Impatiens plants are great bedding and container flowers that ought to bloom reliably all summer long. They’re an old standby for bright, full color. That’s why it can be especially frustrating if your plants stop blooming or never even start. Keep reading to learn more about why impatiens won’t bloom.
Why Won’t My Impatiens Bloom?
Of all the possible reasons impatiens are not blooming, one of the most common is improper sun exposure. Impatiens plants bloom best with some shade, a requirement that often leads to misunderstanding. While some impatiens bloom well in full shade, for the most part they’ll perform better with at least some sun. On the other hand, too much sun will cut down on blooming, too. Avoid planting your impatiens in full sun. If you have them in full shade and they’re not blooming well, try moving them to a spot that gets a few hours of good afternoon sun exposure. Another common cause of no flowers on impatiens is improper watering. If the roots of impatiens plants get waterlogged, the flowers will tend to drop off and the foliage will take on a red tinge. If you see this, cut back on your watering. Don’t cut back too far, though. You never want your soil to dry out completely. If your impatiens won’t bloom, it may also be due to over fertilization. A lot of fertilizers are high in nitrogen, which is great for foliage growth but bad for flower production. If you’ve been fertilizing heavily with nitrogen, stop feeding and give the plant a chance to balance its nutrients back out. Overzealous pruning may also be the cause for an impatiens with no flowers. Impatiens plants benefit from deadheading, but if you’re cutting back whole stems, you might accidentally be removing flower buds before they get a chance to open. On the other hand, if your impatiens plant is long and leggy and you don’t see lots of buds, pruning the stems back is actually a good option for encouraging new, bushier growth with new blossoms.
-
Best Gifts For Gardeners: 25 Thoughtful Ideas To Delight Green Thumbs For Christmas 2024Treat that special gardener in your life to a gift they'll cherish over the holiday season and for many years to come, with our expertly curated selection.
-
Try These 5 Types Of Spruce Trees – Easy Ways To Add Evergreen Beauty To Every GardenYou might not have the largest yard or plot, but that doesn’t mean you can’t grow the mighty spruce. These 5 types of spruce trees are very adaptable to different spaces
-
Velvetea Impatiens Care: Tips For Growing Velvet Love ImpatiensImpatiens are a staple annual flower for many gardeners. These flowers do well in partial shade and come in a variety of colors. If you enjoy regular impatiens, give the Velvet Love impatiens variety a try. To learn more, click the following article.
-
Cutting Back Impatiens: Learn About Pruning Impatiens PlantsImpatiens are perfect for filling in those shady areas of beds and the yard where other plants just don’t thrive. They add color and cheer, but impatiens can also become leggy, showing off more stems that blooms. Learn how to cut back impatiens plants in this article.
-
Impatiens Water Needs – Learn How To Water Impatiens PlantsBecause of their preference to grow in partial, afternoon, and/or filtered shade, many impatiens’ water needs are different from sun-loving plants. Learn how to water impatiens correctly in this article. Click here for more information.
-
Houseplant Impatiens: How To Keep Indoor Impatiens PlantsReadily available in garden centers and at plant nurseries, impatiens are easy to find flowering plants thrive in shady locations. Due to this, impatiens are also excellent candidates for container culture indoors throughout the winter. Click here to learn more.
-
What Is Impatiens Arguta – Tips For Growing Upright Impatiens PlantsWhen you hear someone mention impatiens, you probably picture the shade-loving bedding plants or New Guinea types. Toss those pictures out the window because the new, rare varieties of Impatiens arguta are like no impatiens you've ever seen before. Learn more here.
-
Seed Propagating New Guinea Impatiens – Can You Grow New Guinea Impatiens From SeedsOne annual favorite that can be quite pricey because of its bright flowers and variegated foliage is New Guinea impatiens. No doubt many of us have considered growing these higher-priced plants by seed. Can you grow New Guinea impatiens from seed? Find out here.
-
What Are Sunpatiens: How To Plant Sunpatiens In Garden BedsSunpatiens is a relatively new impatiens hybrid that thrives in full sun and hot, humid weather, greatly expanding the area in which gardeners can spread impatiens color. Click here for information on how to plant sunpatiens and sunpatiens plant care.
-
Impatiens Plant Companions – What To Plant With Impatiens In The GardenImpatiens attract beneficial insects. As companion plants, the dense foliage of impatiens can keep the soil moist and cool for its companions. Learn more about what to grow alongside impatiens plants using the information from this article.
