins in early spring and ends in August. The benefits of fertilizing to achieve lush flowering are undeniable.
The pot for balsam should be small. The roots of the flower must completely fill the entire container provided to them. Otherwise, it simply will not bloom.
Cuttings
If there is a shortage of the desired variety of seeds on sale, balsam can be obtained independently by cuttings. At the beginning of June, pots with young plants are removed to a shaded place. Elongated branches are cut off, placed in a container with water or wet sand, and covered with film. After 7-8 days, the first roots should appear. Branches with roots are planted in separate pots, regularly watered and sprayed. There is nothing easier than growing balsam from cuttings.
Cuttings, as a method of propagating balsam, can be used at any time of the year. Plants take root best in spring, summer and autumn, but in a greenhouse, winter propagation is also possible.
Varieties
As a houseplant, impatiens have been grown for many years. People have received dwarf, sultana-shaped, orchid and small-flowered varieties of this plant.
The most popular are:
- terry balsam Athena aphrodite;
- camellia balsam, the photo of which is presented below;
- terry balsam Athena Artemis;
- impreza cherry splash balsam;
- balsam impreza punch;
- balsam extreme white;
- wallera athena.
New Guinea balsam
New Guinea balsam Divine deserves special attention in terms of ease of propagation by seeds. The plant has abundant flowering and is grown indoors. greenhouse conditions, or in the garden plot. Blooms in summer, the colors of the flowers are bright.
Waller's balsam
Among amateurs hanging plants, there are many fans of Valera Atena Appleblossom balsam. This variety of balsam blooms most of the summer, tolerates heat well, the diameter of the flowers reaches 5 centimeters, the flowers themselves are two-colored. Interior flower - pink, outer - white. In terms of its popularity, this variety of balsam often competes with such a plant as New Guinea balsam. The flower has a compact, strong stem, fleshy, elongated leaves and large inflorescences. It should be cared for in the same way as other varieties. The only difference is the plant’s increased love for light.
Balsam Tom Samb Salmon
Some hybrid varieties impatiens, such as Salmon impatiens, are also characterized by profuse flowering. The flowers are double, pleasant to the touch, their colors are ambiguous, there are plants in which more than 2 shades are mixed.
Waller's balsam
Waller's balsams are also considered a no less beautiful and unpretentious plant, photos of which are available below. Waller's balsam is a temptation of light pink shades and an orange misunderstanding at the same time. Growing garden balsam of this variety from seeds is quite difficult, but still quite possible. In warm climates, the plant is cultivated as a perennial; in cool climates, exclusively as an annual.
Note! While searching for new varieties of plants on the Internet, you can come across such a phrase as “impalers in Dankov”. It has nothing to do with flowers, but will be of interest to those who are fans of small cozy restaurants, stylized as historical antiquities.
How to grow balsam from seeds at home correctly? To do this, you need to choose high-quality seeds, select optimal soil and germination should be carried out under strict temperature conditions. Otherwise, the plant may turn out weak and may not have the necessary decorative characteristics, poorly adapt to growing conditions on the street or garden. So, how to grow balsam from seeds? What seeds to buy? How to plant balsam seedlings? Explanations from experts with step-by-step photos.
How to choose balsam seeds?
To grow indoor balsam, where to get seeds? IN in this case you need to contact specialized stores. The vast majority of seeds in specialized stores are first generation hybrids (F1), which are maximally adapted to certain growing conditions and further growth. That is why, when buying indoor balsam seeds, you need to find out all the features of this variety from the seller. Specially prepared seeds have excellent germination. The packaging of such seed contains the inscription “primed”.
The main diseases of balsam and their treatment - more details in the article about balsam diseases.
What varieties of balsam are suitable for indoor growing, and which ones are better to plant in the garden?
If you need garden balsam, buy the following varieties: Camellia, Baby, Tom Thumb. Growing from seeds and sowing is best done at the end of April. By the time the likelihood of frost on the ground has passed, the seedlings will be strong enough to be planted in open ground. If garden balsam seeds are sown earlier (February - March), the seedlings at home will become very elongated and may die. The lack of temperature difference also has a negative effect on young plants. room conditions(meaning the difference in air temperature between day and night).
