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Would you recommend New Guinea impatiens as bedding and container plants?

IlikeplantsIlikeplants Posts: 894
in Plants
I’ve never grown these before so looking for views.

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  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 10,305
    Yes they're lovely but a lot more expensive then the old busy-lizzies I used to grow.
    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • IlikeplantsIlikeplants Posts: 894
    I remember busy lizzies from school window ledges, not an outdoor plant. Also I think impatiens are fussy because you have to deadhead them and keep them out of string sun?
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 10,305
    I used to grow loads of busy-lizzies in the garden, and in pots and planters outside where they were very happy in sun or shade throughout the summer months.
    They don't need dead-heading either - the flowers just drop.
    When they succumbed to some mildew related problem I tried the New Guinea varieties with bigger shiny leaves and more vibrant colours. They worked well in the same situations, but cost about 5x more than busy-lizzies and were a bit too showy for my liking.
    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • IlikeplantsIlikeplants Posts: 894
    @Pete.8 I think the leaves are too big for me. They seem more leaves than flowers so I’m going to go against them for now.
    looking out for the mini bells plants instead.
  • Chris-P-BaconChris-P-Bacon Posts: 943
    Ilikeplants said:
    I’ve never grown these before so looking for views.
    Yes, they're fine in containers.
  • Mrs-B3-Southampton,-HantsMrs-B3-Southampton,-Hants Posts: 574
    Mine were lovely, really liked them.
    Southampton 
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 10,305
    I grow calibrachoa now instead of busy lizzies. They drop flowers so no need to dead head and they're happy trailing over containers/baskets etc.
    Only thing is they like lots of sun
    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • IlikeplantsIlikeplants Posts: 894
    Yes that’s what the plants I’m hoping to find - calibrachoa, for the reasons you mentioned. Will see if I find them easily.

    impatiens will have to wait until cheaper.
  • cats_and_dogscats_and_dogs Posts: 71
    I can only grow calibrachoa in hanging baskets to avoid slug and snail damage, slugs got to all my calibrachoas last summer and I was left with nothing but long stems with no leaves. 

    I have an east facing garden, one border is very sunny and one border is in shade most of the day. New Guinea impatients do really well in the shady border whereas most other annuals seem to prefer the sunny border. Cosmos is my sunny border favorite, cheap and easy to grow from seed.
  • IlikeplantsIlikeplants Posts: 894
    Good to know about the slug threat @cats_and_dogs I need new annual seeds I 🤔 
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