I live in Vacaville, CA. When can I safely plant impatiens? Also, is there an organic pesticide for fruit trees? I have a nectarine tree and it gets fungus each year.
Your last frost date was this past week, so it should be safe. That being said, the weather has been crazy this year, so check your 10 day forecast to make sure that the weather is not predicted to turn.
We recommend neem oil for spraying for pests and fungus. It is safe for humans, animals and beneficial bugs but works very well to control pests and fungus. Here is an article on it:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/pesticides/neem-oil-uses.htm
We are having a backyard bridal shower at the end of June and are thinking of using Impatiens as a centerpiece for one lucky guest at each table to take home. However, we are concerned this may attract bees. Is this true?
If you are putting them out as centerpieces, I doubt they will attract many Bees. Bees normally have to send out scouts to find a source of food (flowers) who report back and tell the other bees where they are. If the flowers will only be there for an afternoon, the scouts will not have much of a chance to tell anyone, even if they do find the flowers in that short period of time.
Are impatiens easily grown in the Caribbean? I have not seen this flower in gardens on any of the islands I have visited.
It is a flower that originally comes from the rain forests, so I cannot see why you would not be able to grow them. It may be the salt, but if you grow them in containers, you should be able to control the salt.
How many times a day do you water an impatiens seed plant?
This article should help with that: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/impatiens/growing-impatiens-flowers.htm
Why are the leaves on my impatiens hanging baskets turning yellow?
The leaves usually turn yellow when the plant lacks Nitrogen. Perhaps water stagnates and the roots get too much of water. See whether the pot is packed with roots, if so transfer the plant to a bigger pot. If the plant is in the ground add some compost around the root.
My patio faces the south and since I screened it, my flowering plants do not bloom. All I get is green foliage. I've tried new guinea impatiens and a couple of other common hanging plants with the same results. Thanks.
The screening may have made it too dark for many plants to bloom there. You will want to try shade flowers, although if you tried new guinea impatiens, it may be too dark for shade flowers even.
You can also consider growing colorful foliage plants that like the shade, like caladium or coleus.
I keep impatiens, coleus, and hibiscus in bright windows, and they bloom all winter. Trouble is, they've grown very leggy and by now look pretty scraggly. Is it possible to prune them? Some impatiens are with crown of thorns; most are with geraniums. The coleus are solo or with other plants like Dusty Miller. And what about the now very tall hibiscus? I've pruned two branches, but I am afraid to cut off all the blooms. Also, what fertilizer when you do plant surgery? HELP and thank you very much!
Oh, and use a balanced fertilizer, like 10-10-10.
Yes, you can prune them back by up to 1/3 without harming them.