Important note!!! Garden balsam reaches a height of up to 1 m even in indoor conditions, and therefore is not suitable for growing at home. You can use it to create unique compositions in the flowerbed.
The following types of balsam seeds are suitable for indoor growing: Wallera, New Guinea, Sultana-shaped. Optimal timing sowing: second ten days of February - early March. If you need ampelous balsam, it is best to grow from seeds at the end of March. Such seedlings are harvested already in mid-April, and the flowerpots can be safely taken out to open air during the day.
If you really want to, you can grow balsam from seeds at home at any time of the year. However, for successful germination, a stable temperature of +20...+24 degrees and a 12-hour daylight hours are required. Otherwise, the seed simply will not germinate, and the seedlings in most cases die.
Is it possible to grow balsam from seeds that were collected at home? Since most modern balsams are first-generation hybrids, the seed collected from them does not inherit the decorative characteristics of the parent plant. That is why flowers from seeds collected at home may not have the necessary characteristics, for example, color or fullness of the petals.
Balsam can be propagated by apical cuttings. To root them, use a mixture of vermiculite and river sand. Rooting occurs within 1 week.
When to plant balsam seeds?
When should you plant balsam seeds? Many scientific sources write the following: balsam seeds for hanging baskets and growing at home should be produced in late March - early April. Potted balsam is planted in mid-April. For flower beds and greenhouses, balsam seeds should be planted at the end of April.
Growing balsam from seeds at home with photos
To grow balsam from seeds, take a wide container with a large number of drainage holes.. You can use seed cassettes. One grain at a time is planted in them. In this case, seedlings are not picked after the appearance of two pairs of true leaves. There is more than enough soil volume for the successful development of one plant in seeding cassettes.
Balsam seeds should be planted in light and loose soil that does not contain organic matter.(compost makes the seedlings sick, and in some cases the seeds do not germinate). The pH of the soil should be close to neutral (pH = 6.2-6.5). In acidic soil, the germination rate of seed drops sharply. Young shoots die in an acidic environment. You can plant balsam seeds in universal soil for seedlings. It contains minimal amounts of nutrients. Such soil must be mixed with sifted river sand in a 1:1 ratio.
The surface of the prepared soil mixture is sprayed with a spray bottle, but not compacted.. The soil should remain loose and allow air to pass well to the roots of future seedlings. The balsam seeds in the photo below are laid out on the surface of the soil at a distance of 2-3 cm from each other. Some sources say that they are sprinkled thin layer soil or verculite. However, for the emergence of friendly shoots, balsam seeds need dispersed sunlight up to 1000 lux. Even under a thin layer of soil (up to 2 mm), the sun's rays will not touch the grains and they will not germinate.
Before the seeds hatch, the humidity in the pot should be very high (up to 100%), and therefore it is necessary to organize a greenhouse. This can be glass or a regular plastic bag.
The germination temperature of balsam seeds is within +22...+24 degrees. At temperatures up to +21 degrees, seedlings do not appear quickly, and seedlings develop weakly. There is a possibility of blackening of the leg. At a temperature of +18 degrees there is no germination at all. At temperatures above +24 degrees, the embryos in the grains die.
Important note!!! To provide the balsam seeds with good lighting and temperature, many gardeners place the pots on the balcony under the scorching sun, where the temperature during the day rises above +25 degrees. Under such conditions, the seeds die. This cannot be done.
When do balsam shoots appear from seeds? Impatiens germinate in 3-5 days if all germination conditions are met correctly. However, germination may take up to 1-1.5 weeks. It all depends on the variety.
How to care for balsam seedlings?
As soon as the seeds hatch, the soil moisture is gradually reduced. On the 5th day after germination, the soil should be moist, but the greenhouse should be opened slightly for ventilation 2 times a day for 10 minutes in the morning and evening. Next, the ventilation time is increased, thereby accustoming young plants to constant, room air humidity.
The temperature is kept within +22...+24 degrees. Humidity also remains high. As soon as the seedlings produce their first true leaves, the room temperature can be reduced to +20 degrees. It is important during the germination of balsam seeds to have good illumination of the seedlings. Daylight hours should last 12 hours. This can be diffused sunlight or an artificial light lamp. Otherwise, the seedlings will stretch out.
