Garden balsam, ideal for shade

Bright violet balsam flower

Garden balsam is among the cute spring and summer blooming flowers.

Basic Balsam facts

Name – Impatiens balsamina
Family Balsaminaceae
Type annual

Height
8 to 32 inches (20 to 80 cm)
Exposure part sun and shade
Soil ordinary

Flowering May to October

Caring for it is effortless and the blooming stays abundant even if diseases might slow the growth and blooming a bit.

Planting, sowing balsam

The planting of balsam purchased in nursery pots is performed in spring.

  • Prefer shade or part shade.
  • One variety, Impatiens hawkeri or New Guinea impatiens tolerates sun.
  • The soil must contain a lot of humus.
  • Plant at least 8 to 10 specimens to a square yard (1 m²) to create amazing ground cover.

Mix your earth with flower plant soil mix and water generously to make the flower-bearing abundant.

Sowing balsam

For impatiens purchased as seeds, you can sow directly in the plot from April onwards but be careful in case of frost spells to protect your seedlings.

If you want to plant impatiens in the sun, select sunpatiens.

Caring for and pruning balsam

Balsam care is child’s play and no pruning is actually required.

  • Water regularly in case of heat wave.
  • Adding flower plant fertilizer will enhance the blooming but you’ll still have flowers if you don’t fertilize.

Caring for balsam helps get nice flowersNonetheless, in pots or garden boxes, you can amplify the aesthetic appeal and stimulate budding of new flowers if you remove wilted flowers regularly.

Don’t be surprised if your Impatiens don’t grow back from one year to the next because they fear the cold. They’ll survive winter only where winters are mild.

  • You might however try growing them in pots to bring them inside your house during the coldest months.
  • If this is the case, reduce the watering to only once a month during the winter dormant phase.

Disease and enemy of balsam impatiens

Although generally not so vulnerable to diseases and parasites, occasionally you’ll notice an invasion of red spider mites and aphids on your Impatiens balsamina.

All there is to know about balsam

Being very ornamental thanks to their bursting colors, these annuals bloom remarkably in flower beds and garden boxes. Care is elementary and growth is quick.

Don’t be surprised if your impatiens don’t grow back from one year to the next because they fear the cold. They’ll survive winter only where winters are mild.

But you can try growing them potted to bring them inside your home during the coldest months.

If holes appear on the leaves, be on the lookout for slugs because they love balsam and you must act fast.

Smart tip about balsam

During the blooming, feel free to water regularly but not too much to keep just the right moisture level.

Garden balsam is among the cute spring and summer blooming flowers.

You can thus decorate your flower beds, garden boxes and pots for many a month in a row.


Image credits (edits Gaspard Lorthiois):
Pixabay: Hartono Subagio, varun-saa