Garden balsam - bright colorful flower beds: features of cultivation and care. Balsam: growing from seeds at home Balsam where to plant

Impatiens are now rightfully included in the list of the most popular, attractive and long-flowering plants that grow successfully in the house and garden.

Among several types of balsam, which are often used in indoor floriculture and landscape design, Waller's balsam, or Waller's balsam (Impatiens walleriana), is very popular among gardeners. By nature, it is a very heat-loving perennial, and in regions with cold winters it is grown as an annual.

Modern selection of balsams, in demand by flower growers, works wonders - a great variety of varieties and hybrids of Waller's balsam with various colors of flowers (simple, semi-double or double) have been created. This encourages admirers of this plant to collect an extensive collection of balsams.

Dwarf varieties and hybrids of Waller's balsam are about 15-20 cm in height, and medium-sized ones have a height of 30-35 cm. Compact plants have a lush bush with rich green leaves and succulent shoots, the tops of which are abundantly covered with charming flowers of one or two colors.

I will share with readers of the Gardenia.ru website my experience of growing Waller's balsam from seeds and using this plant to decorate the garden.

About seed propagation of Waller's balsam

There is often an opinion that it is quite difficult to grow Waller's balsam seedlings from seeds on your own. I don't share it.

Garden balsam Planting and care Growing from seeds at home

Although, indeed, many gardeners say with disappointment that they were unable to obtain Waller's balsam seedlings.
However, many years of experience (mine and many other balsam lovers) show: with proper sowing of high-quality, non-expired seeds, balsams germinate well and develop remarkably.
To assume the possible germination of purchased balsam seeds, it is especially important when the bag indicates not the deadline for their sale (as many Russian companies now indicate), but the year the seeds were harvested. It is the date of seed production in combination with the expiration date that is most often indicated on bags of imported seeds, which is very convenient for the gardener.

I really liked the new Waller impatiens with large flowers (up to 5 cm in diameter), which I grew from seeds last year (2013) - a variety series from the famous German company.

I was especially impressed by the beautiful plants of the “Advantage” variety series with very bright flowers, as well as the “Tempo Butterfly” variety series with flowers in delicate pastel colors and with a contrasting “eye”. These wonderful balsams bloomed for several months in a row in our garden - in hanging pots, in a long flower box and in open ground. Some balsams from the listed variety series are presented in the photo in this article. The spectacular varieties of various colors included in these variety series are characterized by lush, dense bushes and fairly rapid growth - about 8-10 weeks pass from the emergence of seedlings to the beginning of flowering.
Although the prices for imported seeds of Waller's balsam variety series and unique hybrid plants are high, the seedlings grown from them are much cheaper compared to expensive purchased seedlings.

To have flowering Waller's impatiens in the garden at the beginning of summer, sowing seeds for seedlings must be done no later than mid-March.

In the photo: flowering Waller's balsams in the open ground

Sowing Waller's balsam seeds and caring for seedlings

I sow Waller's balsam seeds in a bowl on the surface of a damp, leveled substrate.
Some floriculture literature advises sprinkling the sown balsam seeds with a thin layer of sand. From my practice, I concluded that this should not be done: under a layer of sand it is difficult to control the degree of soil moisture (after all, sand on the surface dries out quickly even with fairly moist soil), and seedlings with this method of sowing have always turned out worse for me. Therefore, now I prefer to add sand directly to the seeding substrate, which, when growing balsams, should be light and nutritious.

To sow Waller's balsam seeds, I make a mixture in advance from harvested garden soil and purchased ready-made peat-based soil (I take these parts approximately equally by volume), adding vermiculite and sand.
I spill the resulting mixture with Fitosporin solution to prevent “black leg”, which often happens when sowing small seeds of balsam and other plants. Then I dry the substrate until it reaches the normal humidity required for sowing.

When sowing, I try to place the balsam seeds more spaciously, at an equal distance from each other - this will provide the seedlings with uniform lighting. I gently press the seeds without plunging them into the soil so that they receive the light they need for germination.
I place the bowl with the crops in a transparent bag, filling it with air, and place it in a very bright (but out of direct sunlight), warm place.

I regularly ventilate the balsam crops, shaking off the condensation that has formed from the bag. I moisten the substrate with a spray bottle as needed.
At normal room temperature (about 22 degrees), Waller's balsam shoots appear in about 3 weeks. After pecking the seeds, when seedlings appear, I carefully pour moist soil onto the bare roots, to the root collar of the seedlings.
I illuminate the seedlings standing on the window with a phytolamp in the mornings and evenings, as well as on cloudy days.

The main task in the development of Waller's balsam seedlings is uniform and sufficient watering so as not to flood or dry out the soil.
I continue to keep a bowl with small seedlings in a “greenhouse” bag, since they are very sensitive to changes in humidity and air temperature. They can also be attacked and quickly destroyed by a spider mite that appears unnoticed - a very dangerous pest for balsam.

I often ventilate balsam seedlings so that there is no prolonged stagnation of air in the “greenhouse”, otherwise this can lead to a fungal infection.

Waller's balsam seedlings develop relatively quickly in favorable conditions. Soon the neighboring plants in the bowl bring their leaves closer together - it’s time to start picking them.
I plant the balsams one at a time into the smallest plastic cups (I make sure to make drainage holes at the bottom) with the same light and fertile substrate as when sowing. Balsam seedlings tolerate picking well.

With sufficient light and nutrition, the plants develop strong, stocky, and begin to bush early.
If the Waller's balsam seedlings are stretched out (this can happen due to lack of lighting), then when picking, you need to bury the lower part of the long stems into the soil.

After picking, I keep the cups with balsams in the “greenhouse” for some time. After rooting, I begin to gradually accustom the seedlings to fresh air and then open them completely.

Soon the young plants begin to grow faster and faster; then I put them on a cool glazed loggia with a north-west orientation.
If balsam seedlings do not bush on their own, then you need to pinch the top of them to form side shoots. The more branches there are, the more magnificent the bush will become, the more flowers it will have.

Regular spraying of Waller's balsams with settled water, especially in hot weather, helps maintain the decorative appearance of plants and protects them (but not always successfully) from spider mite attacks. Unfortunately, these harmful mites love to settle on the tender tips of shoots and succulent leaves of balsam, which causes great damage to the decorative appearance and health of the plant. Therefore, when hot weather sets in, many gardeners begin periodic preventive spraying of balsams (Fitoverm, other chemicals) to prevent the appearance of mites.

When the Waller's balsam seedlings have grown noticeably and their roots have entwined the earthen ball, I transfer the plants into larger cups.

Growing Waller's Impatiens in the Garden

I plant balsams in open ground after the threat of return frosts has disappeared, when stable heat has been established; for the middle zone this is approximately mid-June. By this time, many plants have already formed a good bush and are blooming.

Continuously blooming Waller's balsams wonderfully decorate semi-shaded (without direct sun during the midday hours) areas of the garden with light, nutritious soil, where each flower lasts longer and its color is more saturated.
It is better to plant balsams in a protected place in the garden, where there is no strong wind - it can break the succulent stems.

When planting Waller's balsam seedlings in open ground, pay attention to the recommended distance between plants (usually 25 cm), which must be maintained for a particular variety, depending on the expected dimensions of the plant. It is good if adult bushes slightly close together - this is important for their better joint resistance to winds and heavy rains, for preserving moisture in the soil, and for achieving a better decorative effect.