The balsam seedlings stretched out. What to do? Until the shoots produce the first two true leaves, the balsam is not picked. As soon as the first two true leaves appear, the seedlings are picked. Regardless of the variety, balsam seedlings are very tall and continue to grow, and therefore, to prevent the seedlings from falling in the future, experts recommend burying the stem of the seedlings during picking.
200 ml plastic cups are perfect for picking. They are quite tall, and therefore deepening the cuttings will not be difficult. A universal primer is suitable for picking. During transplantation, you need to remember that balsam seedlings have a very branched, but fragile root system, damaging which can ruin the plant. During transplantation, it is better to use a special spoon and remove the seedlings from the greenhouse with a lump of earth that surrounds the root system.
In the phase of 4-5 true leaves, with the proper level of illumination and regular feeding, balsam from seeds lays the first buds. This occurs approximately 1 month after planting the seeds.
Thanks to long-blooming beautiful flowers and unpretentiousness, balsam for a long time was popular as a houseplant. Currently, the flower is widely used for growing in open ground, decorating front gardens, flower beds, flower beds and borders with its large flowers. If all requirements for planting and care are met, balsam can be grown from seeds and you can admire its flowering for a long time.
Garden balsam: photo, description, varieties
The plant is shrub height from 25 to 50 cm. On its elongated, rather large, fleshy leaves, droplets form during the growth process, which is why the balsam received the second name “Wet Vanka”.
At the base of the leaves are formed large flowers, which can be of different shades. In nature, balsam blooms with purple and pink flowers. Hybrid garden plants can have single or double flowers in various shades other than blue and yellow. After the inflorescences open completely, spurs form in them. In open ground, flowering begins in late May - mid-June and continues until frost.
In nature, there are many types of balsams. Breeders bred special garden varieties , which include:
"Vanka wet" You can reproduce in two ways:
- Seeds.
- By cuttings.
Seed propagation at home
When growing balsam from seeds at home, you can get early flowering of the plant.
In February-early March, sowing is carried out in fields filled with special soil. seedling containers. The soil mixture is prepared from equal parts of garden soil, peat and coarse sand. It should be light and breathable.
The seeds are placed at a distance of 3-4 cm from each other. The plant loves light, so you don’t need to sprinkle the seeds on top with soil. The soil is sprayed warm water and is covered with glass or polyethylene. The result is a mini greenhouse in which the seedlings will sprout together. The containers are placed in a warm place, the soil is ventilated daily.
As soon as the first shoots appear, the seedlings are placed in a well-lit place. Caring for it involves maintaining the soil wet. When 2-3 true leaves appear, the plants are planted in separate cups. The stems and roots of balsams are very fragile, so transplantation is done carefully. As soon as the bushes grow and on them 6-8 leaves will appear, they can be pinched. In this case, the roots will become stronger and the plant will become lush.
If you don’t want to bother with seedlings, then you can grow balsam from seeds directly in open ground. Seeds are sown after the last frost in previously prepared soil and covered with polyethylene or acrylic on top. Seedlings should sprout in about 5-7 days.
Propagation by cuttings
Balsam bushes easy to take cuttings, take root and grow into new beautiful plants. Cuttings can be carried out at any time of the year. To do this you will need:
- Cut cuttings 5-6 cm long, each of which should have at least 3-5 leaves.
- Remove the leaves from below, place the pieces in water and put them in a shaded place.
- After about 7-10 days, roots will appear, and the cuttings can be planted at home in pots or directly in open ground.
Caring for cuttings after planting in the soil consists of providing them with good lighting, a temperature within 20-22C and regular watering. It is worth noting that there is no need to be too zealous in moistening the soil, since the fleshy stems of balsams are susceptible to rotting.
Impatiens: planting and care in open ground
It is best to grow “Vanka wet” on the western or eastern side of the garden plot. Under good natural light the plant will quickly form buds and bloom for a long time. Bushes planted in the shade turn out to be tall, but they have approximately the number of flowers decreases by 50%. If the area for planting balsam is sunny, then during the hot period it should be shaded from the midday sun.
It can be placed with almost any plant, but it will grow and look best with verbena, fuchsia, begonia or ageratum.
Landing Features
Seedlings grown at home will be ready for planting in the ground immediately after the last frost has stopped. TO street conditions it must be prepared in advance by taking containers with young plants to the balcony or garden for several hours.
