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.
The planting of balsam purchased in nursery pots is performed in spring.
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.
Balsam care is child’s play and no pruning is actually required.
Nonetheless, 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.
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.
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.
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.
I bought 2 weeks before, but today more hot my leaves of balsam plant are down. What can I do now?
Hi Dinesh, if it’s too hot, try to give it some shade during the hottest hours. Normally, it doesn’t like being in full sun. A better plant for full sun is sunpatiens. Perhaps you should move your balsam to a shadier spot in your garden.
You can still try to make balsam grow in the sun, but it will need time to adjust. For example, tie a light cloth to stakes or poles to cover the plants from midday sun. You won’t need to do this forever, only for a couple weeks. That way, the plants have time to grow roots in the soil around them. Also, remember to mulch the soil with a very thick layer. This helps keep water below and gives the roots cool air.
Hello. I just want to know, I live in a place where there is no winter. Malaysia. I just purchase the seed and a mix organic soil. I’m still in a learning process. Once I have planted the seed, should I keep it inside my house or just leave it outside?
Hello Irfan, balsam will do fine both in the house and outside, so you can actually do both! Outside, if it gets hot, find ways to ensure moisture such as mulch and, especially in the seedling stage, shade, otherwise your seedlings will dry out. At the beginning, depending on the weather, you might need to check soil moisture twice a day. Sometimes a piece of carton folded into a tent is enough to protect the seedling from harsh mid-day sun while ensuring it gets proper light from the sides.
I bought the plant in a pot. I live in an apartment. Will it bloom in the pot? Can I bring it inside in the winter?
Hello Barbara! Yes you can definitely keep your pot indoors over the winter, it’s even actually necessary if ever the weather gets quite cold in winter. Balsam can’t tolerate the slightest frost or freezing.
It should also bloom very well indoors, so I wouldn’t be very worried.
Since you just purchased the pot, check whether it should be repotted or not. Most plants purchased in a nursery need repotting fairly quickly because they’re sold at maximum beauty for the time and effort spent on them. If roots are weaving out of the holes and if, when lifting the plant out of the plastic pot, you see roots starting to ring around the pot in circles, time to repot!
Check here on how to repot, remember to add proper drainage, and if you can add a bit of compost or prepare fermented tea that will make for a great fertilizer!