Thanks for the question, as I am wondering the same thing! Would love to know of any "tricks". I had no luck with planting pre-packaged impatien seeds last year (none sprouted), but I have a lot of seeds I harvested from my store-bought plants this summer and would like to plant with success.

Sow early spring in pots or modules using a soil-less compost (substrate)in indirect light. Lightly cover with perlite or vermiculite & place under protection at constant 21C (70F) if possible. Water with TEPID water only. Water straight from tap will inhibit germination or cause seedlings to wilt. Germination should take 14-21 days. Hope you find this helpful.

Of you are like me and start alot of seeds, I suggest a seedling heat mat. I built myself 2 seed starting towers. Three shelves 50 inches wide and 24 inches deep. I have full spectrum fixtures and a 48 inch heat mat on one shelf for germinating. I can buy a thermostat to keep the "soil" at optimum temps. I get seeds germinating in 3-7 days when the package states 7-21. Impatiens like near 75 degrees for germination.

I usually soak the soiless mix twice with 100+ degree water to sterilike it. Letting the mix cool before planting.

I always use a plastic bag to keep the humidity high for germination. Last year I started 4 flats of impatiens. This year I am tackling New Guinea's

I always do the baggie method. I agree with Boxcar about a heat mat - they like it nice and warm. Also, they need light to germinate. They need a humid environment, so make sure you keep a plastic lid on the flat until they get going.

I do my seeds under lights, and last year I put the lights on a table by a sunny window. Between the heat from the lights and the heat from the sun, a lot of my seedlings got fried. I won't do that again.

Deanna

My impatien seedlings germinated nearly 100%. I used jiffy peat pods that you soak in water until they expand. Seeds were just barely covered. I germinated under cool spectrum florescent lights and with an electric seed-starting heat mat.

My question is... what next? I've removed the heat mat and lights. I know the heat mat is no longer needed, but what about the light? I'm in Wisconsin and have my "green house" set up in a spare room. The seedlings only have their first sprouting leaves... no true leaves yet. Does anyone know how much light they should be exposed to at this point?

Thanks!
Hooble

I sowed my impatiens 2/7/07 trailed jiffy pellets to peat pots with seed starting mix. The Jiffy pellets are growing gangbusters peat pots at half the size as the jiffy. I have em under 2 shoplights my unheated basement and germinating area I record temps at top of 68 to high of 76.

Busylizzy, Do you keep them under the shop lights until you are ready to harden them off outside?

Thx, Hooble

Right now, i am "blasting" them with lights, 16hours a day. took my first pinch to make more tonight.
I will have to move them along with my geraniums soon because I have to start my veggies in that box.
I plan to move to my bedroom, lol, is the best heated, sunny southwest windows. When it warms enough, soon I hope, I will move them again to the unheated sun porch that also gets southwest sun. I use that as a hardening off area for plants.
Sure is cold here now, got down to 6 degrees at night and recorded the lowest temps in the prop box in the basement when I got home tonight, 57 degrees. Lights were off. They didn't suffer a bit.

Last year I started seed saved from my impatients I grew in 2005. I was overwhelmed by the germation rate. I ended up with 600 plants to nurture....from just a small pinch of seed. What a job until they were ready to go outside. I grew them everywhere, flower boxes, hanging baskets,all kinds of containers once I transplanted, them and gave many away.

I had so much seed left over that I saved some for this year and started it a little later this time...4-5 days ago. What are the chances that it will germinate again this year. Actually I wasn't quite as excited to start growing them this time, knowing what I may have to care for but they are so beautiful in my mostly shaded areas.Think they will grow?

I had trouble the past couple of years germinating impatiens; I didn't use any bottom heat. I did have some germination success. This year, I'm using bottom heat mats and a heating cable in another flat. I always keep the seedlings under lights until I can get them out into the cold frame the end of April (up here in Connecticut.)