The holes for planting balsams should be apart from each other at a distance of 25-30 cm. If the soil is not very nutritious, then peat, a little humus and sand are first added to each hole.
The seedlings are carefully removed from the pots, moved into the hole, covered with earthen mixture, watered and mulched. To get a wide bush, the top of the balsam can be pinched.
Watering and fertilizing
Impatiens love moist soils without stagnant water. The plant needs to be watered regularly and abundantly, otherwise its leaves will begin to curl up, fade, wither and crumble. Watering is done in the evening hours after sunset. On rainy days the plant is not watered.
In order for the bushes of “Vanka wet” to be strewn with flowers for a long time, wilted and faded flowers must be regularly removed.
How to get garden balsam seeds?
You can grow balsams from flowers grown in the garden from seeds you collect yourself. At the end of August, seeds ripen in juicy green boxes, which can be collected and stored until spring. Since a ripe capsule can easily burst when touched, it is recommended to collect seeds from unripe flowers.
Until full ripening, the boxes are laid out in a dry room. As soon as the seeds ripen and dry, they are placed in boxes or paper bags and stored at a temperature within 0-+10C.
Diseases and pests of balsam
Like every plant grown in open ground, balsams are susceptible to some diseases and pest attacks:
On garden plots Impatiens look best in group plantings. Single plants very effective in pots and containers. With their help, you can decorate even an uninhabited area, a boring balcony or a large loggia. Since planting and caring for balsam does not take much time, turning an ordinary flowerbed into a constantly blooming multi-colored flower garden will not be difficult.
Garden balsam
Garden balsam is a most interesting and easy to cultivate plant. Suitable for hanging baskets, flower beds, flowerpots, containers. As a greenhouse plant, it appeared in Europe and then migrated to Russia. A fragile, attractive flower appeared on the windows of our great-grandmothers back in the 19th century. They loved him for his unpretentiousness and brightness, and especially called him Ogonyok.
It was almost in bloom all year round, decorating modest window sills with embroidered curtains. And in Europe since the 16th century it has been one of the most popular indoor plants. In England they call him "Diligent Lisa" for the long and abundant flowering. Flowering walls are made from it. In the 20th century, many new hybrids and varieties of various colors and shapes appeared that attracted the attention of flower growers. Gorgeous flowering spherical bushes decorate personal plots all summer. And in the fall they move into houses and continue to delight their owners with flowering flowers.
Growing garden balsam from seeds at home
To obtain a large number of plants, propagation by seeds is recommended, although the characteristics of the mother plant are not always transmitted.
- Sowing is carried out in the spring, sprinkling the seeds with a thin layer of light fertile soil, placing the container in a warm, dark place until germination.
- When you see green sprouts, increase the light slightly by moving the container with the seedlings to the windowsill.
- Keep the soil moist, but do not allow the water to stagnate. There must be holes in the bottom of the container to drain excess moisture.
- Dive after 3 weeks in separate cups, pinching the tops for better branching and the formation of a compact bush. This occurs at the stage of appearance of the first two true leaves. To avoid damaging the roots and make the transplanting process less stressful, use a fork or toothpick.
- Before planting in flower beds, feed them every 2 weeks with seedling fertilizer. If you plan to plant in flower beds, first harden off your ‘impatiens’. You can take out boxes with seedlings for the day under the crowns of already blossoming trees, and take them home at night.
Ready seedlings are planted at the end of April, when it is already warm enough outside and there is no threat of frost. Before planting in the hole, cut off the central root by a third, so the lateral roots will begin to grow faster and they will be much stronger. Planting is done at a distance of 30-35 cm in the row so that the balsams can develop normally and not clog each other.
At the beginning of July, you can see the first flowers in your flowerbed, and new buds will form until the end of autumn.
Propagation by cuttings
Can be propagated by cuttings taken from April to October from side branches. To root, place them in a jar of water, tearing off the lower leaves. Then plant one at a time in pots filled with moist soil mixture; keep them in a window protected from too much light or cover the bowl with seedlings plastic film leaving a hole for ventilation. This will allow rooting to occur faster and reduce exposure to bright light. When the first signs of growth appear, the seedlings can be cared for as adult plants. Good branching is achieved by cutting off the tips of growing shoots. This stimulates lush flowering.
