Impatiens, are they perennials?

[princess_saucer]

I have several, beautiful impatiens. Can they be grown as houseplants? Or are they a"one-season", "die each year" plant? I tried to root one in a glass of water and it got roots. What do I need to do now? Will the piece that I rooted in water actually grow into a plant? I know these are probably silly, small questions but I am still new to all of this.. Thanks so much

[bullthistle]

They are an annual in TN, but will live year round however becoming a house plant makes it difficult. They may get leggy reaching for the sun. If you have a sun room that is temperature controlled that would be best. Even if they get leggy you can root a cutting and replant in the spring. Try it and you'll find out. Experiment.

[Kisal]

Your questions are fine, not trivial or silly at all. We only learn if we ask questions. Everyone here was a new gardener at one time, and while some of us are more experienced than others, none of us knows everything there is to know on the subject.

Yes, impatiens could work as houseplants, but they would need more care than when grown outdoors. When the temperature reaches 75º, which is a fairly normal indoor temperature, impatiens will require fairly high humidity, about 50%. That can be difficult to provide in a house. Placing the potted plants on humidity trays helps a lot. Just use a waterproof tray, fill it with a layer of gravel (I used to use aquarium gravel, which comes in many different colors, and I have even used clear glass marbles in some instances), and keep the tray filled with water to just below the surface of the gravel. You don't want the bottoms of the pots to be in the water. Using a mister to spray the plants helps, as well.

Impatiens don't need direct sunlight, and normal indoor light levels are usually sufficient. I would pinch the plants back every so often, to encourage them to stay bushy. Be sure to deadhead the plants regularly (remove all the spent flowers). You don't want the plant to set seed, because it will stop blooming and die. Impatiens are usually only good for one season, so when they begin to look less attractive than you like, you can take cuttings, root them, and pot them up as new plants.

[princess_saucer]

Can I or do I need to "water root" them? I have 1 that I put in water and it got 6 little roots. I potted it in dirt about 10 days ago but it is not doing anything so far:( . I can handle the high humidity for several reasons; I have a small greenhouse (10 by 12), I have a sun room/plant room in my house and I have a few plants that I was told need high humidity (Anthurium and Croton). I have been misting them every other day and I put a tray with some wet stones under their pots. By the way, does anyone need any cuttings of anything that I might have? I can send you a list but I have lots (and lots) of wandering jews, ivy type "foliage plant" and a moses in a bulrush..and a few others..I do not know how you would get them but I do seem to have lots and lots of cuttings of some of my plants . Just let me know..Oh and those impatiens..I counted them..I have 6 baskets of them (not including the 1 that I had water rooted and then put in a pot) including 1 that is supposed to be something "special"..It is a :Rockapoco Red"

[bullthistle]

A greenhouse? Why then were you worrying about impatients?

[princess_saucer]

I have nothing in my greenhouse yet and these impatiens are soo pretty. Also, I want impatiens as houseplants. Or I am just silly. I have always wanted a greenhouse and now that I have one, I do not know what to do with it

[Jewell]

Growing your impatients in your greenhouse is a great idea! One winter I took a planter of impatients to work to over winter in a sunny window. They were so cheery that they even had a wayward hummingbird eyeing them through the window in the winter. I have since left the hummingbird feeders up much longer.

Wintering the plants over made it easier/cheaper to start new plants very early in the spring for beds outside.

[princess_saucer]

Thank you, Jewell! That is a wonderful idea..So, do I just put them in pots in the greenhouse? Also, can I take cuttings off of the ones that I have, water root them and then once they have roots; plant them in soil in pots? I have actually water rooted a small cutting from one of the really pretty ones. Even though it had a very nice root, after I planted it in a pot of soil it is not growing much Am I doing something wrong?

[Kisal]

You can root them directly in a good potting mix, rather than water. Just make sure to keep them in good humidity while the roots form. It might be easier for the cuttings if they didn't have to make the transition from growing in water to growing in soil.

[princess_saucer]

Thanks, I will go ahead and try my new cuttings in a pot with good soil. Maybe that is what I am doing wrong. I didn't think of it before but it makes sense that if they don't have that transition (water to soil) to make, it will be easier for them to grow..Just common sense, I guess! LOL

[Jewell]

I do a lot of different plants from cuttings directly into potting soil (right now I have african violets, phlox and lewisa cuttings potted and bagged ). I don't have a greenhouse so usually put the potted cutting into a clear plastic bag to help maintain the humidity until the roots are formed. Have to monitor and open the bag for fresh air circulation, but for any plants that tend to want to wilt this works well (especially if the weather is really warm). I've even used it for starting several species of ficus plants, hydrenga and roses from cuttings.