I have been pinching and poking up a storm. It is very addictive. Some if my impatiens plants are looking a little bare right now, but i know they will fill back in, and I will have all those new plants, too. My thanks to Pauline, too. Suzan

My new nickname: Pinch n Poke Pauline! Watch out it's addictive. Don't forget you can do this like mad with coleus too! and I do it with swedish ivy, and sweet potato vine, both chartreuse and blackie, and you may discover a few new ones as well. Why throw all those pinched babies in the trash! I feel like an evangelist now that you have found it works. Also, come end of summer, your "mother" plants will look oh so much better and if you live in the right zone (not sure how much farther north than where I live), each of those pinched and poked plants might even reseed for next year. Great going gals. Check out my albums and see how many plants I have, and I didn't buy them all!
Pauline

Here is a link that might be useful: My pictures

Thanks for the great pictures, Pauline. I just planted out a bunch of "pinched" impatiens that i had rooted in oasis foam. Took less than a week to get nice roots.
Thanks again for the great idea. suzegarden

I pinch and poke so much, my hubby figures if I buy a plant it's to take cuttings......lol.

Hi everyone,
Newbie here, but not to gardening (12 yrs). Yet for some reason I always have the darnest time with impatients and I absolutely love them.

I am trying the pinch'n poke, but I hope I did it right. My once beautiful peach color hanging basket had started looking pretty awful...mostly stems with leaves turning yellow and dropping. I can never figure out if I am under-watering or over-watering that causes this, but reading about this I decided to give it a try and maybe it would help the mother plant rejuvinate.

Anyways I pinched back the scraggly stems by about a finger's length and poked them into potting soil and am keeping them moist in a shady part of my garden. The mother plant I took down as it looks pathetic now. The stems that I poked seem to be still alive, it's been about 3 days now. I am really excited to see what happens, you might say I'm getting impatient about my impatients. Hope I did it right.

Also I am curious about the pods that explode. Is it just not time yet, because I haven't seen any pods yet.

Peace

grits- I tell my hubby all the time, that I only buy plants that I can divide and multiply with, which is my way of convincing him I need "just one more thing." LOL

Pauline- I haven't tried the sweet potato vines yet, but there's always tomorrow morning. I start major pinching in late October here and put them all in little 2-3 inch pots, take them inside under grow lights and as long as I don't let them dry out all through the winter I've got great starts for my following year. I turned half of my laundry room into an indoor greenhouse! Makes doing laundry a bit more fun.

Mona- not sure what zone you're in, but here in NC I haven't seen the seed pods yet either- or at least not the nice swollen ones.
-Nan

Well, I checked on a few of my poked stems, and realized I may not have pushed the stems into the soil deep enough. Do the nodes have to be barried for it to work? I'm probably making this more complicated than it is, but I added a little bit more soil and watered just to be sure.

Pauline, when you say bits, do you mean the very tips or some of the stems too? And please define poke :) Do you mean poke all the way into the soil or just the tips of the stems? How far down does one need to poke them in?

By the way the impatients I planted in my beds are thriving (not the NG, they don't seem to spread much). So I'm making progress but growing them in pots and hanging baskets seems to be trickier. There's got to be a rythme to it that I haven't figured out yet.

Thanks,
confused gardner...

OK, pinch & poke lesson with pictures, diagrams, etc., (probably more than you ever wanted to know), However, if you don't do it this way, most of the time it will be just fine too. I usually don't even use a scissors, just my fingernail when I am out in the garden. I stip off leaves, pinch out small piece to discard and poke it in the ground. Sometimes I just poke my poor finger into the soil when I don't have anything else. While doing this I cam upon a coleus that was produced with P&P, but I pinched it again to make yet another plant. Hope this answers all of your questions.
Pauline

Here is a link that might be useful: Pinching & Poking

Aaaah, I was way off...
a) My mother plant wasn't neeearly as healthy as yours to begin with. I went much longer before I decided my plant was getting too leggy, to say the least!!! Still trying to figure out what I did to my poor hanging basket.

b)Some of my stems didn't even have any leaves left on them. Can you say: embarrased? :(

C)I didn't poke deep enough.

Thank you so much for all your hard work Pauline... The pictures are so helpful. I am going to make sure at least a couple of nodes are in the soil, and see if I can salvage these, but I can tell you even if they make it it will be a while before they can be called plants, let alone bloom. ha,ha.

I'm going to see if I can figure out how to upload photos here and I'll see if I can post before and after photos.