When will it end summer season, collect seeds from your favorite annual specimens. They are stored for 7 years. And perennial bushes can be transplanted into pots and brought into the house, using them later as mother plants.
In autumn and winter, admire the flowers, and with the onset of spring, cut cuttings and get new bushes. Or you can not bother with old plants, which by the end of the season lose their leaves below and look bare, but take cuttings from the bushes you like at the end of summer, rooting them.
Conditions for growing balsam in the garden
Balsam is ideal for this: minimal care is required, and the result cannot but cause admiration: the flowerbed is covered with a continuous flowering carpet.
All you need:
- After planting in the ground, do regular weeding and lightly loosening the top layer of soil to keep the flowerbed free of weeds and provide the plant roots with enough air.
- To enjoy all summer lush flowering, don’t be lazy to do it at least once every three weeks foliar feeding complex fertilizers. do not push on the nitrogenous ones, otherwise you will get the opposite effect: the bushes will become powerful, the green mass will actively develop, but flowering will be sparse.
- Hot days can be stressful for garden balsam, which is why it can even drop not only flowers, but also leaves. To avoid this annoying problem, be attentive to the problem and water every evening, but do not overdo it. It is enough to moisten the soil to a depth of 40 cm.
- If the balsam stretches out, it means there is not enough light for it. Choose places with partial shade so that the plants receive at least half a day sunbathing. Poor soils, especially heavy clay soils, can cause faded color and insufficient flowering. The problem can be solved simply: add rotted organic matter, preferably from a compost heap.
Growing balsam in a pot
Touch-me-not in blooms better, if grown in a small container filled with soil based on garden soil or peat, which should always be moist. The smaller the pot, the faster it blooms. In spring and summer, the plant is placed in a well-ventilated place in direct sunlight (except for the hottest hours), at a temperature of 18 degrees and above, best place- under the scattered canopy of trees.
You can only spray the leaves with water in the most extreme heat, because excess moisture can lead to fungal diseases. From May to September, add liquid complex fertilizer to the water for irrigation once a week. In the fall, the annual 'touch-me-not' is removed from the soil, and the perennial winter is kept in a greenhouse or on a cool veranda at a temperature of at least 13 degrees, reducing watering and fertilizing at this time. There is another name for this flower - “Vanka-wet” - we noticed that after watering, tiny droplets of sweetish moisture appear on the tips of its leaves.
Soil and watering
The soil for planting should be slightly acidic, not very nutritious, and fairly dense. Soil rich in organic matter can enhance the growth of green mass to the detriment of flowering; plants saturated with water are quite heavy and can fall out with their roots from a too loose substrate.
Water with settled or spring water without waiting for the top layer of soil to dry out. It is convenient to water by immersing in a large tray of water. The plant will take exactly as much liquid as it needs, and the remaining water is drained from the pan after some time.
Diseases and pests
Impatiens are resistant to diseases. However, excessive humidity, lack of light or excessive low temperature may contribute to the development of fungal diseases. Red mites are dangerous for these plants; they multiply under conditions of too dry air, which wears down the leaves; whiteflies that leave scratches on leaves; green aphid infecting young tender shoots. These pests are controlled using appropriate insecticides.
If you grow ‘Touch-me-not’ outside and plan to move it home in the fall, also treat the flower before doing so to avoid picking up insects from the street.
Peculiarities. This plant is known folk medicine. It is used to treat ulcers, hemorrhoids, and attacks of rheumatism. The fleshy leaves are rich in flavonoids and alkaloids, as well as ascorbic acids. Previously, they placed it on bedroom windows, believing that ‘Touchy’ has a positive effect on male strength. ‘Vanka-wet’ is endowed with mysterious qualities. They believed that if your Vanka is luxurious and magnificent, then peace and mutual understanding reign in the family. And suddenly withered, it indicated problems with its owners. Even under its influence, the mood of household members improves, a desire for creativity appears, and the perception of the world improves. Helps entrepreneurs accept correct solution. In general, whatever one may say, there are advantages on all sides. This is such a wonderful plant ‘Vanka-wet’.
Popular types and varieties of balsam
The genus includes more than 500 species of annual and perennial species, which are especially valued for their bright, abundant flowering throughout the summer. All types of balsams grow quickly and resist diseases well. They have a juicy and strong stem up to 50 cm high, green and reddish-brown oval-lanceolate serrated leaves, flowers simple or in the form of miniature roses. ‘Balms’ are perennial and annual.
