Pinch the petals? Could they need more water?

I was going to ask this same question, and I hope I don't have to replace the ones I just bought. Mine have also shriveled, and am looking for advice, myself. So I don't hijack your thread, I'll do a separate post.

I am in SW Ohio and found this thread interesting. I have 15 impatiens in the back yard plot...get sun until about 1pm or so but MANY OLD fashioned impatiens in this area can grow in FULL SUN ALL DAY if you water them. A store nearby with only concrete around a planter had gorgeous impatiens all last summer.

They must have had special sand soil or something. The impatiens in my yard, some are doing well, the others are struggling or starting to shrivel. WORSE SOMETHING is eating the flowers and the hot pepper wax spray isn't working this year?

The ones in the front of the house, where I had them last year, mostly shade are doing better tho bunnies must be getting to them as the blooms disappear.

Still the inconsitencty in the back yard ones have me confused. I have put some in pots in the same sunny area..they are doing better but ALSO getting eaten. SHEESH.

I am only a few years into gardening and had to trim my impatiens for getting so leggy? Good luck with your shriveled impatiens.

It was hot, then cool, then warm again here so they are staying watered...but a couple have shriveled up and almost flat.

Weird.

Shriveled impatiens are usually suffering from lack of water. If they don't have enough sun, they don't shrivel, they just don't bloom. If they have that fungus that they gat, they don't shrivel they just rot at the soil line and fall over.
Water!!
And don't pinch any petals....impatiens don't need deadheading and unless you really know what you are doing I wouldn't cut them back because they are leggy. Water them! They will fill out.
Linda C

I lost a couple plants this year to overwatering and that also looks like shriveling.I had used a planter with a water reservoir because in years past I've had to water twice a day on a screened patio that gets very hot.I'm guessing it was too wet for the plants since their root systems weren't very big & the planter is large.

I have mine in a bed that faces north but gets the hot afternoon sun from about 3 in the afternoon until about 6 or 7 in the evening. I was worried about all the hot sun, even posted a ? here to see what the experts thought, as long as they get enough water and are well drained they are fine in the sun. Since my post here mine have doubled in size and are all blooming. I think the sun keeps them from getting too leggy. IMO. also if temps are too low at night and their roots get too cool they will die off usually with a mushy look. Mine did fine in this bed last summer but they had the shade from the A/C which I moved this summer. They grow in a bed with astilbe, lamium, and hostas. All are shade lovers and all are doing well.

Hello all..
I am also having this problem with my impatiens. It started with my petunias. I go to bed one night and wake up and they are starting to die. It takes about two full days and they are gonners. I have lost 6 of the wave the petunias. Now it starting to spread to other plants. They start out looking like they need water, then the next day the plants is dying at the roots but the ends still have green and flowers. I have been gardening for many years and have never come across a problem like this one. I took a couple of the petunia plants to my local greenhouse and the lady who has been there for years said she is seeing things this year that she has never seen before. She also said that many people have come in with the same problem. The problem is mainly seeming to be in container plants so far. I pray that this doesn't spread to my beds in the ground as I have planted over 200 impatients. I am beginning to wonder if it has something to do with the potting soil. I have used seven...a soluting for fungus and mildews...nothing seems to be working. I am getting so frustrated. I also appologize for hijacking your post but when I saw this I had to comment that I am experiencing the same problem and many others are too in my area. I live in Illinois about 40 miles west of Chicago. I potted all of my plants in Miracle Grow potting soil. I don't know if there could be some kind of micro-organism in the dirt or something. I have become desperate with tying to come to some kind of conclusion to the problem. I do know from many many years ago of working at Batavia Soil Company that they mixed the dirt, which was then sold in bulk to the greenhouses....jiffy mix....etc. Then that particular company would bag the soil or use it for their seedlings. Does anyone else think that the dirt could be a problem?

Yes! I believe it's in one of the commercial soils. It appears to be a serious "damping off" fungus. We're having the same problems here in TN. It's spread to the flower bed in front of our greenhouse. So far it's mainly affecting our impatiens and African Daisy plants. Keep your garden tools separate from those you use around the infected plants and pots.