Impatiens
by Pam H
+6
Does it look like next year's impatiens will be infected again with a fungus?
6 answers
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Yes. It is not the nurseries that is spreading the disease. The disease is a mildew that is spread by spores which gets in the soil and is spread by animals, weather, and humans (easiest way to explain). Right now to rid any place of it involves sprays and chemicals which are not cheap and there are no guarantees because if the spores travel on the wildlife, you could end up with it back in your yard from the neighbor down the road because they did not treat for it. There are other plants you can use and other impatiens that you can replace to use. I know, it is not the same ( I love impatiens in my planters with my hostas) but hopefully mother nature will take care of this and we can have our impatiens back.
![The Garden Frog with C Renee]()
The Garden Frog with C Renee
on Sep 18, 2013
- See 1 previous
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The good news is that the disease seems to have been less widespread this year than last. The bad news is that it now seems to be affecting balsam as well. Impatiens downy mildew is going to be a fact of life for gardeners for some time in the future.
![Douglas Hunt]()
Douglas Hunt
on Sep 18, 2013
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I think the New Guinea impatiens are far less susceptible though.
![Stephen Andrew]()
Stephen Andrew
on Sep 18, 2013
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Is it bad enough to not plant them next spring? I do mass planting of impatiens and would hate to lose them!
![Pam H]()
Pam H
on Sep 18, 2013
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I just learned of this problem a month ago; we have not had the mildew in Wisconsin, yet. Don't know what I would plant if I couldn't use impatiens. You can't beat the mass of solid color all summer. I plant 700 plants each year and haven't found a critter or disease that bothers them, so far. Love the fact that I don't have to deadhead!!
![Linda Smith]()
Linda Smith
on Sep 21, 2013
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Renee, no, I didn't want to chance 15 flats so I used vincas, which can't even come close to impatiens! I really missed the beauty of them this year. Everyone thinks that I have the soil mounded in the center of the beds because the impatiens would get 3 feet tall and all flowers-I literally would use a yard stick to prove there wasn't any dirt...just all flowers!
![Pam H]()
Pam H
on Sep 21, 2013
The Garden Frog with C Renee
on Sep 18, 2013
Douglas Hunt
on Sep 18, 2013
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