Hard-working Lizzie - planting, caring for, multiplying and more

First choice for locations with little light - this is how the hardworking Lieschen blooms

Planting diligent reading correctly

The planting time for the cold-sensitive hardworking Lieschen begins in mid-May. In the partially shaded location with loose, humus soil and an acidic pH value of 5.5 to 6.8, excavate the planting pits. A distance of 20-25 cm is considered appropriate. Put the excavated material in a wheelbarrow to mix in leaf compost or bog soil. Before you plant your Impatiens walleriana, the still potted root balls are immersed in soft water until no more air bubbles rise. It continues in these steps:

Place a potted young plant in the center of each planting hole
Fill up with the optimized soil up to the lower pair of leaves
Press with your hands and pour with soft water

Care tips

Continuity is the key if the care of hardworking lizards is to result in lavish blooms. Pamper your favorite flowers with this care program:

Keep the thirsty Impatiens walleriana constantly slightly moist without causing waterlogging
Gently spray the leaves with lime-free water every 1-2 days
Clean up withered flowers continuously
From May to September fertilize in the bed every 14 days, in the pot and flower box (€ 13.18 at Amazon *) every 8 days

When winter knocks on the garden gate, clear the frost-sensitive summer flowers. In the bright winter quarters, the exotic plants get through the cold season in good health at 12-15 degrees Celsius. Pour only a little. Regular spraying with lime-free water is still advisable. During this time, fertilize with diluted liquid fertilizer every 6-8 weeks. In March / April cut back the shoots by half to two thirds and repot.

Which location is suitable?

In the light shade, at temperatures between 18 and 24 degrees Celsius, the hardworking Lieschen shows what flower power it is. In the blazing sun, however, the tender leaves suffer fatal burns. The location shouldn't be too dark either, because the summer flowers lack the energy here for a lavish flow of flowers. A high humidity of 60 percent and higher, such as that found near ponds and streams, is ideal. The light and temperature conditions alone do not, of course, define the perfect location. A permeable, humus-rich and fresh soil with an acidic pH of 5.5 to 6.8 is essential.

The correct planting distance

In summery borders you can draw picturesque pictures of flowers if you arrange hard-working lizards in small groups. A planting distance of 25 cm has proven to be very effective in practice. Cultivated in pots and flower boxes, reduce this value to 15-20 cm for a lush appearance.

What soil does the plant need?

Pay particular attention to the nature of the soil, because these special criteria apply to all Impatiens species:

Loose humic, nutrient-rich and well-drained soil
A pH in the acidic range from 5.5 to 6.8
Fresh and moist to moderately dry

For pot culture, these requirements mean that it is advantageous to use bog bed or rhododendron soil. Add lava granulate (€ 10.95 at Amazon *) or perlite (€ 32.90 at Amazon *) respiratory flakes for a good oxygen supply to the roots.

What is the best time to plant?

Do not plant a hard-working Lizzie outdoors until mid-May at the earliest, because belated ground frosts can cause considerable damage. If the plant thrives in a tub or balcony box, nothing speaks against planting from April. The only condition is that the planters move to a sheltered room with temperatures around 15 degrees Celsius by mid-May at night.

When is the flowering time?

A hard-working Lieschen has the floral capacity for a flowering period from May to October. Of course, this masterpiece will not succeed in the right location without your help. Cut off wilted flowers continuously, as this is the only way for the buds underneath to be exposed to light and unfold.

Diligent reading cut properly

Young Impatiens walleriana get to know the scissors at an early age. So that the tropical plants branch out vigorously, they are de-pitted when there are 3 pairs of leaves. During the flowering period, cut off the withered flowers regularly until just before the next bud so that the second flowering can develop. If wintering is on the plan for the hard-working Lieschen, cut the shoots by up to two thirds either in autumn or spring.

Pour diligent lick

The Swiss amateur gardeners affectionately call the hard-working Lieschen Süüfferli. The summer flower owes this nickname to its high watering requirement. Always pour fresh, lime-free water on the soil when the surface is dry. However, waterlogging must not occur because the exotic flower beauty reacts indignantly by shedding flowers and leaves. The pretty balsam feels much more pleasant when a gentle mist of soft water is sprayed onto the green leaves.