Hawker's Impatiens hawkeri
Comes from New Guinea. A flower with purple, green and red-veined leaves. Elliptical leaves with a waxy coating and beige streaks. The flowers are multi-colored with white centers.
From Sri Lanka, with fleshy stems, green leaves and large white to pink or red flowers.
This creeping plant with slow growth has creeping brown-red shoots and golden-yellow flowers with a spur. It is used as a ground cover. Planted in a pot it looks soaring because... the stems are kept parallel to the surface and do not droop. It is still not very widespread in our country.
Hybrids of the species Impatiens walleriana or Waller's Impatiens
Originally from the tropics of East Africa, they have different colors: ‘Arabesque’ with white transition to pink petals and bronze-green foliage with brown and yellow veins; ‘Supernova’ with pinkish-to-red flowers; ‘Pink Star’ – red with a white rim. A spherical bush about 20 cm high. The most common of all, many modern hybrids originated from it.
The most famous species is Impatiens balsamina or Impatiens balsamina.
Impatiens balsamina or Impatiens balsamina photo
The annual, native to Eastern India, is grown not only in flower beds, but also in vegetable gardens for its edible inflorescences (pink, red, white), which add a special bouquet to summer salads.
Impatiens balsamina or Impatiens balsamina in the photo
There is forest balsam - an annual, herbaceous, poisonous plant, up to 1 m high. It has oblong leaves and yellowish flowers. The seeds are in oval-shaped boxes; when ripe they crack and the seeds are scattered throughout the area.
Garden balsam, is it annual or perennial? herbaceous plant Balsam family. The flower's homeland is the tropics and subtropics of Africa, India, and Asia. It also grows in New Guinea and Ceylon. Some species can be found in Central Asia, Europe, and America. It was brought to Europe at the end of the 16th century. Today he is one of popular plants from flower growers.
Impatiens belongs to long-flowering plants of spherical or pyramidal shape. Plant heights range from 20 to 70 centimeters (wild varieties reach 2 meters). The bush is erect. The stems are brittle at the nodes, branched, smooth and succulent.
The plant is densely leafed. The length of the leaves is from 8 to 12 centimeters. The shape is oval or lance-shaped. The location is alternate. The leaves are fleshy, the edges are pointed and jagged. Color ranges from purple-bronze to green.
The flowers are irregular in shape, large, sessile, located in the axils of the leaves. Color red, white, pink, purple. Hybrid plants have multi-colored leaves and double flowers of various colors (13 shades), except yellow and blue.
Impatiens bloom lasts from early summer (late spring) to mid-autumn.
After flowering, fruits form Green colour. The fruit is an oblong polysperm with 5 chambers. When the fruit ripens, a dry, elongated capsule with small seeds is formed. There are about 100 brown-brown seeds in one gram. Germination planting material lasts for 8 years.
When touched, the fruits open sharply, 5 flaps swing open and curl. The seeds scatter two meters around. Because of this feature, the plant is popularly called Impatiens; in addition, other names are known, for example, Vanka wet, Ogonyok.
More than 500 types of balsam are found in nature. About 15 species are used in floriculture.
There are 3 main groups:
- Traditional species with pink, white, red flowers, green foliage, succulent spreading stems.
- Compact, medium-sized hybrids (F1) with a mass of flowers in white, red, lilac, pink, orange.
- New Guinea variegated hybrids.
Among the types of balsam there are variegated, double, and single-colored plants. Double flowers are divided into carnation-shaped, rose-shaped, and camellia-shaped.
According to the growth form, balsam is divided into bush, ampelous, and erect types.
There are low-branching plants up to 40 centimeters high (bouquet-bush). The flowers rise above the leaves and form a unique bouquet.
The dwarf (low-branching) form grows up to 25 centimeters.
For growing in the garden the best views balsam are: Waller's balsam, Ampelny, Tom tumb, Camellia, New Guinea, Terry, Room.
This is a medium-sized, perennial plant. It includes a large number of hybrids. In the garden the flower is grown as an annual.
The bush is compact, grows up to 30 centimeters (in room conditions up to 60 centimeters). Bush with a spherical, lush crown. Stems are highly branched, bare, succulent.
