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joannemb

Impatiens dropping buds and yellowing leaves

joannemb
12 years ago

I posted this in the impatiens forum, but not much traffic there, so here's another go:

I have several double impatiens in planters on my front porch. Partially covered, gets sun from 8-12. I had new guineas there last year and they did fine until they got spider mites (I realized it 1/2 way through the summer---pretty late)

Blooms are dropping prematurely (see pic 1) and buds are browning (see pic 2.) A couple of leaves have turned yellow (see pic 3.) We have had a ton of rain, and they do get wet... but I've been watering since the soil ends up just being slightly damp. Do double impatiens like to dry out before being watered? Maybe I'm over watering?

Maybe too much sun?

They are clearly under some stress...they're growing but not a ton and have been planted for 3 weeks.

I noticed when I picked up some dropped flowers from the dirt below that a poweder dusted up into the air when I picked them up. Could they have a fungus from all the rain? My hydrangeas (in pots on the same porch) had that purple/red spot fungus last week. I sprayed them with some sulphur and it did the trick.

Today I noticed some webbing.... I thought it would be way to wet for spider mites yet (we have had rain almost every day for the past month) but who knows?

I sprayed with an organic 3 in one (fungus, mites, etc.)

Any thoughts?

Pic 1

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w268/josielovesdan/Doubleimpatiens1.jpg

Pic 2

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w268/josielovesdan/Doubleimpatiens2.jpg

Pic 3

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w268/josielovesdan/Doubleimpatiens3.jpg

Comments (10)

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    12 years ago

    rain every day for a month.. plus you are watering ... they are not water garden plants ...

    they probably need to dry out ...

    now.. please practice this.. go to photobucket.. copy the HTML code.. place it here where you type.. hit preview.. if you see the pic.. we will see the pic ...

    move the planter somewhere where it will be insured of no additional rain .. and do not water again.. until the soil drys to the second knuckle of your finger ......

    also.. with the rain.. i bet its been a bit cool for impatiens .... so lots of water.. and cool growth temps is not a happy combo ........ root rots are a big possibility ... but wouldnt it be cheaper and safer.. to just go buy some new ones.. rather than starting a nuclear program of sprays???? .. regardless... give them a few weeks ...

    transplant shock might still be going on also..

    ken

  • tepelus
    12 years ago

    Try the link I provided and see if this may describe what you have.

    Karen

    Here is a link that might be useful: Botrytis

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    12 years ago

    note at the link above.. that Control the Environment is the first remedy ...

    Sanitation is the second ...

    and THEN suggested chemicals ...

    in my world.. as warped as it is .... a few dollars worth of impatiens is not worth chemical warfare ... orgainc or otherwise ....

    just go buy some new ones .... and put in new soil .. wait.. is this old potting media .... if so .. then remedy 2 suggests that MAYBE you wintered over the pathogen in old soil ....

    GOOD LUCK!!!!!

    ken

  • joannemb
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Thank you for all of the suggestions..... I should have mentioned that there are 3 6 ft. planters on my porch, so there are a total of close to 30 plants (about $100.00 worth.) I will absolutely move them back so they cannot get any more rain, and will ease up on the watering.

    Interesting you mentioned old potting soil....

    These 3 large planters I have are wooden and on my porch. Inside I have liners that I lift out and plant tulips in for Spring flowers, then remove them and plant summer annuals.
    So the soil was bought brand new last fall, I planted and overwintered tulips in the garage (since they would freeze above gound in the planters.) They bloomed this Spring, I lifted them out and planted the impatiens. Did the same thing last year and had problems with spider mites.... hmm.......Lord, it's a lot of soil to dump out though just so I can have tulips every year. Might be enough to say screw the the tulips next year and start with fresh soil in the summer for the annuals.

  • joannemb
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    An update....Things are better. I sprayed with a 3 in one fungal/insect spray, and let them dry out. I am now watering deeply every 5 days or so, and that has helped. Seeing much less yellow leaves, and MUCH less dropping. Overall the plant is kind of droopy--flowers and leaves both drooping (even after watering) so I'm wondering if there is too much sun in this area. Faces east and gets morning sun (8-12)

  • revoltman
    9 years ago

    Mild dew disease ?
    Even I am facing the same problem.

  • sue
    8 years ago

    I found that if I buy impatiens when they are really blooming and its early in the season, once I get them home and out of their original environment (greenhouse) most of them drop all their flowers and buds. this has happened to me numerous times. If you've had them for quite awhile and not just purchased them, then I'm not sure what the problem it is.

  • purslanegarden
    8 years ago

    I have now began to prefer flowers from the store that is not in heavy bloom (even better if it has lots of buds, so I know it's just about to bloom if they don't fall off, and I can enjoy the blooms at home for longer).

    The other thing with plants like impatiens is that I will try to choose a pot with some particularly good branches which I can immediately replant into other pots or in-ground right away. That helps to reduce the plant size in case of any new stress but also gives the plant an opportunity to grow fuller in a few weeks after having been clipped slightly.


  • sue
    8 years ago

    Once all those buds and flowers fall off prematurely, it takes forever for them to bloom again. NOT good! Get the ones that aren't blooming yet and you will be further ahead.