In the photo: Waller's balsams in a hanging pot and in a flower box

Waller's impatiens look great in hanging pots and flower boxes. Unlike petunia seedlings, which love a large volume of fertile substrate when grown in containers, Waller's balsams are more unpretentious. They tolerate even a small amount of light nutritious soil in small pots: as long as they have enough water (this is facilitated by the hydrogel contained in the soil), and periodic fertilizing with fertilizers for flowering plants is carried out.
In hot and dry summers, mulching is very useful for balsam bushes; a layer of mulch also helps retain moisture in the soil.

In the absence of rain, balsams need regular watering so that the soil does not dry out (then leaves of dehydrated plants droop). But excessive watering should not be allowed, otherwise the plants will get sick: dark spots will appear on the leaves, and the bases of the shoots will begin to rot.

It is advisable to remove fading large flowers from Waller's balsams, since they often cover the numerous buds underneath with their petals. However, with a large number of plants, I do not always have time to perform this operation. But this must also be done so that unnecessary seed pods are not set; in the garden this often happens when flowers are pollinated by insects.

Before the coming autumn frosts, you can bring container balsams into the house or onto the veranda. And balsams growing in a flower garden can be temporarily covered with thick covering material, because often after a cold snap, warm weather sets in again.

If you want to preserve Waller’s balsams growing in open ground for further cultivation, then they need to be cut in advance (even in the summer) so that the cuttings take root faster and have time to grow before winter.
At the end of the gardening season, transplanting large balsam bushes from the flower garden into pots is very problematic and impractical - as a result, such bushes often die. Therefore, for the new season it is better to have young promising plants obtained from cuttings or from seeds.

Be sure to try growing Waller's balsam seedlings if you haven't already become a fan. After all, beautiful impatiens blooming profusely for many months are a real holiday, very bright and joyful!

I wish the flower growers of the Gardenia.ru website success in growing seedlings and many beautiful flowers!

Elena Yurievna Ziborova
Gardenia.ru Floriculture: Pleasure and Benefit

All about balsam on the website Gardenia.ru
Everything about plant propagation on the website Gardenia.ru

Weekly Free Digest of the Gardenia.ru Site

Every week, for 10 years, for our 100,000 subscribers, an excellent selection of relevant materials about flowers and gardens, as well as other useful information.

Subscribe and receive!

(unsubscribe with one click)

Is it possible to plant balsam in open ground?

Impatiens: growing from seeds. When to plant balsam?

Every gardener wants the flowerbed in front of his house to be the most beautiful. Growing garden balsam from seeds and then planting it in the soil will help make the flower bed elegant and unique

Garden balsam is a tropical African plant, which in our time has spread widely throughout the world. In different countries, the flower is grown everywhere because it blooms for a very long time and does not require scrupulous care. When boxes with many seeds appear in place of bright buds, you need to treat the sensitive plant with care. The slightest touch to it leads to the opening of the box and the spread of seeds throughout the garden. Garden balsam has more than one hundred species. Among them there are not only annual but also perennial plants.

Growing this small shrub is possible in different conditions:

• in open ground;
• in pots on the terrace;
• on the balcony and on the windowsill.

Latest articles about gardening

Impatiens are planted in early spring. It propagates both by seeds and stem cuttings. Balsam seedlings are planted in February and March. Sowing seeds for seedlings must be done no later than March. Then the flower seedlings will be ready by mid-June - at this time balsams, which love warmth, will feel comfortable in the open ground.

Soil for growing balsam

Any soil consisting of turf soil, humus and sand will do. When choosing a pot for balsam, remember that it should not be too large. To maintain a lush appearance, plants can be grown two or three in one pot.

Selection and preparation of balsam seeds

To grow balsams, purchased seeds are used. If you already have an adult flowering plant at home, you can collect the seeds yourself.

When purchasing seeds in a store, you should pay attention to the following:

1. Seeds must be of high quality, so you need to purchase them only from trusted suppliers.
2. To get a houseplant, seeds of perennial varieties are selected, and annuals are used for planting in open ground.
3. To preserve varietal characteristics, you should not choose a mixture of seeds; it is better to take each type separately.
4. Despite the fact that seeds can be stored for more than 6 years, freshly harvested seeds have the highest germination rate.

You can collect seeds from homemade balsam after it has finished flowering. In place of fallen inflorescences, small fruits are formed, and when they ripen, seed pods are formed.

Before sowing, treat the seeds for 10 minutes in a warm, weak solution of potassium permanganate. Then soak for a day in clean water.

Articles for flower growers

Technique for sowing balsam seeds

1. Pour the sifted, loose soil into containers, carefully level it and carefully moisten it with a spray bottle, avoiding compaction.
2. Carefully scatter the seeds over the surface of the substrate, trying to place them as sparingly as possible. The optimal strategy is to place the seeds one at a time with a distance of at least 2-3, and preferably 4 cm between them.
3. Since Waller's balsam germinates only when exposed to light, lightly sprinkle the seeds with fine sand or sifted soil on top, but do not cover them completely. The remaining balsams can be covered with 4-5 mm of sifted soil.
4. Gently moisten the seeds with a spray bottle on top.
5. Cover the seeds with clear glass or film.

Germination of impatiens usually takes from 4 to 15 days, and seedlings appear unevenly.

Stages of seedling development and balsam care

1. The first stage is germination. Duration 3-5 days. The required temperature is +24…+26, high humidity and sufficient light.
2. The second stage lasts 10 days. Seedlings develop and require more light. But direct sunlight has a negative effect on young shoots, so it is better to avoid direct exposure to light and you can begin to practice daily ventilation. During the same period, it is necessary to carry out soil prevention - water it with a solution of phytosporin. As for watering young balsams, this simple procedure must be carried out extremely carefully, avoiding extremes such as overwatering and underwatering. Both are a direct threat to the life of the plant.
3. The third period - from 14 to 21 days in duration - is the time when balsam acquires four pairs of leaves. This is already an almost self-sufficient plant that guarantees the expected beauty - the unusually charming flowers of garden balsam. It is at the third stage that the comfortable temperature for the plant will be +20 ... +23.
4. The fourth stage lasts only a week. It is characterized by a further decrease in temperature - a kind of hardening of balsams (+16 ... +18).
5. The last stage of propagation from seeds involves two feedings and a division of the temperature regime into daytime (up to +24) and nighttime (+18).

Picking balsam seedlings

The balsam seedlings stretched out. What to do? Until the shoots produce the first two true leaves, the balsam is not picked. As soon as the first two true leaves appear, the seedlings are picked. When picking, many gardeners, in order to reduce the length of the cutting, bury it in the ground along the cotyledon. In most cases, the plant dies during such a transplant. Its cuttings rot without taking root. In order to reduce the length of the cutting, during picking it is cut above the cotyledons and then rooted in water.

Transplanting balsam into open ground

By the beginning of May, the seedlings will be ready for planting in the ground. But weather conditions do not always allow this to be done before June. In order for the flowers to reliably take root in a new place and bloom beautifully, the seedlings need to be prepared a little:

1. Start lowering the temperature in the room where the seedlings lived.
2. Gradually accustom the seedlings to outdoor conditions - take the cups with flowers to the balcony or outside, if possible. Start with 10 minutes, increasing the time by another 10 minutes every day.

