Expert: C.L. Fornari - 9/12/2006

Question
i live in maine can my impatiants live inside all winter to go out again next spring

Answer
Ellie,
The answer to your question is both yes and no.  Here's the "yes" part:  you can bring a container of impatiens in the house and put it in a sunny window, (indoor plants need more sun than outdoor plants so a south or west facing window would be best - an east facing next best) - water when dry but don't keep too wet, and no fertilizer until March or April.  In January or February the plants will look pretty pathetic, and at that time cut them down by half.  Start to feed in March, and perhaps give supplemental light with grow-bulbs.

Now for the no part: Impatiens indoors are very prone to insect problems, mainly whitefly and aphids.  You will have to be alert for these bugs and spray with insecticidal soap if you have them.  Also, unless you have a greenhouse to get them going again in the spring, they can get very leggy in the house, which is why you cut them back, and they may take awhile to look good again in the spring.

Are these one of the new, more expensive varieties or impatiens, or are they just so beautiful right now you hate to let them go?  If it's the former, it might be worth over-wintering the plants and then taking cuttings in the late winter to plant outside in the spring.  If you just hate to see them go, you could bring them in for awhile and enjoy them indoors until they start to look bad or get bugs - at that point put them outside to freeze.  

I hope this helps!
C.L.