Impatiens New Guinea
Impatiens hawkerii

A Hot Summer Survivors selection!
- This next generation of seed-grown New Guinea impatiens features bigger flower size, better flower form, a 1-week flowering window across all colours, and excellent range of the most important colours.
- An excellent choice for gardens and landscapes, Divine establishes quickly for the best early-season colour.
- Great branching habit produces lots of flowers all season long, and creates nicely shaped, mounded hanging baskets.
- Foliage ranges from green to bronze-green, providing an excellent contrast with the blooms.
- Supplied with very good seed quality, easy-to-grow Divine delivers consistent, transplantable yields with a quick crop time from plugs/young plants.
- Growing Divine from seed makes plugs/young plants compatible with mechanical transplanting and gives growers an economical choice for production in 306 packs and 4-in. (10-cm) pots.

Germination
The recommended plug sizes for Divine New Guinea impatiens are 288 to 128-cell. Water adequately after sowing. Cover seed lightly with coarse vermiculite to maintain high moisture. Germination takes 6 to 8 days. Seed may be germinated either on the bench or in a germination chamber.

Plug Production
Media
Use a well-drained, disease-free seedling medium with a pH of 5.5 to 6.0 and EC about 0.75 mS/cm (1:2 extraction).
Temperature
Germination: 72 to 78°F (22 to 26°C).
After germination: Keep air temperature at 70 to 75°F (21 to 24°C) and soil temperature at 70°F (21°C) until transplant.
Light
Germination: Light appears to improve germination.
After germination: Up to 2,500 f.c. (27,000 Lux)
Seedling maturity: Up to 5,000 f.c. (54,000 Lux) if temperature can be controlled.
Supplemental lighting is not required, but will decrease total crop time.
Humidity
Maintain 100% relative humidity (RH) until radicles emerge. RH can be reduced gradually to approximately 50% as plugs mature.
Soil Moisture
Keep plug trays in high moisture until late Stage 2, then start reducing moisture.
Avoid wilting – New Guinea impatiens cannot tolerate wilt.
Fertilizer
At radicle emergence: Apply 50 ppm N (0.4 mS/cm EC) from low phosphorous-nitrate form fertilizers, such as 13-2-13.
As cotyledons expand: Increase to 100 to 150 ppm N (0.9 to 1.3 mS/cm EC).
If growth is slow: Apply 20-10-20 with every other fertilization.
Maintain medium EC between 1.0 and 1.5 mS/cm (1:2 extraction).
Plant Growth Regulators
PGRs are not needed in the plug stage for Divine New Guinea impatiens.
Transplanting
Plugs are ready to transplant when “pullable” from the plug tray. Do not allow plugs to get root bound.

Growing On to Finish
Container Size
Divine New Guinea impatiens are best suited to 306 premium packs, 1801 flats, 4-in. (10-cm) pots and hanging baskets.
Temperature
Maintain air temperature at 65 to 80°F (18 to 26°C) from transplant to sale. The warmer the temperature, the faster the plant will flower. Lower temperature to 61 to 65°F (16-18°C) in the weeks during flower development will make larger flower size.
Light
Maintain light levels as high as possible while maintaining temperature.
Plant flowering is also related to light accumulation – low light will delay flowering.

Fertilizer
Feed plants weekly starting 10 days to 2 weeks after transplant. Apply fertilizer once per week alternating between a predominantly nitrate-form fertilizer such as 15-5-15 and a balanced ammonium and nitrate form fertilizer such as 20-10-20. Apply fertilizer at 100 to 150 ppm N (0.6 to 1.0 mS/cm EC). Avoid high ammonium and high phosphorus fertlizer. Maintain salt levels below 1.5 mS/cm EC – make sure irrigations are thorough to prevent high salt levels.

Pinching
No pinching is required. Divine New Guinea impatiens have a naturally superior branching habit and do not need pinching. Pinching will only increase the crop time.
Plant Growth Regulators
In North American conditions: Bonzi spray at a rate of about 5 ppm (1.25 ml/l 0.4% formulation) has been tested and shown effective in the PanAmerican Seed Co. research facility in Elburn, Illinois. Apply PGRs when plants begin to touch, especially when grown pot-tight.
Under North European conditions: 1 or 2 applications with 2 to 4 ppm (0.5 to 1.0 ml/l 0.4% formulation) Bonzi spray has been tested and shown effective. For larger containers or hanging baskets, PGRs may not be needed. To determine the best rate for your conditions, we recommend that you run an in-house trial.
Note: It is the responsibility of the applicator to read and follow all current label directions for the specific chemical being used and to use the PGR in accordance with all laws and regulations.

Common Problems
Insect: Thrips are the most common pest.
Disease: No major problems will arise if using good cultural and IPM practices.

Green Thumb Tips
Home gardeners will see best results when they plant Divine New Guinea impatiens in a partially to fully shaded location. Space plants 10 in. (25 cm) apart in the garden. Divine New Guinea impatiens also work well in baskets, containers and patio planters. Water well when planted in partially shaded locations.