Articles for gardeners and gardeners

Garden balsam: secrets of planting and care

This plant is grown as an annual.

Garden balsam boasts long-lasting flowering and low maintenance requirements. Why not grow it on your own plot?

These incredibly beautiful annual flowers are also called wet vanka. In botany, the correct name for this plant is garden balsam. The height of the flowers varies from 25 cm (reasonable for a small flower bed) to 70 cm (tall bushes look good if lower flowering plants are planted in front of them).

Planting balsam

Garden balsam prefers moderate sun. A thin crown of trees or partial shade from a fence will not be an obstacle to growth and flowering - the plant will have enough diffused light.

Growing garden balsam

But it cannot stand the scorching rays of the sun and winds - it begins to wither.

The soil for planting balsam should be loose and soft, drained, with low acidity.

Impatiens are usually grown through seedlings. To do this, seeds are sown in March, and the grown sprouts are planted in separate cups, one at a time.

Impatiens seedlings

And when the threat of spring frosts passes, they are transplanted into a flowerbed (around the 20th of May), freed from the cups and pinched the roots.

Before planting, it is worth treating the soil with a fungicide, feeding it a little with manure and moistening it.

Plants are planted sparsely - at a distance of 30 cm from each other, this causes the balsams to grow luxuriantly. Seeds can be sown directly in open ground. At a normal temperature of 21-26°C, the first shoots can be expected after 14 days. If the air temperature drops below 19°C, the sprouts should be covered with cellophane, or better yet, agril, creating a greenhouse effect.

Watering garden balsam

Impatiens do not tolerate flooding, but they will reward you with vigorous flowering for regular but moderate watering. When the sprouts are still young, they should be watered 2 times a week or as the soil near the plant dries out.

Impatiens do not like drought and begin to wilt if there is a lack of moisture.

Top dressing

It is better to fertilize 2 times a week - simultaneously with watering. The proportions are usually written on the packaging of fertilizer for flower plants. However, experienced gardeners advise adding half as much water as recommended. Balsam also responds well to fertilizers for geraniums.

Nitrogen fertilizers are good for young shoots that have not produced flower buds. But for flowering ones, it is better to use fertilizers with potassium and phosphorus, sometimes replacing them with nitrogen. At the end of summer, fertilization is stopped.

What to do after flowering?

Garden balsam blooms all summer, and sometimes until October if the weather is warm. When flowering ends, juicy fruits appear on the plant in the form of a translucent elongated box with seeds. You need to catch the moment the seeds ripen and carefully collect them in a bag to plant next year.

If you did not have time to collect balsam seeds, purchase them at a specialized store

The seeds of this plant remain viable for 6-8 years. Since the plant is an annual, at the end of summer, when flowering has ended, it is removed from the flowerbed. And the next year they plant a new one - from seeds or using seedlings.

When to plant balsam in open ground?

Balsam is your frequent companion in life, even if you did not know about it before and did not notice it. My friends have been duped more than once by unscrupulous sellers, selling them roses or hibiscus, but it turned out that they brought home young balsam. True, at first glance it is difficult to distinguish it from the named plants; moreover, balsam is somehow related in common bushes to violet plants and petunias. For example, I was confused for a very long time and could not determine by eye “who is who” in the beds or flowerbeds of city squares, because you can’t tell from the first impression who is growing in front of you.

But all these nuances do not matter, because balsam grows very well in open ground, it is pleasant to care for it, and the result will definitely be worth your effort (where without investments in our time?).

When to plant balsam in open ground and what other nuances for caring for it should we know?

Impatiens can be planted even in the first days of March, immediately after winter, if only March meets the parameters necessary for the normal development of balsam. For your information, I inform you that this is one of those plants that die in the cold. If the temperature drops a couple of marks below seven degrees and that’s it - the balsam fades before our eyes and it seems that this process is irreversible, and it can no longer be saved. Since this plant is not picky about the type of soil and does not fundamentally select certain mixtures of substrate, it means that it can be planted in any area. This means that the period when balsam can be planted begins to stretch in calendar numbers, as well as in a geographical variable, starting from the south of Ukraine, where winter leaves already in mid-February, and ending with the month of May, when it finally reaches the most remote northern parts of the territory. -spring is coming.

What else you need to pay attention to when caring for balsam in your area is watering and how to do it correctly.

This plant is picky about watering. Balsam needs it regularly, which means that if you forget about your pet for even a very short period, the plant can take revenge on both itself and you by starting to wither and die. Of course, vengeance is a strong word, but the plant absorbs and absorbs moisture extremely quickly, and therefore its level in the soil mixture needs to be replenished almost according to a schedule, which, by the way, it would not hurt you to develop and write down, so as not to keep information in your head about when the balsam was watered and when it wasn’t - it’s easier, don’t you agree?

Feeding balsam is as important as watering. Constant application of fertilizers several times in one season guarantees you unprecedented flowering in splendor and beauty on your site. Therefore, give yourself time for this measure of care by planning to feed the balsam once every two weeks. The main thing is that it does not introduce nitrogen fertilizers, which burn out the root system and will not serve you very well, and all the rest are quite normally accepted by the plant and are tolerated without difficulty or fear.

(1 ratings, average rating: 10.00 out of 10) Loading…

READ ALSO:

www.tonature.info

You grow, grow, my Balsam - the secrets of planting and transplanting

Impatiens, Ogonyok, Vanka wet, Touch-me-not - there are so many names for this indoor plant. It is not difficult to grow, and the results are simply amazing.

Planting a flower in a pot is simple, but there are some features that must be taken into account in order for the plant to develop and bloom well.

In contact with

• How to plant correctly?
• Selecting the right soil
• Which pot is better to choose?
• What time of year is best to plant?
• Does it need a transplant?
• In what cases is it necessary to replant?
• Best time to transplant

How to plant correctly?

There are no special secrets for planting this flower. It’s just important to choose the right soil and pot.

Selecting the right soil

This indoor plant prefers light, loose, slightly acidic and not very nutritious soil. A soil rich in organic matter, minerals and nitrogen will result in a lot of lush foliage and few or no flowers. On too poor soils, the flower will grow and bloom worse.

Any of these options is perfect for planting or transplanting Vanka wet. Don't forget about the drainage layer. When planting at the bottom of the pot, you need to lay out expanded clay, small stones, etc. in a layer of 2-3 cm. to avoid stagnation of water and rotting of roots.

Which pot is better to choose?

You can take any material for the flowerpot: plastic, clay, ceramics. Balsam is not picky in this regard. But with the diameter of the pot the situation is different.

The plant will flower when the root system completely fills the space inside the pot. This is why deep, wide flowerpots are not suitable for balsam.

When planted in a large flowerpot, the flower will grow into a bush, and you can forget about flowering.

A small, shallow, even cramped flowerpot would be ideal.

Or, as an option, you can plant two or three cuttings with flowers of different colors in a voluminous pot. Then the roots will quickly entwine the ground, and the flowering will be unusually spectacular.

What time of year is best to plant?

The best period for planting seeds is when daylight hours increase, that is, the end of February or the beginning of March.

Rooted cuttings can be planted to propagate the plant year-round.

Does it need a transplant?