I'm loving this forum btw,
Not as confused gardner

Mona, keep trying, you know it is time to pinch and poke when your impatiens are looking "perfect." I know it is so tempting to let them go on, but even if you cut back every other plant, you will be glad you did. Sometimes I do it to very baby, new plants---doesn't hurt them in the least. BTW, New Guinea Impatiens DO NOT respond very well to this method, they take forever to bounce back or for their cuttings to root. They also do not need pinching to stay full and nice.
Pauline

I have a bunch of planters from the dollar store.I have filled them with nice loose potting soil and I have poked my little impatien cuttings into these.They have all taken off.The great thing about these is I can give them to my kids to enjoy for the rest of the summer, and in the fall they will bring them back and I will have all that seed for next year.
This is so great, and I am having so much fun with this.
Thanks again to my new "practical,pinch and poke plant propagating pal Pauline"

It's working!

Even the ones I thought I did wrong have taken off. I have 4 pots full of them, only thing is it will take a while for them to get big since the pinchings I took the first time were small.

The other ones I did according to directions have also rooted, 2 out of 3. They have even set buds.

The mama plant is filling in from the inside and I assume will bounce back nicely. What fun! I can't wait to see what colors show up.

Thanks a bunch. I am an impatientaholic now!

Mona2
I share your enthusiasum.I haven't grown impatiens for a few years,thought they were too plain, but after seeing Paulines I have them everywhere.I have a spot beside my deck that was bare,alot of tree roots,so I filled everything I had that would hold soil and filled the area.I have a bench there with planters on top and underneath and all around.I took an old straw hat,dressed it up with some leftover lace and stuck a fake butterfly on it.I have this hanging on the bench.This area has come alive.
The best part of all this, is I started with 3 flats at 5.00 ea.and I will have all that seed for next year."Oh the posibilities"
I am now pinching and poking other kinds of plants just to experiment, and I must say most respond well.

are you guys using plain potting soil for those pinched and poked cuttings?
what about to plant from seeds?
why is everybody referring to different colors from the cuttings? aren't we to expect that if the cutting comes from a yellow, the babies shall all be equally yellow???

pagloria
Yes, I use potting soil with some peat moss mixed in.Yes, the plants stay the same color.When you first poke them into the potting soil,they will go limp,but within a week they will be back up and growing.Just make sure the soil is kept moist.I am going to collect seed from mine because in my zone I don't think they will reseed.

Okay I have photos to share. How do I attach my photos, I don't see a browse and upload option anywhere?

Also everyone keeps talking about collecting seeds, I still don't know how to do that. I can never find any seed pods. When do they appear?

Pauline, I've looked at your photo documentary on the pinch and poke method and plan to give it a try on both my impatiens and coleus, but I have one question. Do you ever use any kind of a rooting compound before sticking the plant stem in the ground? Thanks for all your help!

Chris

Chris, you don't need rooting hormone for these plants, but it can't hurt unless you leave too much of the rooting hormone on. I usually tap the root to remove any excess when I do use the hormone (mostly I use it on Artemesia Powis Castle which I root a lot, and Lantana also) I have a very high root rate without hormone powder just poking impatiens and coleus into the soil and watching that they don't dry out. I have literally made hundreds and hundreds of new plants this year doing this.
Pauline

Mona-

I upload and save pictures at an outside photo host- I probably can't mention them by name here, but do a google and you'll find one. After uploading most of these hosting sites will show you the IMG tag that you can insert in a message here in the forum.

I think the seeds appear depending on your zone, but Mr. Impatiens can probably be more accurate on this. I usually start seeing mine as the season is about half-way through, which for me was about a week and a half ago. They start out small and then swell and ripen to the size of about two raisins (can't think of anything about that size right now.) Should you see one and want to save the seeds, be careful not to touch it directly because they basically burst open like a spring with the slightest movement and/or touch. When collecting the pods, I usually keep a little plastic container in one hand and gently place them un-opened in it and then keep the little lid mostly covering the container as I gently touch and "pop" them open. It's an easy way to keep the colors separated for me when I'm ready to plant them later.

I would have loved to have posted a picture for you, but it's too dark outside to catch a good photo, but here's a link to show what they look like. Hope this helps.

Here is a link that might be useful:

We were visiting my sister in-laws and while I was there I noticed her abundant and ever so healthy impatients all over the place in all sorts of cute make shift containers...it was very inspiring. Anyways, her containers were full of these pods and I finally got to see what everyone is talking about. I had the whole family doing it at one point while we were sitting on her patio in the shade surrounded by planters. Lots of fun.

