Pinching Back Leggy Impatiens

Pinching

• Each stem of the impatiens plant is covered in small suppressed buds. These buds are forced to flower when the top of the stem is pinched off. If the plant has a few leggy or overgrown stems, you can grasp them between your thumb and forefinger and pinch them off just above a leaf at the desired height. The stem branches at the pinched location and the buds beneath the pinched area are forced into growth. Pinch the long stems back so that they are 3 inches from the base of the plant to ensure they regrow.

Shearing

• Most impatiens are self-cleaning, so they don't require deadheading, the term for the removal of dead flowers, to stay in bloom. Still, you can shear them back lightly if flowering begins to decline midsummer. The impatiens then send out a flush of new, fuller growth and more flowers, which helps prevent midseason legginess. When shearing, use clean shears and cut the plants back by about half their height. If the impatiens are producing poorly or have become extremely leggy, you can cut the plants back to within 3 inches of ground, but they may take longer to bounce back.

Sunlight

• Lack of sunlight can cause legginess in impatiens plants. Although impatiens prefer shaded areas, they need bright shade rather than dim, dark shade. If grown in heavy shade, the stems may stretch toward the light and produce sparse foliage, necessitating frequent pinching. For fullest growth, provide impatiens with bright morning sunlight and light shade in the afternoon. If you must grow them in full shade, select an area with dappled shade or in which they still receive bright, indirect light.

Water

• Drought stress causes impatiens to stop flowering and the stems become leggy and weak. Impatiens grow best with even moisture. Providing afternoon shade to keep them cool and using mulch to retain moisture prevents stress and legginess. Impatiens generally require about 1 inch of moisture weekly from rain or irrigation, although during hot weather they may require more water. Water when the top 1 inch of soil begins to feel dry, and supply enough water to make the top 6 inches of soil feel moist after irrigation.