<p><a href=“http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/18/garden/a-mold-devastates-impatiens.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0[/url]”>http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/18/garden/a-mold-devastates-impatiens.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0</a></p>
<p>I must have missed this devastating story!!! I went to the garden store today and was looking for a hanging basket for my shady patio - impatiens- perfect, right??? I looked, and looked- none. Went up to the counter and low and behold, the article - a mold is devastating the supply! </p>
<p>Wow, I can’t imagine - they have been a standard for some different spots in my shady areas. I know people who buy flats of them religiously! </p>
<p>Are they absent from your area too? Have you settled on a replacement flower? They had plenty New Guinea impatiens but I’m not a big fancy those for the purpose I need. </p>
<p>Sad day!! :(</p>
<p>Wow. There were a bunch at my Walmart yesterday. I almost bought some- now I wish I had. There will probably be a run on them.</p>
<p>Impatiens is a winter flower here in south Florida. We plant them when the weather cools off in December and they thrive until the heat returns in April. But this past winter we couldn’t get them anywhere because of the fungus. Very disappointing! We used New Guinea impatiens instead but they aren’t nearly as nice. Home Depot garden centers down here were pushing petunias as a replacement flower.</p>
<p>Ugh. I am not a fan of regular petunias. I would not buy them.</p>
<p>I know! I heard this a few days ago, and it apparently is TRUE. I am looking at the bright side- I will discover that other flowers will thrive in my front yard with the new, warmer climate in NJ. Petunias are nice. And the NG Imapatieins are ok. It’s just that one could basically ignore impatiens and they still grew. Hate gardening, love flowers.</p>
<p>I lost all of them in my yard and pots last summer. It was a horrible and weird floral death brigade every morning, and I wasn’t sure what was going on until it was almost all over. I was told that even if they were available this year that the fungus would live on in the soil for some time, and so not to plant them. Trying to find alternatives for the shady spots. SAD.</p>
<p>My garden center said to wait 3-4 years if you experienced the mildew last year. You can plant them in containers or window boxes and they suggest new potting soil Lucky for me, I was busy and never planted them in the ground in my year-round house. The ones I planted at my Jersey Shore beach house last year were fine. </p>
<p>Same garden center is selling them this year and guarantees the seed & soil are clean, but they are really pushing Sunpatiens as an alternative. I bought 3 flats of the traditional ones. One for the ground at the shore, one for the ground here and the last one for containers.</p>
<p>I have not had good luck with impatiens from HD, so I go to nurseries. My favorite in So FL is Nuturf. All the plants I got there are thriving. I love the colors of impatiens.</p>
<p>I love impatiens in my shady spots, but will plant begonias instead this year (I often alternate anyway, in some locations).</p>
<p>Our garden supply center had a sign about this, and they warned not to buy any from other places as those selling it may be “unscrupulous.” They suggested something else, but I actually don’t remember what it is.</p>
<p>What about pansies? My neighbor always plants begonias.</p>
<p>I am a big geranium fan and always plant many. But the size of most of them is just for another purpose than the petite inpatien - actual green part.</p>
<p>This is what my local, very well-regarded nursery is pushing as an alternative to traditional impatiens. It’s a new variety, so not yet susceptible to the downy mildew. Another big advantage is they can take full sun, plus they spread, so you don’t need as many. Down side: cost. </p>
<p>[VIVA</a>! Gardens - SunPatiens](<a href=“vivagarden.com is for sale | HugeDomains”>vivagarden.com is for sale | HugeDomains)</p>
<p>We ended up with petunias. I don’t like them, but that was what was available for the price I wanted to pay.</p>
<p>You can also try New Guinea impatiens, which are larger, have more interesting leaves, and at least so far are not bothered by the fungus: [New</a> Guinea Impatiens - Plant Encyclopedia](<a href=“http://www.bhg.com/gardening/plant-dictionary/annual/new-guinea-impatiens/]New”>How to Plant and Grow New Guinea Impatiens)</p>
<p>Well this just really does suck. I hadn’t heard of this, but every Mother’s Day I buy my mother multiple flats of impatiens (I get to select the color scheme) and my brother plants them at her direction. She has a huge yard with many beds dedicated to annuals. So now I have to get another plan. Sigh. I saw some very nice Marigolds last night, so definitely some of those.</p>
<p>Now I understand what’s been wrong with my impatiens for the past couple of years. My shade garden is my city back porch. It’s gotten so shady that I’ve switched to mostly green plants anyway, and it always feels lush and tropical. I look for ferns and a potted palm on sale every year, plus some interesting house plants. Since I have no room indoors for plants, I give them away on Freecycle at the end of the summer if they’re in decent shape. But I never got tired of impatiens, and I’m sorry to give them up.</p>
<p>Coincidentally, I was at my local greenhouse yesterday buying annuals and perennials to fill in my gardens as I do every year. In one plot, I do plant impatiens. I bought some of those, among many other flowers, and the clerk told me she had to warn me that the impatiens may not survive due to this problem that is being discussed on this thread, which I had not heard about until yesterday at the greenhouse. She told me that everyone had them die last year but I don’t recall mine dying. I decided to still get three boxes of them and planted them. We shall see.</p>
<p>zoos- I’ve found begonias make a nice substitute. If you’re making a border, a splash of blue lobelia interspersed with the pink or red begonias is really pretty.</p>
<p>Thank you moonchild. I’m going to print your suggestions and take to the nursery.</p>