HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1981-04-29, Page 42Impatiens
Ideal for shady spots
By John Hughes
Soils and Crops Branch
OMAF
Most hoineowrers have at
least one area in their garden
that requires shade -loving
plants, and the impatiens, is
ideal.
When we talk about .spring,
plants, we think immediately
of sunny annuals, such as
petunias and marigolds. In
actual fact, impatiens have
been gaming in overall sales at
a much faster rate than either
of these two.
The reasons are many.
Today's varieties will truly
bloom in full shade all summer
long: String basal branching
makes for a bushy, compact
plant, that performs well in a
variety of soil conditions.
Many types of impatiens are
self pinching and self cleaning
-of old flowers. In addition; -
most of our built-up residential
areas have a high degree of
well-established landscape
that results in shaded garden
area.
Plant breeders have. made a
significant contribution to the
impatiens family and have
been-. chiefly responsible for
their rise in importance. The
ALL—AMERICA SELECTIONS
BRONZE MEDAL 1981.
IMPATIENS OR SULTANA
BLITZ/ HYBRID
Versatile begonias
What can you grow on your •
kitchen window sill, in your
greenhouse year-round, in
hanging baskets, as border
plants, in window boxes,
patio tubs, or in mass
plantings, in sun or shade?
It may Surprise you to
know that FI hybrid begonia
semper-florens will perform
well in all these •situations.
Plant breeders have created
new hybrids with larger
flowers. more compact
branching habit, and the
ability to perform in both full
sun and shade without the
special care and • extra
grooming that are necessary
with some other bedding
plants.
Now, a variety has been
developed especially for
hanging baskets by Pan-
American Seed Company.
'Pink Avalanche' is really a-
new species, an inter -
specific cross. Its one -inch
flowers are a soft pink,
produced on plants with a
spectacular, pendulous
habit, making it a winner for
hanging baskets. A landslide
. of color all season long, it
features unique angel -wing -
shaped foliage. 'Pink
Avalanche' does not produce
seed, but keeps trying
anyway, blooming profusely
in its effort to reproduce
itself.
'Gladiator' 'is another FI
hybrid from Pan-American
Seed Company for this•
year's gardeners. More
glamorous than the
'Clamours,' 'Gladiator'
produces brilliant red
blooms, 2 to 3 inches across,
on 8- to 10 -inch plants. Plants
have a compact, base -
branching habit. The leaves
are smaller than those of the
'Glamours,' making the
blooms seem even larger.
'Gladiator' has been
recognized as a novelty by
Fleuroselect, Europe's
equivalent to our ��All-
America Selections.
'Frilly Red' from Ball Seed
Company, has huge, bright
red blooms, 3/4 to 1 inch wide
and about 2 inches deep.
enhanced by ruffled edges,
and (Arse! by the dark green
foliage. The ruffled edges
make 'Frilly Red' especially
attractive for u.se'in pots and
window boxes. Effective in
borders and for mass
plantings, too. 'Frilly Pink,'
introduced last year, has the
same ruffled flowers and
plant habit as 'Frilly Red.'
Don't dismiss begonias as
unworthy of your attention.
main group is the Elfin series
that are Fl, a hybrid series
developed several years ago.
They are available in a wide
color range (white, red, rose,
pink, and salmon). A plant
breeder from Costa Rica,
Claude Hope, one of the main
developers of the Elfin series,
has now developed the `"Super
Elfins". I saw these breeding
trials about eight years ago,
and now they are available for
the buying public. Generally,
they are superior to the other'
Elfins because of larger
flowers, more flowers • and
continuous flowering
throughout the . growing
season. Overall height is 20 to
25 centimetres 08.to 10 inches)
and they tend to stay t dwarf
because of their basal bran-
ching habit.
To give you •an idea of the
increasing importance 'pf
impatiens, a new variety
called "Blitz" . is the first
impatiens to win an All-
American Selection. It will be
available this spring. Its
orapge-scarlet,large blooms
contrast effectively s.with
bronzy -green foliage.
•
To get the most from im-
patiens and other annuals,
proper fertilizing is important.
Annuals by nature want to
-growand. flower. -all .summer -.
long so they have a fairly
constant demand for nutrition.
Use a water-soluble plant food,
such as 20-20-20 at a rate of 15
millilitres per 4.5 litres (1
tablespoon per gallon) of
water' as a general feed.
Frequency depends on tem-
perature, rainfall and sunshine
but generally every 2 weeks is
adequate.
Not all impatiens are shade
lovers. However, there is a
family called the New Guinea
impatiens that thrivesin full'
sun-. These have a unique
bicolor foliage that is, quite
striking, that can provide a
nice contrast with sunny an-
nuals in your garden. '
Super Elfin impatiens
Enhance your
property value
A study conducted throughout North American in 1979
asked the question "Why do you landscape your home?"
The number one answer was, "To enhance property
value."
People who gave that repay knew What they were talking
about because it is a well established principle in the real
estate industry that a landscaped home will sell more
quickly and will fetch up to five percent more than a
similar property which is not landscaped.
One of the best advantages of landscape planting is that
the Qlant material will continue to grow. and as it grows,
contributes an increased value to the entire property.
Improving the value of the family home is particularly
important in Canada because it is the last major capital
gain that isnottaxed.
To ensure that your plant material continues to enhance
your property value. Landscape Ontario (the trade
association( for garden centres. landscape contractors
and nursery growers suggests that you contact your local
nursery or garden centre for information on watering•and
feeding schedules. At the same time you will be able to
receive information on how to trim your trees and shrubs,
to -insure that they do not become overgrown and begin to
detract from the appearance of your home
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