Photos I'm sorry to say will have to wait until I have more time to investigate. I was just wanting to post a few not a whole album or anything. Will look into.

P&P gardner

Impatients are one of my favorite annuals. Their flowers are so simple and pure not to mention abundant. The dehiscent seed pods are so fun to "pop" I have them coming up all over. I have never tried the "pinch and poke" but have rooted both impatients and coleus in a glass of water. I will have to try this trick. Impatient heaven here I come!!

Wow! I read this and ran right outside to pinch and poke a bit. Hope it works! I actually just started reading this forum in the hopes of figuring out how to get my impatiens to reseed themselves, not sure I've ever seen the seedpods.

Just wanted to say thanks to you all for all of the great information! I feel like I've learned so much from reading a few threads.

I am so excited as I had 3 New Gunia Imaptiens that were not looking so good and so in an effort to try and save them or make babies from them, I pinched and poked a few limbs on each one. So far two have rooted and all three plants are actually looking quiet healthy and happy now. I am so excited as this is my very first time ever rooting anything.
Engi

i need to know where the seed pods are located on the impatiens, in the center of the flower itself or along the stem? i am confused on this matter, any help would be appreciated.

Jean- I took a photo of different stages for you. Hope this helps!

Don't forget the sheer thrill of seeing that pod spring open and fling its seeds. It is an engineering marvel. Usually when it is ready and ripe just the slightest tap with cause the seeedpod to spring open. Truly something you will want to observe especially with children. I am always amazed when it does that. The seed pod is spring loaded and is a wonder.
Pauline

Yes the seed pod is so much fun :) Pauline, I have to thank you bunches for your pinch and poke tutorial. I have tried to root many things but have not been successful. I realized that I was doing two things wrong. One was not removing the flowers and buds. The other was cutting too low on the plant and putting a big long stem in the ground. Thanks to your instruction I have been able to root other plants besides impatients, one of which I don't even know the name of.

Jamie

I figured out why I wasn't seeing pods on my plants. I have read that deadheading is important for reblooming of plants and I always pluck the spent flowers. Well I got busy and neglected to do so and now I have lots of pods.

The 5 pots I poked have become huge plants on their own, I still can't believe it. I wish I had time to figure out how to send you guys photos. They bloom, and bloom, and bloom... and I keep having to water, and water, and water... But I don't mind. I cherrish every second I can get to gaze at those gorgeous blooms, and watering is the perfect excuse. These impatients have brought so much life to my garden, I never imagined it this late in the season. I have tucked in a few pots in bare spots among my perenials where there's no color to liven things up. Next year impatients are going in all my beds, in all sorts of colors. I have only had 2 colors this year, white and coral. I can hardly wait.

Congratulations Mona! I'm so glad you got them to grow! It's just so satisfying. And I agree- when everything else in the garden seems to be dead on the vine, these little charmers just keep on blooming along. Mine usually stay blooming until a good hard freeze takes them down- last year that wasn't until the end of October. If you're really adventurous- take some cuttings before you know you're going to have a freeze and keep them under growing lights during the winter for a head-start on next Spring. I had them blooming inside last year during Christmas.
-Nan

ok, my one impatiens that I brought inside for the winter has struggled along for the entire winter. It is 8-10 inches tall with 8 stems. Each stem has about 6-8 leaves only on the top. I am going to try the pinch'n'poke method and see if I can get 8 plants going from this mother.

ok I did it. My cuttings are looking very limp... Lets hope they pull through

I am soooooo excitetd!! Last year for Mother's Day my son brought me this tiny little plant he grew at school from seed, just for me. It has continued to bloom since then. I just found out this morning what it was and got on your forum to see how to help it fill in. I thought my mother pinched some of her plants when I was growing up but I was at work and couldn't ask her. Now I am thrilled to know that I can (an how to) pinch and poke and have this plant (and/or it's babies) for many years. I am soooo excited!!!

Happy Mom.

Yikes Mcav0y! Doing this in February "in Alaska" is pretty risky business, When Plants are stressed, it is often asking too much of them, but I wouldn't rule it out with these tough little plants, so let us know how they did?
Pauline

WOW, I didnt know there was a whole forum just for impatiens! I have always bought impatiens by the flats and it can get very expensive. I am so excited to try the pinch and poke. Thank you for the great pics and explanation.

