The hard-working Lieschen (Impatiens walleriana) lives up to its name in the garden and blooms beautifully and persistently throughout the season. However, the flower has one disadvantage, it has to be bought and planted anew every year, because it counts as an annual plant that is not hardy. However, under certain circumstances, hibernation can be successful. You can read here how this is possible.
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Hardy Hardy Lizzie
Basically, the Impatiens walleriana is not one of the garden plants that are considered hardy. This is because it is sensitive to frost in our latitudes and simply freezes to death in winter. Nevertheless, one should know that the hard-working Lieschen is actually perennial. This means it will not die back in its native habitat after one growing season. This advantage can also be used in the home garden. Because the Impatiens walleriana can also grow there for several years if it gets appropriate winter protection and good care.
Hard-working Lizzie: start hibernating
Better too early than too late when it comes to giving up the hard-working Lieschen, especially if it is to be grown for several years. It should not only be brought into the house when there is a threat of frost, but rather when it is noticeably colder. The best time to do this is in September, in October it might be too cold. In the long run, temperatures below 10 degrees have a harmful effect on the plant.
This must be taken into account:
- Reduce watering before putting away
- Absolutely avoid waterlogging
- stop fertilizing
- In the bed, the Impatiens walleriana is not hardy, even with frost protection
The right place
The choice of location depends on what you intend to do with the plant. If you only want to overwinter the hard-working Lieschen indoors, a bright place by a window in a cool room is sufficient. The plant begins and ends its winter dormancy there without fertilizer or much watering. If you don’t want to do without the flowers indoors, you have to keep the hard-working Lizzie warm. The warmer the flower is, the more it needs to be watered. In the house, if the flowering lasts, fertilize once a month.
The right care
In addition to the right watering and fertilizing, you have to pay attention to pests and diseases when the hard-working Lizzie comes into the house. Even before it is granted, it is thoroughly checked. Damaged or discolored leaves and wilted flowers are removed. Once a week you should inspect the plant indoors, especially the underside of the leaves. For example, dry air causes an infestation with spider mites . But different lice can also find themselves on the plant.
Treatment:
- Remove any faded flowers regularly.
- If infested with lice or spider mites, spray the plant frequently with water. High humidity is difficult for the pests to tolerate.
- Watch out for mold or other fungi on the substrate or on the plant. Remove conspicuous areas and cut back the plant if necessary.
- Pesticides are only necessary in an emergency, when the infestation is too severe and the plant suffers.
end hibernation
The period in which the Impatiens walleriana is indoors depends on the outside temperatures. As soon as these are constantly above 10 degrees, preferably at night, you can go outside again. Normally it is in April.
Before the hard-working Lieschen can get its place in the garden again, it has to be repotted. Unless it will be planted again in a bed anyway.
Instructions for the culture in the bed:
- the plant is treated like a newly purchased young plant
- Prepare the bed well, remove stones and weeds
- loosen the soil
- dig a hole large enough for the root ball
- Mix soil with compost
- insert plant
- Fill in the soil and press down
- Pour hard-working Lizzie
Instructions for repotting:
- the new bucket should be slightly larger than the old one
- holes in the floor must allow drainage of water
- insert a drainage layer of gravel
- fill in normal potting soil
- Take the flower out of the old pot and check the roots
- remove dead roots
- Place the plant in the bucket and fill up the remaining substrate
- Press down the soil and then water generously
- Water and fertilize regularly afterwards