Impatiens & SunPatiens tutorial. Updated SPRING 2022

[gray cat]

I am late in planting them, but it is because we drained & cleaned the pond. We removed a very large & heavy Umbrella Palm too. Just it's roots weighted about 75 pounds.
I have had some questions on how I plant my Impatiens so I thought I would just show some pics. It is very simple to do.
I have always used the ones you buy in the 6 pack.
This year I thought I would try Double Impatiens. I also used some from the 6 pack too.

1) Make or find some pockets or areas where you can put the plants in your stream or pond.
2) Gently wash most of the dirt from their roots.
3) Put the plants roots in water. Just cover the roots only, and try to leave the leaves out of the water.
4) Put a small rock on top of the roots to hold the plant down. Or wedge the plant between two rocks.
5) Step back & watch the Impatiens grow. They may wilt down a little in evening full sun, but once the sun goes down, they will bounce right back up.

Beautiful blooms that you never need to water.....
Mine are very small now but they grow very fast.
I hope the pics helps answer some qustions on how to plant the Impatiens.
Give it a try. I think you will like it.

[Joey S]

Love those impatiens...I now have a few spots in my stream to the water garden that would be good for them.

[gray cat]

Thanks Joey! Give it a try. I think you will like it. They will grow very large. But at the end of your season, they are not hard to take out.

At first you think they are growing slowly, but then all at once they will take off & start growing. Mine get about 2 to 3 ft. round. That is one little plant in a six pack.

My Impatiens are a real pain planted in pots or the ground. They need to much shade & water. But in the pond or stream, I plant them and that is it. No watering & the sun is OK because they are in water.

It is a very easy way to have beautiful blooms all season. For me that is April thru the middle of Nov.

[SouthernStarr]

I love the 2 color double impatiens. I love all impatiens, but as you said, in pots you have to keep them in shade and constantly watered. Your stream is always so beautiful

[sworley]

Your impatiens are so beautiful, Nancy! I plan to use your technique when I do my stream. I love the look and have used that last photo you posted as my desktop - gorgeous color and flowers! What kind of ornamental grass is that beside the impatiens? Is it liriope? I have a ton of that and wonder if it would work planted bare-rooted like that?

[Skye]

I put impatiens in my stream last year, and was surprised how well they did, even in full sun. It was your picture, the one with the waterfall, impatiens, and the water lily, that convinced me to give it a try. I had seen it somewhere before, and the effect was gorgeous. I'll be planting some more this year.

[Susan Reed]

pictures are good but to see her pond in person is just breathtaking!

[tnovak]

Gorgeous!!!!!!! Mine didn't do well last year, hopefully this year will be different!

[dzs1945]

Absolutely beautiful!!

[KatR]

If I had a stream I'd be doing the same thing. Great pic tutorial on how to plant them.

[gray cat]

Your impatiens are so beautiful, Nancy! I plan to use your technique when I do my stream. I love the look and have used that last photo you posted as my desktop - gorgeous color and flowers! What kind of ornamental grass is that beside the impatiens? Is it liriope? I have a ton of that and wonder if it would work planted bare-rooted like that?

Thank you!
Yes it is liriope. I planted it the same way, bare root. It will stay green all winter too.


Thanks everyone for your nice words.

[gander]

I stared to buy some of the mini Impatiens today but decided against it. Almost did not have enough room anyway.

[sworley]

Thank you!
Yes it is liriope. I planted it the same way, bare root. It will stay green all winter too.


Thanks everyone for your nice words.

You're welcome and thank YOU for the info! I'm going to use some varigated as well as the solid green liriope. It seems to thrive around here and I have a lot to spare. I might cover the "hill sides" of the stream with it as it might help stabilize the soil some, too.

[gray cat]

I stared to buy some of the mini Impatiens today but decided against it. Almost did not have enough room anyway.

I have never had the Mini Impatiens. Have you grown them before?
Do they take more sun? I have heard that their limbs are more branch like, like a tree.

[kitfoxdrvr]

I got some of the "Sunny Lady" Impatiens seeds from Parks this year and plan to try them in the streams. They are just getting their second set of true leaves, so it will be a while longer before they go out. I planted them in the small Jiffy peat pellets (the ones in netting), so I figure I will just stick them whole into the gravel and see what happens. My streams are in full sun all day, so I figured these would be good in the pond AND in some of my sunny beds-we'll see!

Steve

[Cyberous]

Looks really nice!

[Joey S]

OK, I planted a couple. Will put some of Kat's grassy stuff in there, too. Wish me luck...I don't think I have a very good green thumb.

[vipldy]

Looks just beautiful I love Impatiens to..They really put on a show later in the season here..

[gray cat]

OK, I planted a couple. Will put some of Kat's grassy stuff in there, too. Wish me luck...I don't think I have a very good green thumb.

Good luck Lois. I think they will do just fine. We need pics to see.....

[zack67360]

I am rebuilding my pond and waterfall and was wanting some kind of plants to place in the waterfall. It will not be a 'rushing' waterfall like my last one. DW said it was too noisey. This one will be a gentle cascade over a span of approx. 6' of native sandstone rock. I am going to try and have little nooks to put plants back into the rock in the waterfall face itself, and some rock "holes" at the base that will hopefully hold enough water to feed the roots of some plants.
The impatients are beautiful and believe the wife will love them if they will grow in the gentle flow of water.

zack