Diligent reading fertilize properly

The splendid flower and leaf dress will only put a hard-working Lieschen on its floral legs if a constant supply of nutrients is ensured. Fertilize the plant in the bed from May to September every 14 days with acidic deciduous or coniferous compost. A mulch layer made of grass clippings or leaves is also welcome in order to permanently supply the busy soil organisms. If the Impatiens walleriana thrives in the planter, give a liquid fertilizer for bog plants every week from May to September. During hibernation, apply highly diluted liquid fertilizer every 6-8 weeks between October and April.

Pests

If vermin settle on a hard-working Lieschen, it is mostly aphids. You can put an end to these pests with the classic soft soap solution. To do this, add 15 milliliters of soft soap and a few splashes of alcohol to 1 liter of lime-free water. Spray the top and bottom of the leaves until all of the lice are gone.

Overwinter

In view of the uncomplicated cultivation and the huge supply of young plants, the effort of wintering with all its imponderables is not worth it. If it breaks the gardener's heart to dispose of their splendid specimens in autumn, you can dare to experiment if there is space available. How to do it correctly:

Put the plants in at temperatures below 12 degrees
Set up in bright, partly sunny winter quarters at 12-15 degrees Celsius
Reduced watering and liquid fertilizing in diluted concentration every 6-8 weeks

You can choose to cut the plant back by up to two thirds before or after wintering. In March / April, repot the overwintered flowers in fresh soil so that they can take their place on the balcony healthy and lively from May onwards.

Diligent reading multiply

Leave some withered flowers on the plant from July / August so that the green, flame-shaped capsule fruits can form here. If they take on a glassy color, they are mature. So that the capsules do not distribute the seeds prematurely, enclose them with your hand so that you can only then trigger the small explosion by touching them. Store dried seeds in an airtight jar in a dark place until March / April. How to properly sow the seeds:

Fill a seed tray with germ-free seed soil and moisten it with soft water
Scatter the fine seeds and press lightly
In the partially shaded place at 20 degrees Celsius, germination begins within 10-20 days

Prick out the strongest seedlings in individual pots as soon as they have 2 or more pairs of leaves. Young plants with 3-4 pairs of leaves are pricked once or twice so that they branch out profusely and bloom abundantly.

Diligent reading in the pot

Fill a pot with bog or rhododendron soil enriched with lava granules or perlite respiratory flakes. In order to effectively prevent waterlogging, insert some pottery shards between the substrate and the opening in the floor. In a light to partially shaded and sheltered location, maintenance is as follows:

Diligent Lieschen water regularly with lime-free water
Pour out the coaster after 20 minutes at the latest
Pamper yourself with liquid azalea or rhododendron fertilizer every week from May to September
Clean up withered flowers as soon as possible to make room for the buds below

The majority of hobby gardeners opt for the annual cultivation of Impatiens walleriana. If you are going to hibernate, move the pot into the bright winter quarters in good time. At temperatures of 12-15 degrees water only a little and fertilize every 6-8 weeks in a diluted concentration.

Is busy reading poisonous?

The industrious Lieschen is assigned to the slightly poisonous ornamental plants. Therefore, wear gloves for all planting and maintenance work if you are prone to allergies. As a precaution, place Impatiens walleriana out of the reach of children and pets.

Nice varieties

Cherry Red: Very vigorous, new breed, whose cherry-red blossoms highlight locations with little light
Rose Picotee Improoved: Sensational Impatiens walleriana, with extra large, rose-red flowers and a bushy habit
Purple: Filled variety from the hand of world market leader Frank Verhoogt; vigorous, robust and persistent
Sun Patiens White: Specially bred for outdoor cultivation with white, single flowers; particularly easy to care for
Little Gem Mixture: A splendid mixture for beds and balconies in white, pink, purple and lavender; blooms within 3 days
Silhouette Red Star: Premium variety with red and white, double flowers, vegetatively propagated and heat-tolerant
Cajun Rose: Light pink flowers on horizontally oriented shoots; the ideal variety for the traffic light and the balcony box
Kokomo XL Red: Red blooming innovation for the field; particularly tolerant of heat and drought