Transplantation is extremely important for Vanka wet.

This plant very quickly takes the substances necessary for growth from the soil and needs to replace the soil.

Three-year-old balsam loses its attractiveness and decorative value: its shoots become thinner and longer, and its flowering is not so lush and abundant.

In what cases should it be replanted?

• Planned transplantation. In this case, it is necessary to replace the soil and trim the shoots that have become elongated and have lost their decorative properties. The old land is depleted and quickly drying up.

  When transplanted, the plant grows better, the root system receives additional volume for growth, and access to water and air increases.

• After the purchase. Freshly purchased balsam should definitely be transplanted into a new pot and fresh soil.

  But it should be remembered that a flowering plant cannot be replanted.

• The flower felt cramped. If roots begin to appear from the drainage hole, then it’s time for the balsam to change the pot.

  For further development, the plant simply needs more voluminous space. The new pot should be 1-2 cm larger in diameter than the previous one.

Best time to transplant

Spring replanting is a necessity.

Over the course of a year, the soil loses its nutritional properties, and the plant begins to starve. The day before replanting, you need to water the flower generously. Then carefully remove it from the pot and cut off the old and dry roots. The transplant should be done quickly so that the young roots do not have time to dry out. After this, the earth is compacted and well watered. Now the pot should be placed in a dark place for several days.

In the summer, the shoots stretch out, so replanting the plant in the fall will restore its decorative appearance.

Impatiens is an unpretentious and very popular indoor plant. Even a novice gardener can grow it. Proper planting and timely replanting of a flower will help preserve its decorative properties and increase flowering.

Photo

Useful materials

In contact with

See inaccuracies, incomplete or incorrect information? Do you know how to make an article better?

Would you like to suggest photos on the topic for publication?

Please help us make the site better! Leave a message and your contacts in the comments - we will contact you and together we will make the publication better!

Garden balsam is an annual plant that blooms beautifully and for a long time. People often call it “Wet Vanka” because the flower prefers moist soil.

However, excessive watering leads to diseases. To make it happy with flowering and not get sick, be sure to familiarize yourself with the rules for planting and caring for balsam.

Rules for planting balsam in the garden

Direct sunlight and dry winds will not benefit the plant.

In open areas the flower will wither.

Garden balsam: planting and care with photographs. Types for the garden

To plant balsam, take a quiet place under trees or near a fence, where sparse shade will save the flower from the heat. Balsam will reward beauties with lush and memorable flowering.

Despite the fact that “Vanka wet” is an undemanding plant, the choice of soil must be approached consciously. The flower grows well in loose, nutritious and well-drained soil. It does not tolerate stagnant moisture at the roots. Heavy acidic soils should be prepared in advance by adding lime and sand.

Balsam is not placed densely in the flowerbed, since the bushes grow well and need enough space for normal growth. The optimal distance between bushes is 30 cm.

Planting balsam with photo: sowing seeds for seedlings

There are two ways to plant garden balsam in Russian conditions:

Through seedlings;

Sowing seeds in the ground.

Each method has its own subtleties and features. Seeds are sown in the ground as soon as the soil warms up and the temperature outside reaches at least +19 C.

Sowing seeds for seedlings

Most often, balsam is planted through seedlings. Sowing of seeds begins in early March, when daylight hours increase.

Important! Before purchasing seeds, pay attention to the expiration date. The germination of planting material lasts for 7-8 years, but the fresher the seeds, the better the result.

To begin with, the seeds are processed to reduce the risk of diseases in the plant in the future. A little potassium permanganate is diluted in water and the seeds in a linen bag are dipped into the resulting solution. The seeds should be kept for no more than 10 minutes, after which the solution is poured out and the container is filled with warm water. The bag is left in water for another day.

During this time, you need to prepare the soil for sowing. Young balsams are much more sensitive than an adult plant, so the soil should be very loose and well-drained. The substrate for planting balsam can be purchased at the store or made independently:

Garden soil - 1 part;

Vermiculite - 1 part;

Coarse washed sand - 1 part;

Peat - 2 parts.

As an option, just peat with vermiculite will do if you can’t get good garden soil.

The finished substrate is disinfected by frying it in the oven. After this, the soil is watered with a solution of biological preparations, for example, Fitosporin, to improve the microflora. After such manipulations, the seedlings are not afraid of the “black leg”. There is no need to disinfect the purchased substrate.

Planting balsam seeds is carried out as follows:

Step #1. Pour boiling water over the seedling box or rinse with a disinfecting solution.

Step #2. Place a drainage layer of at least 2 cm at the bottom.

Step #3. Pour the soil into a container and lightly compact it.

Step #4. Distribute the prepared and sprouted seeds evenly over the surface of the soil. It is most convenient to do this with a toothpick or tweezers, since the seeds are small. There is no need to press the seeds deeply into the soil.

Step #5. After sowing, moisten the soil well with a spray bottle and cover the container with a bag.

Step #6. Place the box in a well-lit place out of direct sunlight. The temperature during germination should be at 22-25 C.

Advice! To avoid picking seedlings, you can plant balsam directly in peat tablets.

The first shoots appear after two weeks. After the emergence of mass shoots, the bag is removed daily and the seedlings are ventilated so that they do not suffer from high humidity.

After a few days, the package is completely removed.

Caring for balsam after emergence

Tender seedlings require comprehensive care. On cloudy days, plants need additional lighting, which needs to be taken care of in advance. As the roots of the seedlings grow, they become exposed, so you will have to regularly add loose substrate.

Among other things, it is worth remembering about regular watering, which is recommended to be done in a tray so that the root collars of the seedlings are dry. Otherwise, at the slightest violation in the watering regime, the plants may rot.

Remember that it is impossible to grow balsam in a common container for a long time. As soon as real leaves appear, the seedlings are planted in separate cups, with drainage placed at the bottom.

If the plants have stretched out a little, then it’s time to pick them up and slightly deepen them into the substrate.

After picking, young balsam seedlings need no less care. In order for plants to adapt faster and begin to grow actively, be sure to increase lighting, heat and humidity.

After a week, the seedlings will get stronger and you can pinch them to make them bush better. To do this, the tops are carefully plucked or cut off. Do not neglect this procedure, otherwise the decorativeness of the bush will suffer in the future. As a result, the gardener will receive an inconspicuous tall plant instead of a compact, chic bush.

Timing for planting balsam seedlings in the ground

Strong seedlings are transferred to open ground only at the end of May, when there is no threat of freezing. Seedlings are planted in flower beds as described above or in individual growing containers.

Flowerpots for balsam should be spacious so that the plant is comfortable. When caring for balsam, do not forget about regularly spraying the bushes.

Transplanted strong plants quickly adapt and bloom in June. The duration of flowering of balsams depends on weather conditions; on average, the bush blooms until the beginning of autumn.

Caring for balsam in the garden

Although garden balsam is a moisture-loving plant, excessive watering leads to its death. But regular, but not abundant watering and spraying will only benefit it.

In order for “Vanka wet” to delight you with flowering, it should be fed. Before the buds appear, the plants are fed with a solution of mineral fertilizers with nitrogen. But as soon as the balsam blooms, it is better to stop feeding nitrogen.

During flowering, they switch to complex fertilizers for flowering plants. They are applied together with watering every two weeks. Use fertilizers with potassium and phosphorus. At the end of summer, cancel all fertilizing.

