busy lizzy

Water Busy Lizzy plants deeply but infrequently. The goal should be to water the plants slowly and deeply, so that water can be delivered to the plants’ root zone. In order to do this, water the Busy Lizzy plants once a week or twice a week in dry periods. Keep the soil moist but not soggy, and avoid overwatering. If the soil is allowed to dry out completely between waterings, Busy Lizzies may become susceptible to disease. During periods of intense summer heat, it may be beneficial to increase the frequency of watering to 2 to 3 times a week.

Busy lizzies (Impatiens walleriana) are a popular variety of flowering plants that prefer to receive bright, indirect sunlight throughout the day. During the summer months, when the sun is most intense, busy lizzies should receive about 4–6 hours of sunlight per day, with the sun’s rays falling on the plant at a slight angle. During the winter, busy lizzies will still benefit from the sun’s rays, but they should not receive more than 4 hours of direct sunlight. If necessary, you can place a sheer curtain over a window or move the plant away from a sunny spot indoors to make sure it isn't getting too much sun.

Pruning Busy Lizzy (Impatiens walleriana) should be done in late spring or early summer after it has finished blooming. Pruning should be done with care to encourage a dense, bushy habit. Do not cut the stems back all the way to the ground when pruning the Busy Lizzy; instead, prune back to approximately 1/3 of the plant’s height. This will leave some of the foliage intact, but still shape the plant and encourage new growth and blooms. Deadheading of spent blooms will also help to facilitate new blooms. Busy Lizzy will also benefit from light cutting back in late summer to keep the Impatiens tidy, as heirloom varieties will tend to fizzle out when they reach the peak of their growth.