The leaves are thin, bright, shiny, reddish-bronze or dark green. The petiole is long and grips the plate. The plate is broadly oval or ovoid-diamond-shaped with a wide wedge-shaped base (length about 5 centimeters) and a pointed apex. The edge is dense.
The flowers are distributed at the ends of the stems, quite large, double or simple, solitary. Color ranges from white to purple flowers, there are two-color ones. The plant is adapted to growing in the shade.
Impeller balsam
It is a ground cover plant. The height reaches 80 centimeters. Bush with a large number of shoots, compact. The flowers are large, 6 centimeters in diameter, numerous, varied in color. It is grown in garden plots, under trees in partial shade, in flower beds and borders. In indoor conditions it blooms all year round.
Has a vigorously growing bush. Plant height 25 centimeters. The leaves are tender, there are many of them on the bush. The flowers are large, up to 5 centimeters in diameter, double. Suitable for decorating flower beds, lawns, flower beds, outdoor vases.
It is distinguished by double, large flowers. IN favorable conditions the plant grows up to 1 meter. Often planted in mixborders or the back of flower beds. Grown by seedlings. Afraid of frost.
An annual hybrid, it grows at home as a perennial. The species includes single or semi-double tall varieties (up to 1 meter) with large flowers of white, red, lilac, and pink.
The bushes are compact. The stems are fleshy, strong, up to 30 centimeters long. Leaves range from bright, rich green to bronze flowers. The middle of the plate is yellow. Sometimes the leaves are variegated. Flowers of various colors, large, up to 8 centimeters in diameter.
These hybrids are heat- and light-loving and drought-resistant. Flowers have the property of continuous flowering.
The terry species reaches 25 centimeters in height. Flowers are 4 centimeters in diameter, bicolor (red and white). Flowers are decorative. Propagated by seeds and cuttings.
Indoor balsam is grown on a windowsill, in a greenhouse, or in a flower bed. Blooms all year round. Height up to 60 centimeters. The flowers are bright. When planted in the ground, the bush grows into a lush bush.
Popular varieties:
Kin Kong- low abundantly flowering variety, reaching 30 centimeters in height, with large bright and colorful flowers with a diameter of 6 centimeters;
Super Elfin grows up to 25 centimeters in height. The color range includes 13 shades; 
Has double, semi-double flowers; 
Variety Symphony homogeneous, compact, no more than 20 centimeters high. The flowers are large, bright, of various shades;
Fiesta- these are perennial plants with decorative double flowers different colors, there are variegated varieties;
The Kandy group includes 17 varieties with simple and semi-double flowers.
You can also note: Baby Bush, Java, Harmony, Mini Gini, Tango.
Impatiens blooms from early summer to mid-autumn, but dies when temperatures drop sharply.
Seeds are sown in late March - early April (depending on the region).
When sowing from mid-February - early March, the seedlings are additionally illuminated and planted in the garden in greenhouses. After the air warms up, the cover is removed.
Ampelous varieties are planted in late March - early April.
In the greenhouse and greenhouse, seeds are sown in mid-April.
In the spring, to accelerate flower growth and early flowering, balsam is sown at home.
To grow seedlings, take a wide container with drainage holes at the bottom. You can use planting cassettes or pots with a diameter of 7 centimeters. The bottom of any container is filled with a layer of fine vermiculite or expanded clay.
After spreading the seeds on the surface, they are sprinkled with earth or buried a few millimeters. Deeper planting can lead to a complete absence of seedlings.
Preparing soil and seeds
The soil for growing balsam seedlings should be slightly acidic, nutritious and moderately loose. The substrate can be purchased at finished form or make it from turf soil, peat, sand, perlite. All components are taken in equal parts. The mixture is mixed and treated with a fungicide against any fungal diseases.
Seeds are additionally processed before sowing. They need to be placed in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for 20 minutes. Then the seeds are soaked for several hours in warm water with the addition of a growth stimulant. Then they are washed and dried on a napkin.
Seeds are sown on the surface of moist soil at intervals of 3 centimeters from each other. For ease of sowing, use a moistened toothpick.
When sowing in cassettes, one seed goes into each container.
