On Sat, 7 Jul 2012 11:54:03 +0000, Greenveg
wrote:


'Janet Tweedy[_2_ Wrote:
;963572']In article , Bob Hobden
writes--
I have planted bedding plants, impatiens,--


What kind of impatiens? Are you sure they didn't have the virus and just

simply stop thriving and die away?
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
'Dalmatian Telegraph - UK' (http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk)

I did hear a while ago that certain Impatiens were subject to a virus.
Mine are Cranberry Mix, bought from Tesco. They hardly began to grow
before they withered away.

The bulk of impatiens sold in supermarkets (and many garden centres)
will be the standard "walleriana" type that's been sold for years.
They are susceptible to impatiens downy mildew. Once this disease hits
your area, you're effectively stuck with it. It has been estimated
that the spores remain viable in the soil/compost for up to 5 years
and the mildew thrives in the wet we're getting now. There is no cure.

So if someone in an area where the mildew has struck grows the normal
impatiens then the spores can infect those plants and the 5 year cycle
starts again. The only way, if the experts are to be believed, to stop
this problem is for no-one to sell or buy or grow this type of
impatiens for, say ,6-7 years to be safe.

On the plus side, there is a resistant variety - New Guinea Impatiens
(some places sell a "Sunpatiens" which is also resistant but, IMO and
IME, inferior to the NGs which are much bigger plants). Although the
NGs cost more, I find they will fill the space formerly filled by 4-5
wallerianas so they don't work out more expensive, just don't plant
them so close together - give them space and you'll be rewarded.

Cheers, Jake
=======================================
Urgling from the East End of Swansea Bay. We don't yet have a
"dah dah dah dah dee dee deeee" theme tune but we're working on it.

Can't tell astilbe from aranthus
But I can from an acanthus!