buds on impatiens

[liz49]

Something is nibbling off the buds of my impatiens plants before they flower. Otherwise, the plants look healthy--leaves are green, not too leggy. I've looked the plants over but don't see anything--no obvious bugs or the like--there is some spider-webby type stuff on the rocks that edge the bed where they're planted, but no webby stuff on the plants themselves. Any ideas what might be causing this? I always that Impatiens were easy to grow, but every year I have some sort of problem.

[liz49]

Something is nibbling off the buds of my impatiens plants before they flower. Otherwise, the plants look healthy--leaves are green, not too leggy. I've looked the plants over but don't see anything--no obvious bugs or the like--there is some spider-webby type stuff on the rocks that edge the bed where they're planted, but no webby stuff on the plants themselves. Any ideas what might be causing this? I always thought that Impatiens were easy to grow, but every year I have some sort of problem.

[B & J]

Did you plant them in full sun? Many impatiens varieties do not like sun, particularly the double varieties, although there are a number of single varieties that handle sunlight quite well. I had a double variety that did well in shade but had the buds dry up and fell off in sunlight. Unfortunately, if you purchase plants, growers seldom label the best location for the different varieties unless they are labeled with such names 'sunny lady' or 'shady lady'. The best way to get a variety for your specific growing condition is to purchase and start you own seeds.

Impatiens also like to be kept evenly moist at all times. If they are allowed to get too dry, they will often drop their buds.

Just some thoughts.... JPS

[Jenny]

I had the exact opposite experience. I had no luck at all raising double impatiens in a shady corner of my garden. Someone at a garden center told me they needed more light, so I moved a near-moribund plant to a mostly sun location and it is now completely covered with flowers.