What to do with balsam after flowering and how to preserve it until next year?

Balsam blooms in good weather conditions until the end of October, but with the onset of cold weather its shoots wither. You need to have time to collect seeds from the boxes in order to sow them for seedlings next year.

It is important to remember that there is no need to collect seeds for further cultivation from hybrid varieties of balsam. A young plant will not inherit all its parental qualities.

Experienced gardeners advise replanting the variety you like into a flowerpot and bringing it into a room where its flowering continues throughout the winter. The plant does not have a pronounced dormant period.

1. In winter, plants are kept at a temperature no higher than 15 C, and watering is reduced.

2. In a heated room, the flower needs to be sprayed and watered with warm water.

3. With the arrival of spring, cut off the shoots to stimulate branching.

The resulting cuttings take root easily in water, after which they are planted in containers. With the onset of similar days, the plants are transferred to the garden.

This method of propagating balsam is considered the fastest and most convenient.

Garden balsam is an annual plant. It has not too tall stems - from twenty-five to seventy-five centimeters, and small flowers - about four centimeters in diameter. There are two forms of balsam flowering: simple and double. This culture can have many shades - from white to purple. Central Asia is rightfully considered the birthplace of balsam, where it was first mentioned back in the sixteenth century.

Impatiens: growing from seeds at home

Garden balsam, growing from seeds which does not require much experience will become a real decoration of your summer cottage.

Garden balsam, growing from seeds

How to grow garden balsam?

In our country, gardeners have enjoyed Balsam due to its unpretentiousness and ease of care, which allows it to be grown both in open ground and on a windowsill. Moreover, in open space conditions, balsam is perfectly cultivated from the very beginning of summer until late autumn. Some gardeners have the mistaken opinion that since balsam is capable of scattering seeds on its own, there is no need to monitor its replanting. In fact, this is not true. It is imperative to take care of balsam. It is not a fact that the seeds left in the ground from last year will not die from the cold, which would be quite likely, given that balsam is a heat-loving crop.

Growing impatiens is not at all difficult. You just need to put in a little effort during the period of planting it, after which the summer resident will definitely be rewarded with a waterfall of bright inflorescences, pleasing to the eye and decorating the surrounding space.

There are two ways to grow balsam:

• directly into the open ground of the front garden;
• at home to obtain seedlings.

As a rule, balsam seeds have high germination rates; they retain this ability for six to eight years. However, some peculiarities of planting them still exist.

Features of growing balsam:

• Seeds that are selected for planting require mandatory treatment with fungicidal agents.
• If you plan to plant the seeds of this crop outside, you should wait until all danger of frost has passed.
• Seeds should be planted in holes spaced at least thirty centimeters apart from each other.
• If the air temperature remains at 25 degrees, the first shoots can be expected two weeks after planting the seeds.
• If balsam is grown for seedlings, immediately after the first shoots appear, it makes sense to put them in a slightly lower temperature (about nineteen degrees), while providing them with good lighting and a flow of fresh air.

During the period of formation of buds on balsam, it is important to maintain the temperature at sixteen degrees, this will help extend its life and improve the quality of flowering.

Caring for balsam - where to start?

Impatiens is a very beautiful plant, how can you achieve abundant and long-lasting flowering?

To do this, you must take into account a number of important aspects:

• The flower blooms best in the shade, because too bright rays of the sun can damage not only the delicate foliage, but also the petals of this crop;
• The heat is not for balsam; if the weather remains dry for a long time, the flower begins to fade;
• The fragility of the stems makes them vulnerable to even the slightest breeze, so it is important to plant balsam away from strong winds and drafts.

Garden balsam, growing from seeds which is available to any summer resident, requires feeding with special minerals, which must be carried out on a regular basis. It should not be forgotten that such substances should be applied only to the leaves, but not to the soil.

See also video:

Garden balsam growing from seeds

The process of propagating balsam by cuttings

Among lovers of indoor plants, balsam, propagation by cuttings of which is the most popular method of propagation, occupies one of the leading places. This propagation method can guarantee rapid rooting and flowering that lasts for a long time. Today, more than 300 types of balsams are known. This is a perennial, herbaceous plant with succulent stems and fibrous roots. They come in a wide variety of forms: bushy, weaving, tree-like. In nature it can reach 2 m in height. Cultivated species are divided into three groups: New Guinea hybrid, Waller's balsam, and garden type. What varieties are best propagated by cuttings?

Impatiens is a very common plant with many varieties.

New Guinea hybrid

Reproduction of a flower of this species occurs precisely by cuttings. To do this, you need to take the top shoot and cut it to the last node. Next, the cutting is placed in a glass of water or a container with wet sand so that the plant has the opportunity to take root.

How to properly plant balsam in open ground, and what care does the flower require?

After 2-3 weeks, the roots will be well enough formed for replanting. Method number two: in the autumn, cut off a cutting about 7 cm long. Clear the stem of the lower leaves and place it in a container with substrate. Water well and cover the pot with a plastic bag, creating a greenhouse effect. After 2-3 days the package can be removed. Water with mineral solution once every 2 weeks.

Propagation of balsam by seeds is highly not recommended, since the percentage of living seeds in a flower of this species is very small. In addition, even if you manage to get sprouts, most of them will quickly die, so propagation by cuttings is the best way for the New Guinea hybrid. It is necessary to plant grown cuttings in nutritious, moist soil. The soil offered by gardening stores is ideal for indoor plants. At the bottom of the pot you need to build a drainage layer that will prevent water from stagnating.

Impatiens are propagated by cuttings, as this method gives the best results.

The young shoot needs to be fed. A weak solution of potassium or complex fertilizers will do just fine. Nitrogen should be avoided. It provokes rapid growth of stems and leaves, but inhibits flowering. Impatiens is a plant that grows quickly. After 2-3 years, a transplant is recommended. Adult balsam also needs to be updated with cuttings. Often after transplanting a cutting, the plant begins to hurt. This is a consequence of improper care of the young shoot. It is necessary to establish a feeding and watering regime.

Outdoor and indoor balsam (Impatiens) is a popular annual or perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the Balsaminaceae family. It is distinguished by its decorative appeal and relative unpretentiousness.

Balms are distinguished by their decorative appeal and relative unpretentiousness

An annual and perennial herbaceous species with simple leaves and glands located at the base. The flowers are zygomorphic, solitary or collected in inflorescences, which are most often white or pink. Impatiens fruits are represented by a juicy capsule that opens with the help of five noticeable twisting flaps or a berry-shaped capsule.

The crop is grown as an indoor flower or an outdoor ornamental crop. Representatives of the family are widespread in temperate and tropical zones in Asia, Europe, North America and Africa.

Balsam is a popular annual or perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the Balsam family.

Popular perennial and annual species and varieties of balsam

The genus includes more than five hundred species. However, in the conditions of decorative floriculture, only one and a half dozen species are used, which are characterized by long flowering, relative unpretentiousness in cultivation, and also highly decorative appearance:

• "Stardust" and "Frosty"– with a white spot in the central part of the flower;
• "Symphony» – compact, low-growing and early-flowering crop with large flowers;
• "Futura"- ampelous type, early and abundantly flowering bright variety;
• "Super Elfin"- a low-growing plant available in a wide range of colors;
• "King-Kong"- slightly more than a quarter of a meter high, large-flowered, with abundant flowering;
• "Novette"- compact type, with a very long flowering period;
• “Confestion”, “Double Duet” And "Rosette" with double and semi-double flowers;
• "Fiesta"- perennial with very decorative double flowers;
• "Fanciful Tropical"- with semi-double bright flowers.

