BEACON Impatiens. The most popular annual of all time is back!

Impatiens walleriana, once America's No. 1 shade loving bedding plant has an interesting story to tell. The BEACON Series Impatiens by Pan American Seeds offers incredible resistance to notorious Impatiens Downy Mildew. Penn State Flower Trials 2019.

[@annayeganov8504]

I love your videos, you always tell a back story and give interesting info along with whatever the main topic is and I learn from each one of your videos. Thanks!

[@marksgardenlife5971]

Hi Anna! I'm glad you are enjoying and learning along the way. Thank you for the kind words! Thanks for watching and for taking the time to comment as well. Spread the word of my channel if you would as I can use the help. Take care, -Mark

[@tomcurtis197]

I planted orange impatiens this year and they are gorgeous! I planted in June and by the beginning of July, they were filling in and full of color! Next spring I'll be planting them again! I did two impatiens,then one yellow marigold, then two, then one and the colors are stunning. About mid August, the impatiens took over and the marigolds got drowned out, but, they got huge! In Ohio, we had 8" of rain( norm is 2") and it seems like they doubled in size, week after week! Great video and awesome to know the history! Thank you!

[@yazz2jazz313]

Hey! Thanks for that interesting info! It sure is a standout!

[@evildragonladie]

Thank you Mark! I just love Impatiens! Especially the double that look like tiny roses in a lavender color! I mass plant them with the white and they are perennials here in zone 9b-10a! We haven't ever had a powdery mildew issue? When they get leggy I pinch them back! I have a neighbor who has had them in their front border, pots and under trees (the only flower in their yard) for over 30 years!!! Their house is south facing??? Cammie✨🌷🌞🌷✨

[@Michael-Bennett]

I only plant New Guinea impatiens. They are more expensive that the regular impatiens, but the plants are bigger and they bloom all season, until frost. I only put them in part shade areas since they quickly wilt in full sun. Other than keeping the soil moist, they need no care. It is now the last week of September and they look great. (Toronto, Canada, zone 5/6)

[@marksgardenlife5971]

Hi Michael! Try the Sun Impatiens next year. They are New Guinea Impatiens, but varieties that are much tougher that do incredible in sun and shade both. I find that most of the "Sun Impatiens" perform better than the varieties labeled as "New Guineas" at all the flower trials I visit as well as my personal experience at home. I do have a huge bed of the Beacon Series of impatiens at the farm entrance and even now in October, they are huge and still in full bloom and when your during areas that are large, they are a less costly alternative. As always, thanks for watching/commenting! I guess you guys are getting close to a frost by now? Michael, you have a wonderful week! Best, -Mark

[@Michael-Bennett]

@@marksgardenlife5971 We should get our first frost by mid October but last year it was quite a bit later. Some annuals like snapdragons continue blooming well into November. Some snapdragons and dusty millers overwintered!

[@marksgardenlife5971]

I'm really surprised the first frost is that late. Snaps and Dusty Miller can do the same as far as overwintering here as well.

[@sashineb.2114]

I planted impatiens this year, for the first time since the mildew infected plants years ago. I used new soil in the containers. They started off OK, with lots of buds turning into blooms. Then, after about three weeks, the flowers started getting a speckled look, as though they had been sprinkled with powdered sugar. They didn't look like the downy mildew that I remembered from about 10 years ago. Any idea what went wrong? Normally, I have blooms like in the video, but once they started looking odd, the buds stopped forming and the plants thinned out. Thank you.

[@marksgardenlife5971]

Hi! Do you happen to remember what variety you planted? -Mark

[@sashineb.2114]

@@marksgardenlife5971 Hello. Thanks for your response. The stick that came with the flat of flowers says "Dazzler Mix" 1204 Impatiens CT # 33-0250-8 Grown in Canada". I've had great luck with these other years. The window boxes I used are plastic containers that I used previously, but with new soil. I hadn't planted anything in them for years, not after downy mildew. Should I have sterilized the containers before using the new soil this year? Thanks.

[@marksgardenlife5971]

There are only two tested series on the market that I am aware of that are downy resistant. Beacon Series from Pan American Seed and the Imara XDR series from Syngenta. I grow the Beacon Series and if you look at the video "Some Of My Favorite Perennials", I show them and they look incredible! Hope that helps and next year, try Beacon Impatiens. You won't be disappointed! -Mark