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When to Transplant Impatiens Seedlings

Impatiens (Impatiens walleriana or Impatiens x New Guinea hybrids) are partial-shade loving flowers that are most often treated as annuals, although they're technically perennials in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 10 through 11. With hundreds of cultivars to choose from, you can buy seedlings at garden centers or grow your own plants from seed. Plant impatiens seeds indoors in late winter or early spring so you can transplant seedlings after the danger of frost has passed in temperate climates. Hardening off seedlings before planting helps impatiens grow strong.

  1. Seeds

    • About six to 10 weeks before outdoor planting, place the seeds in clean, sterile potting media, soilless growing mix or soil with pH between 5.5 and 6.0. If you are sowing directly into tray flats, spread about 500 to 1,000 seeds into wet soil, suggests Michigan State University Extension. Daytime temperatures should be about 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Impatiens seeds require light to germinate so place them on top of the soil, covering them with a thin layer of fine vermiculite. Cover the pots or flats with polyethylene or clear plastic to increase humidity but do not leave them near windows on hot, sunny days. Germination time varies, but seedlings should appear within 14 to 21 days.

    Hardening Off

    • Hardening off seedlings before placing them outside helps the impatiens get used to outdoor conditions. On the first day, place the impatiens seedlings outside in partial shade for a couple of hours. Over the next few days, reduce watering and leave them out longer each day so they become used to sun and wind. After six to 10 days, the seedlings should be strong enough to transplant in outdoor flower beds.

    Transplanting Impatiens

    • Young impatiens grown in soil plugs are generally stronger, while removing larger plants from seed trays may cause transplant shock, which stunts growth or can kill tender neighboring seedlings. Young plants are ready for transplanting when they have their first set of leaves. Impatiens should not go into the ground until after the danger of frost has passed, usually by the middle of May in cool climates. Transplanting times vary in warmer climates: June and July for USDA zone 7; May through August for USDA zone 8; April, September, October and November for USDA zone 9; and February, March, April, September, October, November and December for USDA zones 10 and 11. Transplanting seedlings and young plants on cloudy days keeps them from getting too hot when going into the ground.

    Planting Care

    • Tender young seedlings must be handled carefully. Although a new leaf will grow if one is damaged, crushed stems will kill the seedlings. Root damage can lead to stunted stem growth and disease. Depending on the variety, impatiens plants grow 6 to 18 inches tall and spread about 10 to 24 inches wide. Space out taller impatiens 18 inches from each other and compact types about 10 inches apart. Flower bed and hanging basket impatiens need constant monitoring because they wilt when the soil is dry. Water impatiens when needed, but don't allow the soil to stay soggy.

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