Now I can try that double bloomer that they charge 4 dollars for and hopefully end up with a whole bed full!

Carey

Carey, you mean like these: I bought this rather expensive and very gangly (which is good) white double impatien for about $12.00, "but" looks like I have about 24 little "pinch and pokers" going here in the next two pictures. I did this in my garage about a month ago, but these babies will be ready to transplant soon. You can't beat that!

Be sure you check out the bottom of this last picture, you will see all the impatiens that have reseeded from last year in the tiny dirt filled crack between the floor and the wall of my patio. Also be sure to check out my other albums to see more pictures of the garden and especially how these impatiens reseed for me each year. Funny though, through reseeding, I rarely get any white ones, only the pinch and poke method (cuttings) will produce a clone of the original plant, reseeding comes in a variety of colors which I like also.

Have fun pinching away, you will be sooooo pleased with how many plants you will have in no time at all.
Pauline

Here is a link that might be useful: All of Pauline's Pictures

Pauline, your impatiens are beautiful. And yes just like yours except mine are white with a dark pink on the edges. I was able to get about 10 off of mine. I figure thats a good start. I was having trouble with my pinched ones wilting but I threw them in a baggie and they look much better now.

When the weather warms up and I pinch and poke outside will I still have to worry about them wilting up?

Carey, yes, pretty near all of the pinched and poked plants look puny in the ground for a while, just watch that they don't get baked by the sun and be sure the ground is kept moist. You can use this method right now if you have any Sedum, Autumn Joy, they pinch and poke great, and if you pinch them down about 6--8", they won't get so tall and flop over in the fall, works on begonias too, coleus, you can make a ton of plants just from one "mother" plant at this time of year. Swedish Ivy also, nearly all of the fast growing, big blooming plants. I have even had sporadic luck poking million bell petunias into the ground. I am a plant making fool, I just love doing it.
Pauline

Is there a particular type of impatien that has the seed pods that explode and re-seed? Are they the double or single type, or does it matter. I never saw any seed pods on my plants tha past few years and just figured I didn't have the ones that produced pods.

I think all impatien seeds to the exploding thing. But I only have one spot where they reseed. It is a protected spot. They usually dont make seedpods here till late summer, sometimes fall.

There is one kind that my SIL planted last year that has reseeded to the point of a pest for her. lol

carey

One thing about reseeding, I have not noticed any of my doubles coming back as new seedlings, I do know they expel seeds however. Also, white impatiens don't seem to come from my reseeders either. Like lots of plants, the reseeding does not necessarily come back in same colors, etc., only way to propagate exact clones, ie., color, etc., is through vegetative cuttings (pinch n poke)
I do know you can grow doubles and whites from seeds, just not from my reseeding experience. Don't know what the professional seed companies do to assure their seeds will produce white flowers.
Pauline

I seem to recall my mother-in-law, who lived in upstate NY, taking cuttings from impatiens and rooting them in water, then planting for indoors in a pot for the winter in a sunny window. Then, in the spring, she would take cuttings off of those plants, root them, then plant outdoors, and so on. I'm going to try it this fall.

Carol

Carol,
That works fine. I put my cuttings in a loose potting soil though. I grow them in a west and east window in winter! Definately try it, you CAN do it!

Tom

Mona2 - Photobucket is what you want. Do a GW search. There is a tutorial on it somewhere. It's easy, once you get the hang of it.

I finally got around to figuring out the photo thing, thanks Wantoretire! I'm attaching a link to my first batch of pinch and poke (recovering mother plant lower right). That was over a year ago now. I kept those plants inside and planted them outside this past spring and had gorgeous beds. I wish I had taken photos of their peak.

Next spring I don't believe I will have to buy very many new plants, because I brought several pots inside from which I plan on taking many many cuttings from, I'm shooting for 2 dozen 5 inch pots!! Right now they are gracing my sunny dining room, and doing great. If I keep this up I'm going to need a sun room!

I'm also trying Petunias, and Geraniums, and might even try starting from seed. That's my next adventure.

Cheers

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:999566}}

this is a great read on easy propagation

It was so nice to find a place where I could get some really good info. I have two hanging baskets that i had put impatiens in they where a coral color and every one commented how lovely they where. They have gotten leggy and I wanted to see if I could revive them by pinching back. I got my answer. So I will pinch and poke as many as I can and replant them next spring. I just clean out the old plants and replace them with some thing that will make it through til next spring. Thanks for the help. Mary ib San Antonio, Texas.