Varieties belonging to the group are also very popular "Sandy" or Kandy, consisting of seventeen varieties, including "Stardust Lavender".

Growing indoor balsam (video)

Waler's balsam

Impatiens walleriana is a compact type of decorative perennial, characterized by the formation of fairly large-sized and very variably colored flowers with five beautiful petals. The most popular and widespread varieties in our country are presented "Stardust" And "Frosty" and "Symphony".

Balsam small-flowered

The variety Impatiens parviflora or “touch-me-not” is a plant characterized by a height of the above-ground part of no more than 60 cm, with a branched, erect, succulent stem with thickening at the nodes, as well as an alternate arrangement, short-petiolate, ovate, with pointed, serrated leaves. The flowers are small in size, with a light yellow calyx. The fruits are presented in an elongated club-shaped capsule.

Balsam small-flowered

Garden balsam

“Vanka wet” or “Ogonyok” is the most famous variety that does not have high enough frost resistance. It has pointed petals, the coloring of which can be represented in almost any color and shade range. The most popular varieties include "Camellia Flowered" And "Baby Bush" and "That Thumb".

Ferruginous balsam

Impatiens glandulifera or “Impatiens glandular” – decorative herbaceous beautiful flowering annual with a highly branched and thick, succulent and knotty stem part, reaching a height of a couple of meters. The foliage is ovate-lanceolate, with jagged edges and dark red glands at the base. The root system is fibrous. The flowers are of a simple type, large in size, located on long peduncles, collected in umbrella-shaped racemes, located in the axils.

Ferruginous balsam

Indoor balsam produces fruits in the form of an obovate capsule with a point at the apical part.

Creeping balsam

Impatiens reens – perennial and very popular variety in indoor floriculture herbaceous type. It has fairly long, creeping reddish shoots with small and heart-shaped leaves. The flowers of the ground cover plant are single type, bright yellow in color, with a diameter of about 30 mm.

Parrot balsam

Impatiens Рsittacina or “Touchy Parrot” – quite a rare tropical variety of balsam, characterized by the complexity of cultivation in indoor floriculture. With a very unusual appearance, the variety produces reddish yellow flowers that look like small tropical birds.

Parrot balsam

Balfour's Balsam

Impatiens balfourii - garden classic flyer with a very long flowering period, the formation of pink and crimson, purple and red flowers, which stand out noticeably against the background of attractive and highly decorative foliage.

Gallery: varieties of balsam (51 photos)

Secrets of proper care for indoor balsam

Indoor decorative culture is not only very beautiful, but also relatively unpretentious in care. In order for the flowering of an indoor perennial to be abundant and long-lasting, and for the foliage to retain its attractiveness, it is necessary to follow the rules of watering and feeding, and also to provide the plant with optimal climatic conditions.

Lighting, humidity and temperature

Impatiens are lovers of bright light, but cannot easily tolerate direct sunlight, so shading may be required in home gardening conditions. In winter, indoor culture must be provided with sufficient lighting, thanks to which it is possible to obtain year-round flowering and an attractive appearance.

In order for the crown to be uniform and beautiful, the flower pot must be periodically turned towards the light, the lack of which is often accompanied by a decrease or complete loss of decorative appeal.

Indoor balsam responds very well to the flow of fresh air, but may suffer from a draft in the room. In the spring-summer period, the temperature in the room should be approximately 25-26 ° C with access to fresh air and sufficient moisture in the soil in the flower pot. With the onset of winter, the temperature should not be lower than 10-16°C. For perennials, moderate humidity is preferred. If necessary, you can spray the aboveground part of the plant with settled water at room temperature.

How to care for balsam in the garden (video)

Requirements for soil and planting pot

The nutritious soil substrate must be sufficiently loose and necessarily breathable, and also preferably soilless. It is quite possible to make such a nutritious soil mixture yourself, using medium-grained sand, perlite and peat chips for this purpose. The root system of the plant is underdeveloped and not too long, so there is no need to purchase deep planting containers.

In flower pots that are too voluminous, the decorative perennial is capable of very actively growing green mass. In very wide planting containers it is quite possible to place several balsam bushes at once.

Frequency and rules of watering

Abundant irrigation measures are the most important agrotechnical requirement, therefore mandatory watering is carried out as the surface of the soil substrate dries out. In summer, plants are watered about every other day., and with the onset of winter, irrigation activities are carried out approximately two or three times a week. Some of the water used for irrigation does not need to be removed from the pan under the flower pot.

The root system of the plant is underdeveloped and not too long, so there is no need to purchase deep planting containers

Fertilizing balsam at home

When cultivating an ornamental plant in indoor floriculture, it is extremely important to apply fertilizers at the stage of active flowering and growth processes, which usually occur from April to November.

In the autumn and winter, the total amount of all applied fertilizers must be reduced to the minimum. To perform fertilizing, as a rule, standard complex fertilizers are used, intended for the care of indoor flowering plants.

Protecting balsam from diseases and pests at home

Mosaic is one of the most common diseases, which is combated by treating the aerial parts with insecticidal preparations. When the first signs of gray rot appear, modern fungicides are used, including Rovral and Fundazol. Important to remember, that the bronzing of leaves, which slows down the growth processes of green mass and causes deformation of the foliage, is incurable, therefore infected plants must be destroyed.

The most famous pest of balsams is the spider mite, to get rid of which the above-ground part of the plant is treated with such highly effective drugs as Akarin and Molniya. Very dangerous pests also include whiteflies, which suck plant juices from the plant. In this case, the decorative perennial is sprayed with Karbofos, Actellik or Tanrek.

Timing and technology for planting balsam in the garden

The optimal method is to grow balsam in seedlings as an ornamental garden crop. A day before transplanting seedlings into open ground flower beds, it is necessary to thoroughly moisten the soil under the plant, after which the root system is carefully removed from the seedling container without destroying the earthen ball.

All dry and rotten roots are cut off with a sharp and clean knife, after which the cut areas are disinfected with wood ash powder or activated carbon. When planting, you need to carefully monitor the location of the root collar. which should be above the ground. During the first few days, the planted flower bushes must be shaded. Irrigation measures at the stage of establishment of the root system should be sufficiently abundant, with settled water, until the earthen clod is completely soaked.

Garden balsams belong to the category of moisture-loving plants.

Features of caring for outdoor balsam in the garden

Despite the fact that garden balsams belong to the category of moisture-loving plants, excessive irrigation measures can cause its death. However, watering should be regular, not too abundant, supplemented by spraying the aboveground part. Before buds appear on the plant, the crop is fed with a solution based on mineral nitrogen-containing fertilizers.

After the garden ornamental crop blooms, it is necessary to stop nitrogen fertilizing and give preference to complex fertilizers intended for the cultivation of beautiful flowering plants. Fertilizers are applied together with watering, a couple of times a month. In the second half of summer, it is best to feed the crop with potassium-phosphorus solutions.

