Beacon® impatiens in the garden

Caring for your impatiens

Impatiens are an easy-to-grow plant for beginner gardeners, and they make a highly colorful impression in your outdoor spaces. If it's your first time planting impatiens, here are a few important tips to keep in mind.

How to plant

For decorative planters, baskets and window boxes, you’ll need 3 to 5 plants of your favorite Beacon® Impatiens colors for a lush 10- to 12-inch basket. Add more plants as your container sizes increase. Or create an amazing color combo in a large 20-inch flowerpot or barrel. Arrange 3 to 5 impatiens plus 2 or more complementary shade-tolerant plants for larger-size containers.

Spacing is important for impatiens, as it can influence their height. Aim for 8 to 10 inches apart in your garden bed for best performance. Avoid crowding your plants. Better to have room for your Beacon® Impatiens to grow and thrive in their shady space to really show off their long-lasting colors. Planting closer together results in taller growth, with Beacon® Impatiens reaching heights of 14 to 18 inches.

As a final step, you can spread mulch around the base of your plants to help retain moisture, suppress weeds, and regulate soil temperature. Mulch can make your garden beds more visually appealing, and it helps keep your plants nice and moist, especially underneath trees.

How much water

When it comes to keeping your Beacon® Impatiens hydrated, the key is a good balance. While impatiens prefer a slightly drier soil environment, they do require at least 2 inches of water per week in garden beds. Daily watering in the summer might be necessary for impatiens planted in containers or window boxes, which tend to dry out quicker.

To check to see if your flowers need watering, stick your finger about 2 inches into the soil near your plants’ roots. If you feel wetness at the end of your finger, your plants are properly hydrated, and you can wait until the next watering. Monitor your baskets, patio pots and window boxes often and watch for any stages of wilt or soil dryness.

If the soil is dry, give the container a deep soak at the base of the plant – not directly on the flower petals. You want those bright blooms to stand up and shine! On the other hand, avoid overwatering your plants to prevent waterlogged roots, which impedes growth.

Beacon® Impatiens are light feeders; they don’t need a lot nor very frequent fertilization. Impatiens are very “elastic” plants – this means they respond quickly to water and fertilization. However, high amounts of moisture and fertilizer causes them to grow fast and put on many leaves but not a lot of flowers. When impatiens are grown on the drier side with lower amount of fertilizer, the plants will flower more.

How much sun

Ensure you select a shaded area for your Beacon® Impatiens. This is less than 4 hours of direct sunlight throughout the day. A partial shade location can suffice if your area receives morning sunlight followed by shade for the rest of the day during spring and summer.

How to enjoy

Beacon® Impatiens are great choices for large shade gardenswhere you have lots of open space to create a sweeping landscape. Rows of color or complementing hues could make for an impressive garden show!

If you have smaller space, create a color combo in a decorative container featuring Beacon® Impatiens. With different pot sizes, you can mix and match an assortment of impatiens and other shade-tolerant flowers for a peaceful and stylish retreat.

Have a lot of trees? Place Beacon® Impatiens under that dry shade area to create a classic inviting design that highlights a usually ignored area of your yard. Impatiens can fill darker spaces with the color you crave.

And if you’re in a townhome or urban high rise, Beacon® Impatiens look and perform wonderfully between buildings or on shade balconies. These blooms won’t let you down!

By following these gardener-friendly tips, you'll soon enjoy vibrant, long-lasting blooms that illuminate your shaded garden. Read our Beacon® Impatiens blog to learn more ways to create a colorful shade garden that will last through the season.