Expert: C.L. Fornari - 10/12/2005

Question
Hello. My mother-in law bought me an impatient hanging basket for Mother's Day. This is the most beautiful plant I have ever had. I have brought into my house now due to the weather. Its hanging infront of my bay window. My question is, how long will this plant live, and what do I have to do to keep it alive and flourishing like it is? The plant is very full and still flowers. Please help!!

Answer
Gayle,
Unfortunately, it's hard to keep New Guinea Impatiens alive indoors.  Like many annuals, they are prone to insects (mainly whitefly) and don't like the dry heat of our centrally  heated homes.  I would recommend that you keep the plant in the window as long as it's looking good, but soon it might start to have yellowing leaves, and drop foliage.  At that point you can either put it back outside to die or you might take cuttings from the plant to start next year.  Even the cuttings are more prone to insects in the home environment, however.  Fertilizer, by the way, would make this plant more prone to insects over the winter, and more likely to get weak and stringy...fertilizer stimulates quick growth but it is weak growth when there are fewer hours of sunlight.

As an alternative, you could try this way to save it: as soon as the plant starts looking sparse, cut the stems down to about 4" tall, and put the plant by a window in a room where it's around 65 degrees.   Only water when the soil is getting dry on top, and don't fertilize at all.  In February, cut down any spindly growth that has occured and put the plant in a warmer room in a sunny window and start to fertilize.  I don't know if this will work well or not, because I never overwinter New Guineas because of the whitefly problem, but this method works for many other annuals and tender perennials so it's worth a try I suppose.

all the best,
C.L.