In the southern regions and in the presence of favorable soil and weather conditions, the flowering of garden balsam may well continue until the last ten days of October. However, with the onset of noticeable cold weather, the shoots of the ornamental plant wither. During this period, seeds are collected for spring sowing. It is quite acceptable to transplant a bush of the variety you like into a regular flower pot, and then bring it into the house, where the plant continues to bloom throughout almost the entire winter. This ornamental plant does not have a pronounced dormant period.

How to transplant balsam (video)

Options for planting outdoor balsam in a garden flower bed

Impatiens are used quite often and with great success in landscaping local areas, as well as in creating landscape gardens. An attractive plant can be planted even in shade and partial shade if it is possible to maintain high soil moisture levels.

As a rule, decorative garden crops are used to create mixborders, as well as to design a flower bed or border. Thanks to the variety of shades and colors, it is possible to create very original patterns with contrasting or smooth transitions. Also very often, many varieties are planted in garden flowerpots, decorative containers, and hanging baskets to decorate a veranda, balcony or terrace.

Attention, TODAY only!

Garden balsam is one of 400 species of impatiens balsamina. But not only it is grown in the garden, but also, among which the most common are B. Wallera and B. New Guinea.

In general, balsam is a delicate plant with slightly pointed, fragile leaves and flowers painted in various shades of watercolor. It can be found quite often both on plots and in houses. I have also grown it many times and really like it.

So what should you do to make it bloom beautifully throughout the warm season? Let's look into this issue.

Description

• Other names: Vanka wet, touch-me-not, impatiens, light.
• Impatiens (translated as impatiens) is part of families Balsam. It is a perennial, but is grown outdoors as an annual because it cannot withstand the slightest frost. However, if you grow it in a pot and bring it indoors in winter, the flower can last you 3 years.
• Height plants vary from 15 to 45 centimeters.
• Its thick and juicy leaves and stems form a shape that may be similar to a sphere or ball, compressed on both sides. Also, the shoots may simply stick out in different directions or upwards. It depends on the type and variety.

• Flowers varied in appearance and color. Some of them resemble carnations, others - camellias or roses. But most often they are quite simple, consisting of five petals of a slightly irregular shape, although this is not noticeable to the eye. They reach up to 10 centimeters in diameter.
• Bloom occurs 70–90 days after sowing. It’s interesting, but it’s very difficult to get this species to bloom in the house.
• Large seeds garden balsam has a brownish-brown hue. They are shaped like a ball, slightly compressed from the sides, and ripen in the fruit - a capsule. The seed capsule usually ripens a month after the flower withers. If you touch a ripe capsule, it shoots out seeds. It is because of this that she was called touchy. Perhaps it is especially important that the seeds retain their viability even after 8–10 years.

When and where to plant

This plant absolutely does not tolerate even the slightest frost and therefore is planted only after it has ended. In central Russia, planting is carried out in early June, and in the southern regions - in early May.

Impatiens likes warmth, soil with a lot of organic matter, and sunny places. But in the last few years, the sun's activity has increased and it burns in highly lit areas. Therefore, it is good to plant impatiens in the shade of trees.

The areas where you plan to place it should be protected from strong winds and cold air currents. In this case, the fragile stems of the fire will break less, and it will bloom much longer and more abundantly.

Planting and care

The places where you are going to plant the fire are dug up and organic fertilizers are always added (rotted cow manure is best). It is also a good idea to add microfertilizers.

In a flowerbed, the distance between plants when planting should be 20 - 30 centimeters. The distance between tall varieties is 30 cm, and between dwarf varieties - 20 cm.

Impatiens were called wet because they require quite a lot of water when growing. Although many believe that the name comes from sugar deposits on the leaves in the form of dew. In any case, too much moisture leads to rapid death and this must not be forgotten. It grows very quickly and within a month the light grows completely and is almost completely covered with flowers. There are practically no leaves visible behind them.

In order for impatiens to bloom without interruption until late autumn, it is fed every ten days with mineral and organic fertilizers with microelements. They feed once with mineral fertilizers, another time with organic fertilizers. Flowering time will also increase if faded inflorescences are removed from the bush on time.

This plant is attacked by balsam aphids, strawberry mites and meadow bugs. Insecticides destroy aphids and bedbugs, and a solution of colloidal sulfur will help fight strawberry mites.

But usually, with normal care in the open ground, almost no one attacks the impatiens. And no treatment with drugs is needed.

Garden balsam decorates a plot or cottage all summer long and does not cause much trouble in caring for it. If you want to grow balsam from seeds, we will reveal to you all the subtleties and tricks in our other one.

Impatiens is a garden perennial flower that is a flowering plant that tolerates shade well. Balsam has a succulent straight stem that grows up to 50 cm, oval leaves up to 12 cm in length. Balsam is perfect for creating beauty in the shade of the garden. You can grow a flower either in a flower garden on your property or on a windowsill at home. The vast majority of balsams like to be outdoors in the summer; with the onset of winter, they need to be transplanted into pots and brought indoors.

Planting garden balsam in open ground

You can plant a flower in the garden with the final onset of warmth. If frost returns after moving the plants outside, there is a high probability that they will die. Planting is carried out mainly by seeds, although if you don’t want to wait, you can buy mature flowers.

For planting, dig holes in advance and add compost and fertilizer to them. So that the seedlings can be easily removed from the pots, they are pre-watered. The flower must be planted at the same depth at which it grew in the pot, the remaining space must be filled with substrate and crushed well. In order for the flower to grow, it needs to be well watered and the soil loosened.

Lighting and temperature

Impatiens need indirect sunlight; on especially hot sunny days, the flower must be shaded. If it is exposed to direct bright rays for a long time, the moisture will evaporate from the plant, it will emit an unpleasant odor and wither. It is best to plant balsam on the western or eastern side of the site. In the summer, when the flower grows outside, the optimal temperature for it will be about 21°C; in winter, when the flower is moved indoors, the temperature should not fall below 13°C.

What should the soil be like?

Impatiens, especially if grown indoors, need light, loose, moderately nutritious soil. An excess of nutrients in the soil will lead to increased growth of green mass, which has a bad effect on flowering. Very loose soil will also not be beneficial; the flower will not be able to firmly establish itself in it. Slightly acidic soil is best. Compost, humus, perlite and turf soil can be added to the composition of such soil in equal parts. You can also mix sand and peat with two parts of leaf soil, this will be an adequate replacement.

How to plant a flower

Impatiens is a garden flower, and it needs proper care. In summer, balsam can be planted in open soil. Planting should be done no earlier than mid-June, otherwise the not yet acclimatized plant will simply die.

Important! The planting site should be semi-shaded.

The indoor plant adapts well to new conditions and blooms well, starting in June and ending in September. In autumn, the flower needs to be dug up and apical cuttings prepared for rooting.

In winter, balsam needs additional lighting, because it does not have a rest period. If you take good care of it, the plant will delight you with its flowering.

Did you know? There are certain types of impatiens that bloom only in the summer.

