I'm having a similar problem. The plants look healthy and produce dozens of buds but they never develop into full blossoms. Look almost like they have an outer layer that prevents full blossom. I checked at the nursery with no luck, tonight I cut off all the buds and examined them under a magnifying glass. The outer layer of petals has turned a tan color and I can peel off several layers before I get to the colored bud. I don't see any insects or signs of fungus, however there is about 1/4" of the stem directly below the bud which looks like it has been "cut" in a spiral. Ring a bell with anyone?

Dazed77
I would guess your plants may still be settling in but if they are doubles, they are very well known for dropping buds. I have two plants of doubles only one gets a flower every so ofter. I have them growing in full sun till about 2 or 3 oclock in four inch pots. They are not real happy campers but they are alive. My species on the other hand are doing nicely but than again I love them more.

I guess you're right Mrimpatiens!. Look at what I saw this morning!

Can you tell me what kind of impatiens it is? This is the same one that was dropping buds.

I purchased double impatiens from two different nurseries this spring. Plants from the first nursery have produced loads of huge blooms. Plants from the second nursery have only produced loads of buds. They've been treated identically--transplanted at the same time, given the same fertilizers, watered at the same time, situated in the same location. It's very strange.

I initially had all the impatiens indoors in containers in front of an mostly open window. I transplanted them to an eastern-facing garden a couple of weeks ago when they seemed to be getting crowded and all had stopped producing many buds. I fertilized twice after transplanting with a bud-booster fertilizer. Now the first nursery plants are back to flowering and the second nursery plants are again covered with non-blooming buds. I don't think I've seen any flowers on the second nursery plants. The buds stay on for a long long time--when they were indoors, they would die before they would drop.

Fwiw--I paid a dollar more per plant for the double impatiens that are flowering. When I found the double impatiens at the second nursery, I regretted buying at the first place. But the first nursery is a very high quality and well-regarded here--maybe they just sold higher quality plants?

I think you may be giving them to much water, water only once a day, just befor it gets dark and drown them when you do, unless they are already wet, then just give a little. And by all means leave them along for a while, give them a chance to be by there selfs. In about two weeks they will be huge. only give mirical grow once every week. Carrie

Hi, Sorry to ask again, but I think I am getting the names of my impatiens mixed up.. I have a few varieties. But I am not sure of this one (the photo I posted above) Can someone help me place a name on it? Thanks

This in the regular double walleriana kind basic bedding plant. They can be kinda fickle sometimes. They might be happier in a shadier spot in the garden. I only have two and they get a lot of sun and the pots they are in are too small. I have lots of buds but hardly any flowers open up. If I loved them more they would be blooming nicely but these are my ugly childern I hide in the attic. I favor species types more than doubles. (I really dont have any childern this is just my weird humor)

You see, I have the same problem with my Double Imp. She has some buds that are falliing off and some that are openning up but fall off before they are even with color! Should I repot her? {{gwi:999099}}
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I am wondering if Jan-MO ever figured out what the source of the problem was with the his/her impatiens, because I have had exactly the same problem for three or four years now. It's not a question of cultural control. The problem affects all of my impatiens, in pots and in the ground; more sun or less sun, etc. I'm just about to give up on them, even though I grew them for years without a problem. (I live in northwest Arkansas).

There is an issue with Impatiens stocks for 2016 & 2017 growing seasons.... They have some sort of disease in 'em and are not supposed to be sold at all --- not that it has stopped garden centers from doing so anyway.

Try growing the least hybridized options if you've had success with them in the past. Stay away from white ones -- they're the least hardier & most finicky. The pure reds, magenta & pinks with simple flowers are the best.

My mom also had this issue with her a couple of years and was ready to give up when I told her to dig them up to see what is going on in the pots.... Turned out that each place she'd planted Impatiens that weren't thriving as they always had before had colonies of ants.... One had so many that the soil appeared to be alive =\ She then went into the garden and dug up the few specimens she'd planted there and found the same problem OR an over-abundance of Pill Bugs at the roots. Apparently the insect activities had negative impacts on the root systems of the plants.... Once the colonies were destroyed, the soil replaced with soil amended with ant-killing granules, & the same plants replanted in the new medium, they perked right up and doubled in size in no time with constant blooming.... She didn't treat the Pill Bugs much because she didn't want to impact or poison birds & raccoons that frequented her garden --- she moved those plants to pots as well. This year she also found out that Impatiens don't grow well next to certain other plants.... In particular, the specimens planted around a good sized potted Rosemary aren't doing as well as their compatriots planted in other planters & pots -- they're not dying, but are less than 1/2 the size.

In lieu of the above.... Have you tried getting your Impatiens from a diff't source? They're also very easy to start from seed on a warm window sill... I've had them pop up on my garden from previous years' seed in decent numbers.

So, it may not necessarily be anything you're doing nor the environment.... It could well be the stock itself. Maybe think about replacing them with other types of shade blooming plants if all else fails. There are plenty of other options --- Begonia semperflorens comes to mind... They're much hardier -- especially when it comes to the extreme heat known to frequent the south. Just a thought ;)

Hope the above helps...

It's really so nice of you, fizgig, to write such a long, considered, and thoughtful reply. As yet one more last ditch effort, I was actually thinking of buying my impatiens at Lowe's next year instead of at the upscale nursery where I enjoy shopping. I'm going to go home and have a look at the soil and roots of my plants. Ant populations have been booming in recent years. Thanks again!

Glad you didn't find it long-winded ;) Just wanted to cover as many possibilities as I was aware of from experience.... Between mom's garden & my own we've been growing various Impatiens varieties for over 40yrs.

By the way, if you find Pill Bugs to be the culprits in pots.... Dump the soil out in a patch of heavy leaf litter. They will take care of the leaves and the birds will take care of them ;) They're generally harmless to plant roots unless they run out of prefer eats --- like fallen flowers & leaves. So there's no need to fully eradicate them from planters unless they're making a nuisance of themselves and even then it's not necessary to chemically destroy them because they are beneficial to the environment.

Gray grubs can also be culprits -- they're fond of roots of a wide variety of plants .... If you find 'em in over-abundance, treat the soil with grub killer in the area you have the plant(s) being affected --- dig the Impatiens plant(s) up, amend the soil, mix the grub killing granules in well, replant, add a bit of fertilizer or garden soil, and water well...

Hope the additional advice isn't minded ;)

Additional advice is always welcome. You're so nice to share these ideas, I thought I would let you and any other readers know that I didn't find any problems at the roots of my plants. The plants are incredibly healthy for mid-September. It hasn't been the hottest of summers this year, and they are thriving. I decided to cut down the beautiful stems loaded with these unopenable buds and let new growth start. I'll see if the new buds that come have the same problem. There's enough time before the first frost for new stems and buds to come. If the new buds open, then perhaps there's a bug or fungus that sets in around mid-August. If I do have good luck like this, I'll let you know. But, if the plants have the same problem on the new growth, I'll just try one more year with plants from a different source. After that, it will be shade alternatives. As you mentioned, there are some good options. Thank you again for your thoughtful replies. I really appreciate it.