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Annuals/New Guniea Impatient

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Expert: - 4/13/2009


Question
I received a hanging basket New Guinea Impatiens for Easter.  I live in Pa. near Phila. I left it out over night and it was hit by frost. Is ther anyway I can save it?   Thank you.

Answer
Mary,
If only the top leaves, or some of the leaves were frosted the plant will recover. You can try cutting back the damaged foliage, and putting it out in the day and in at night.  Once it gets warmer (May) you can leave it outside and start giving it some liquid fertilizer according to directions.

If it was hit really hard and the stems are "watery" or mushy, it's gone and won't come back.

all the best,
C.L.

www.gardenlady.com

Annuals

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C.L. Fornari

Expertise

Annuals suggested for specific situations (sun, shade, windowboxes etc) New or unusual annuals are a particular interest of mine, and I grow many of these from seed. I am happy to help problem solve, answer questions about maintenance, and guide you to sources of unusual plants.

Experience

I am a garden writer/speaker/consultant and host of a weekly gardening radio program in the Northeast. I have been gardening all my life for my own pleasure, and started as a professional gardener and garden communicator 15 years ago. I work part-time at a garden center, selling and tending shrubs/trees/annuals/perennials...and doing some propagation and design work. I often think that all these professional activities serve to put a somewhat legitimate framework around a serious case of plant-lust.

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