New Guinea impatiens are a popular annual grown by many gardeners for their large bright colored blooms and striking foliage.
If you are growing your own New Guinea impatiens, it’s important to keep in mind how to properly care for your plant.
In this article, we’ll be taking a look at how often to water your New Guinea impatiens. The answer will vary depending on a bunch of factors. We’ll analyze those factors and how they affect your plant’s watering needs.
How often to water New Guinea impatiens
When it comes to how often to water New Guinea impatiens, the answer depends on a variety of factors:
- Is the New Guinea impatiens planted in a pot or in the ground?
- Is it in direct sunlight or does it only get a partial day of direct sunlight?
- What has the weather been like recently?
Generally speaking, the best way to determine how often to water your New Guinea impatiens is to check the top half-inch of soil for dampness. As a rule of thumb, if it’s dried out, give the New Guinea impatiens some water. If it’s still damp or moist in the top half-inch, then no need to water New Guinea impatiens.
Watering New Guinea impatiens seedlings
When it comes to how often to water New Guinea impatiens seedlings, you want to make sure you give your young New Guinea impatiens the water it needs for its early growth.
Sometimes New Guinea impatiens seedlings are grown in bunches. These may soak up moisture faster, so keep tabs on the dampness of the soil for these seedlings.
It’s best to water them lightly more frequently than watering them a lot less frequently. Seedlings are more susceptible to “drowning” when they are overwatered. Too much water at once can also cause the plant to uproot itself, as soil washes away easier when the plant doesn’t have a solid root structure in place.
Plan on watering your New Guinea impatiens seedlings every few days, or even daily. Keep an eye on the surface level dryness of the soil, and give the seedlings a sprinkle if it doesn’t look moist.
New Guinea impatiens seedlings are faster to show it if they don’t have enough water, so if the plant is wilting and the soil is dry, not enough water is probably the problem.
Watering an established New Guinea impatiens
Established New Guinea impatiens should be watered when the top half-inch of soil is dry. Below are specific growing scenarios and information on how often to water the New Guinea impatiens for each.
When to water New Guinea impatiens that are planted outside
New Guinea impatiens planted outside are often healthier, as there’s more chance of direct sunlight, and airflow generally helps to protect it against disease.
Plan on watering your established New Guinea impatiens a few times a week when it’s planted outside. If you’re not sure whether it needs to be watered, you can check if the surface level soil is moist, or if the New Guinea impatiens is wilting.
When to water New Guinea impatiens that are planted inside
New Guinea impatiens that are planted inside may not need as much water, as direct sunlight is normally not as available. Be extra careful that you aren’t overwatering the New Guinea impatiens inside.
If the New Guinea impatiens is wilting, that could be a sign that it is under or overwatered. Check to see how moist the soil is to know the difference before watering the New Guinea impatiens more.
When to water New Guinea impatiens that are planted in the landscape
New Guinea impatiens that are planted in the landscape are able to pull up some moisture from the ground, so they won’t need to be watered as much as New Guinea impatiens that are grown in a container.
When to water New Guinea impatiens planted in containers
As mentioned previously, New Guinea impatiens that are planted in a container will need to be watered more frequently since they don’t have natural water in the ground as a source of hydration.
Things to consider
There are numerous factors to consider when determining how often to water your New Guinea impatiens. Factors like weather, sunlight, the season of the year, and spacing all play a role.
Weather
Spring weather is generally rainier in some areas, so you may not need to water your New Guinea impatiens as much. Be careful that you don’t overwater your New Guinea impatiens in a season with a lot of rain.
Sunlight exposure
Most New Guinea impatiens varieties grow great in full sunlight, but in the heat of the summer, you’ll need to keep these plants watered well.
New Guinea impatiens that are grown in full sun will dry out fast, especially if they are getting direct sunlight during the noon of the day.
Keeping the New Guinea impatiens well watered in these seasons ensures that they’ll be able to produce healthy new shoots.
Season
Depending on the season, you may not need to water your New Guinea impatiens as much. In the fall, when the New Guinea impatiens plant is more established and the cooler weather sets in, you may only need to water the New Guinea impatiens once a week.
Spacing
New Guinea impatiens that are planted close together will compete for the same water, and as a result, you’ll need to water them more.
Tips for watering your New Guinea impatiens
Here are some tips for watering your New Guinea impatiens.
Your New Guinea impatiens may wilt with too much water or too little
Keep in mind that a New Guinea impatiens that are wilting does not necessarily always need water. Sometimes New Guinea impatiens wilt when they have too much water.
Always check the soil dryness to determine if you should give the New Guinea impatiens some water.
It may not be a watering problem, but a fertilizing problem
If the plant is wilting or looking yellow/discolored, it may not be your watering that is the problem. You may want to check the fertilizer level of the soil it’s planted in to see if that’s the problem.
Make sure your pot has adequate draining
If you are planting your New Guinea impatiens in a pot, it’s very important that the pot has proper drainage. New Guinea impatiens are susceptible to root rot and other diseases if water does not drain through the soil, so well-drained soil is essential.
Make sure you plant them in a pot with at least one hole on the bottom for the best drainage.
Repotting
If the New Guinea impatiens need watering a lot, you may want to re-pot the plant so that it has more soil to spread its roots in.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are many factors that will affect how often you’ll need to water your New Guinea impatiens plant. The best and most simple thing to do is check the moisture level in the top half-inch of soil to determine if it needs some water.