There are two ways to grow balsam:

1. Using seeds. To do this, pour soil into the pot, compact and moisten it. Place the seeds at a distance of 2 cm from each other, sprinkle with soil. Cover the pot with a plastic bag and place it in a bright place. When the seedlings sprout and bloom, transplant them into the garden. Good seedlings will grow in 4 months.
2. Everyone knows that impatiens are garden impatiens. In order to grow such a handsome man, you can use cuttings. Only perennial flowers are propagated by cuttings. Choose young shoots that are strong and strong. Cut them, the length of the cutting should be about 7 cm. Plant the cutting in a pot with soil, compact the soil around it. Place the pot in a warm place and water the flower. You can cover the shoot with a plastic cup to create a greenhouse effect.

The balsam flower is easy to grow, and you should not have any problems with how to care for it.

Humidity and watering the plant

Popularly, balsam has an interesting name - Vanka wet. He was given this name for his love of abundant watering and high humidity. But you can’t just flood the flower, because this can cause the development of root rot. With proper watering of balsam, the soil will not become dry and will always remain moist. In winter, the amount of water should be reduced. The water should be soft.

Did you know? In order for the water to become soft, it needs to sit for several days.

When is balsam feeding needed?

Flowers such as impatiens, which grow in the garden area, need good feeding during their flowering and growth period. It is necessary to fertilize the flower well from April to November; in winter, you can either not fertilize at all, or significantly reduce the amount of fertilizer. It is recommended to feed the flower once every 2 weeks.

Impatiens pruning

Over the long winter, balsam grows greatly, so closer to spring it needs to be cut off, leaving only half the length of the shoots, then the flower stimulates the growth of new, stronger shoots. If a flower develops many shoots, then its flowering will be magnificent. Throughout the year, watch how the balsam grows; caring for the flower allows you to trim thickening and weak branches, due to which the flower reproduces well.

Rules for transplanting balsam

The optimal time to transplant balsam is spring. But if there is such a need, then you can transplant the flower in the summer. It is important to understand that good flowering directly depends on the size of the pot. During transplantation, you need to get rid of old plants so that young ones have the opportunity to sprout. A young plant needs to be replanted every year. If the flower is already mature (no older than 3 years), then it can be renewed (by rooting apical cuttings) or replanted.

Balsam propagation

In order to grow balsam yourself, you first need to prepare seedlings. Prepare the necessary soil, add a fungicide to it, which will protect the plant from the appearance of harmful fungi.

Where to get and how to grow seeds

Sowing balsam begins with the acquisition of seeds. Before sowing, they need to be disinfected. To do this, prepare a warm solution of light purple potassium permanganate and dip the seeds in it for 10 minutes. Then drain the solution and fill the seeds with warm, clean water. Let them brew for a day. After this, sow the flower seeds in moist soil and lightly sprinkle with earth, create a greenhouse. After 3 weeks, the first shoots will appear.

Garden balsam is a plant of the Balsamaceae family. Its most common names are “Vanka wet” and “Touchy”. The second is due to the fact that during ripening the plant, even with a light touch, bursts and scatters the seeds. In the middle latitudes of Russia, garden balsam is grown both as an annual and perennial plant. The birthplace of balsam is China. Planting and care, according to some gardeners, is quite a burdensome task. The plant requires special attention. Balsam is used in folk medicine, although it is considered poisonous. It is especially widespread in landscape design.

Garden balsam: types, varieties and photos

In horticulture, approximately 400 varieties of both annual and perennial balsams are known. They are classified as cultivated and ornamental plants.

1. Garden balsam- the most famous type. In fact, it is a perennial plant, but due to its lack of frost resistance, it is grown in open ground as an annual. It has pointed petals, the color of which includes almost the entire color palette. It’s not for nothing that this plant is called “spark.” In apartments and other enclosed spaces it can grow for more than 2 years. There are not very many varieties of balsam: “Camellia Flowered”, “Baby Bush” and “That Thumb”.
2. Waller's balsam– a colorful plant that grows all year round. It has a memorable color of flowers that cover the entire surface of the balsam. Flowering occurs from June until frost appears. It is advisable to move it indoors before frost. The most common varieties are noted - “Stardust”, “Frosty”, “Symphony” and many others.
3. New Guinea- a perennial, a hybrid obtained as a result of selection of Hawker's balsam with some species. It has a full stem and reaches half a meter in height. Among the varieties of this type of balsam are “Harmony”, “Divaro”, “Mini Jini”, “Java”, “Jungle Rain”, “Macarena” and “RainforestExotic”.

Planting balsam

Planting can be done both in a pot and in open ground. It is carried out mainly by seeds. Although you can buy an already mature plant.

Advice. Impatiens prefer slightly acidic soil, so add peat moss before planting in the pot.

The plant's germination rate is high quality. Planting is carried out one seed at a time in a separate pot.

1. The plant must be kept at home for 3 weeks after planting.
2. After sprouting, the balsam should be moved to a cool place, for example, to a loggia.
3. When the plant reaches 5 cm in height, it should be transplanted into a separate pot or open ground.
4. The root should be plucked off a little. This is done to stimulate root development.
5. Balsam is planted in shallow holes, lightly pressing the soil.
6. Loosen the soil around the plant. In order for the plant to be lush and grow better, the crown should be trimmed.

Caring for the “touchy”

All types of impatiens are sun-loving plants. In summer, they are planted in open ground.
Planting takes place no earlier than June so that the plant can acclimatize.

Advice. The best option for balsam in open ground is partial shade.

In winter, the perennial needs additional lighting. With its deficiency or absence, balsams stop blooming.

The main problem in caring for a plant is the need to maintain temperature conditions. The optimal temperature for it in summer is from 18 to 25 degrees Celsius, in winter from 13 to 16. Frequent changes negatively affect the plant.

In summer, watering balsam should be plentiful, and in autumn-winter - infrequent. When watering, it is important to remember the balance: the plant should not be dry or too wet, as this leads to rotting of the roots.

Fertilizers are used exclusively in summer once every 14 days. In winter, the perennial is fertilized only if it blooms. In this case, mineral fertilizers are suitable.

Plant propagation

Impatiens can be propagated in two ways.

1. Seeds. The plant has high germination characteristics. Sowing is best done in spring. In advance, balsam seeds are soaked in warm water for 10 minutes.
2. By cuttings. Cut off the tops of plants up to 5 cm long, immersed in water until roots appear. This is done, like sowing seeds, in the spring. The process is quick and easy. To improve the development of the bush, cuttings should be pinched.

Dangers: diseases and pests

Like many representatives of flora, balsam is susceptible to disease and insect attack.

1. Rot is a consequence of excessive watering in the cold season. To prevent the appearance of rot, water should not be allowed to stagnate in the soil or pot.
2. Spider mites are a serious enemy for impatiens. Modern chemicals will help exterminate the pest.
3. Whitefly is also a nasty pest. The falling leaves are the result of her work. The fight against this unpleasant insect is carried out using certain chemicals.

Floral arrangements or combinations with plants

Gardeners prefer to plant balsam in group plantings. It goes great with begonias and bluebells. Some people like the composition of balsam with violets. Balsam looks interesting in company with boxwood.

“Vanka wet” has become widespread in landscape design. It is used to decorate alpine slides and flower beds. Garden balsam is also used to decorate borders and create mixboxers.

Garden balsam is an annual plant that, with careful care, can become a perennial plant. It can be grown both at home and in open ground. Planting, propagating and caring for a plant may seem quite difficult for some. But the beauty of the annual and its fabulous flowers-lights compensate for everything in full.

Growing garden balsam: video

Garden balsam: photo