The seeds are sprinkled with a thin layer of soil, everything is sprayed with a spray bottle. The container is covered with film or glass. The temperature under the glass should be 22-24 degrees.
The container with the seeds is placed on the windowsill.
Direct sunlight should be avoided when growing!
Shoots appear in 1.5-2.5 weeks. Some varieties may germinate faster. After pipping the seeds, the temperature decreases by 2 degrees.
For better growth for seeds is provided additional lighting fluorescent lamp. Daylight hours should be at least 12 hours a day.
Provided for seedlings good ventilation. Twice a day, the film (glass) is removed for 10 minutes. As the seedlings grow, the interval between removing the cover is reduced until the film (glass) is completely removed.
Watering is done in a tray, this avoids waterlogging of the soil. Excess water is drained from the pan. When watering into a container, water should be poured along the edges of the container.
After the appearance of 5-7 main leaves, the plants are planted in separate pots. To make the bush fuller, you can pinch the top.
Before transplanting into the ground, plants in pots are placed outside for a day. Fresh air for acclimatization. When the soil warms up and there are no frosts, the plants can be replanted.
Balsam can be planted in open ground after spring frosts have passed.
Impatiens loves well-lit areas. During the day, light partial shade should be created for the flower. The leaves of the plant are tender and may suffer from heat. In the shade, the flowers become smaller and the bush becomes longer.
Holes are prepared for planting. The gap between the bushes should be from 20 to 60 centimeters (depending on the size of the adult plant). Complex fertilizers are added to the hole along with the soil.
For better removal from the pot, the plants are watered. Exposed roots straighten out. If there is a clod of earth, the soil is not shaken off.
The seedlings are buried down to the cotyledon leaves. The remaining space in the hole is filled with substrate and pressed down. After planting, the plants are watered. The ground around the seedlings is mulched.
Summer care consists of loosening after each watering, removing weed and feeding.
To get rid of weeds and preserve moisture, the areas around the plants are mulched with sawdust and peat.
Loosening is carried out to a depth of 1.5 centimeters. With this loosening, air easily passes to the roots of the plant. The roots are not exposed.
Impatiens is a moisture-loving flower and soil for good growth should not dry out, but in turn, waterlogging is also unacceptable. The water should be settled and soft.
Fertilizing is applied twice a month, starting from planting until autumn. Any complex, weakly concentrated fertilizer is suitable for feeding.
During flowering, nitrogen-containing fertilizers should not be applied! It is best to take potassium-phosphorus supplements during this period.
For the winter, garden balsam can be dug up and planted in a pot, and in the spring it can be planted again in the flower garden. At the same time, the bush will grow and with the help of petioles it can be propagated.
Impatiens are susceptible to aphids, whiteflies and spider mites.
Spider mites appear when elevated temperature air and dry air. Pinkish spots appear on the leaves. If the damage is minor, the plants can be sprayed with a solution laundry soap. Insecticides are used to control any pests.
If infested with aphids, you can use tobacco dust. The plant and the soil around it are dusted.
For whiteflies, you can additionally prepare sticky traps. In this case, spraying with protective drugs is carried out once a week.
Plant at high humidity and low temperatures can be affected by gray rot. Gray spots appear on the surface, leaves fall off, inflorescences become covered with plaque, and a characteristic putrid odor appears.
If rot appears, the plant or affected area is removed. The cut is processed crushed charcoal. After which spraying is carried out copper sulfate, Barrier, Barrier or other fungicidal drugs.
In addition to gray rot, mosaic virus, bacteriosis, and powdery mildew may appear on the plant. Insecticides are used to prevent the disease. For the fight, Bordeaux mixture is used.
To prevent damage by insects and diseases when planting, you need not to thicken the plants and monitor the cleanliness of the flower garden.
To collect seeds, you must first prepare and bring a bag to the box and only then touch the achene.
Instead of this method, you can collect the seeds along with ripe capsules early in the morning. This procedure requires precision and skill. The bolls are carefully pinched with your fingers and torn away from the peduncle. The picked achenes are rubbed between the fingers, and the contents are poured out to dry.
The seeds are dried on a saucer and scattered into paper bags. At proper storage germination lasts up to 8 years.
Impatiens: cultivation and care: video
Balsam when planting seedling method blooms throughout the summer and half of autumn and delights with its beautiful, velvety flowers.
