Touch-me-not, balsam, advice on caring for it

Flowers in the distance, touch-me-not (or balsam)

Touch-me-not is part of the cute spring and summer blooming flowers.

Touch-me-not or Balsam facts

Name – Impatiens
Family Balsaminaceae
Type perennial or annual

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

Flowering May to September.

Caring for it is effortless and the blooming is abundant. Follow our advice to produce magnificent touch-me-not flowers.

Planting touch-me-not, balsam

Plant touch-me-nots densely to have a thick coverThe planting of touch-me-not purchased in nursery pots is performed in spring. Prefer shade or part shade

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

For touch-me-nots purchased as seeds, you can sow directly in the plot from April onwards.

Caring for and pruning touch-me-not

In heat and sun, touch-me-not will wilt but not dieThey don’t need any pruning.

You can eliminate wilted flowers regularly (deadheading) in order to boost flower-bearing.

In most cases, touch-me-not will wilt slightly in full sun and/or on hot days. You shouldn’t worry very much, as this is the plant’s coping mechanism to heat. However, it is a signal that the plant needs watering.

Types of touch-me-not

Touch-me-not is a family of plants called Impatiens. There are thousands of cultivars and species in this family! It developed as a shade plant, so it prefers part shade and full shade.

  • One that resists the sun particularly well is the sunpatiens.
  • Another that has an appealing shape is garden balsam.

All there is to know about the touch-me-not

Single small touch-me-not flowerBeing very ornamental thanks to its bursting colors, this perennial or annual blooms remarkably in flower beds and garden boxes. Care is elementary and growth is quick.

Don’t be surprised if your touch-me-not doesn’t grow back from one year to the next because it fears the cold. It will survive winter only where the season is mild.

Touch-me-not does great in pots, as long as in the shadeBut you can try growing it potted to bring it inside your home during the coldest months.

If holes appear on the leaves, be on the lookout for slugs because they love touch-me-not and you must act fast.

Smart tip about touch-me-not

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


Image credits (edits Gaspard Lorthiois):
Pixabay: Hartono Subagio, Bishnu Sarangi, Zsuzsa, JacLou DL
Public Domain: Andreas