Impatiens are a popular annual flower that adds vibrant color to shady garden beds and containers. Their bright blooms come in a diverse range of hues like white pink, red orange, purple and more. Impatiens thrive in partial to full shade and require minimal care during the growing season. However, as winter approaches, impatiens require some specific maintenance to prepare them for dormancy. Learning how to properly cut back impatiens before winter is an important step to ensure their health and performance next year. In this complete guide, we will cover when, why and how to cut back impatiens for winter.
When to Cut Back Impatiens for Winter
The ideal time to cut back impatiens is in late fall, just before the first hard frost in your area. Impatiens are frost tender annuals that cannot withstand freezing temperatures. Trimming impatiens in fall will allow them to survive early light frosts and shorten their dormancy period the following spring. If you wait until after a hard frost the frozen foliage can promote disease issues like botrytis stem and crown rot. It’s best to trim impatiens 1-2 weeks before your average first frost date.
Timing Recommendations:
- Cut back in late fall, about 1-2 weeks before first frost
- Avoid trimming after a hard freeze when foliage is damaged
- Time it so 6 weeks of cool weather remain for dormancy
Trimming impatiens too early can force them into dormancy before they have a chance to prepare. Leave about 6 weeks between cutting back and winter so the plants can go dormant. However, don’t wait until the last minute either. Monitor the weather forecast and seasonal climate in your area to determine the optimal trimming time.
Why Cut Back Impatiens for Winter
Cutting back impatiens before winter serves a few key purposes:
- Encourages dormancy to protect the plant’s energy
- Removes dead growth that can promote disease
- Allows light to reach the crown to prevent rot
- Reduces damage from early light frosts
- Stimulates new basal growth in spring
If impatiens are left to dieback naturally in winter, the foliage takes longer to break down and insulates the crown, causing it to remain active and susceptible to rot. Trimming the stems removes this insulation so the plant can go fully dormant until spring. It also eliminates spent foliage and flowers that can harbor disease. The shortened stems allow sunlight to reach the crown and prevent fungal issues like downy mildew. Overall, properly cutting back impatiens in fall prepares them for a healthy dormancy and vigorous regrowth next season.
How to Cut Back Impatiens for Winter
Cutting back impatiens for winter is a simple process that only takes a few minutes per plant. Follow these steps:
Supplies Needed:
- Bypass hand pruners or garden scissors
- Clean bucket or tray
- Bleach solution – 1 part bleach to 9 parts water
Step 1: Disinfect Tools
Before trimming any plants, it’s vital to sterilize your pruners or scissors to prevent the spread of disease. Submerge the cutting blades in a bleach solution for 10 minutes then rinse clean before usage.
Step 2: Remove Dead Flowers and Foliage
Start by pinching off any dead or faded flowers still clinging to the stems. Also, prune away all yellow, brown or wilted foliage. This removes dying plant tissue that can foster diseases.
Step 3: Cut Stems Down to 3″ Above the Soil
Use your disinfected pruners to cut back the impatiens stems to about 3 inches above the soil line. This severe pruning shocks the plant into dormancy. Cutting any lower risks damaging the crown.
Step 4: Clean up Debris
Remove all the trimmed debris and dispose of it properly. Do not compost the plant matter since it could harbor disease spores or pests.
Step 5: Provide Winter Care as Needed
Depending on your climate, you may need to provide some winter protection such as mulch or row covers after cutting back impatiens. Monitor weather and temperatures in your area.
By following these simple fall pruning guidelines, your impatiens will be prepped for a successful dormancy. The shortened stems will yellow and deteriorate over winter. Then by spring, vibrant new foliage will emerge from the plant’s center as it returns to active growth. With proper trimming, your impatiens will return even bigger and more robust next season.
Extra Tips for Cutting Back Impatiens
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Use clean, sterilized tools to prevent spreading disease
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Do not cut impatiens lower than 3 inches above soil
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Remove all spent flowers and yellowing leaves
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Dispose of trimmings promptly and properly
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Provide winter protection based on your climate
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Cut back container impatiens to 1-2″ above soil
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Wait 6 weeks between trimming and winter for dormancy
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Time it 1-2 weeks before first expected frost
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Mark impatiens beds so you can find them in spring
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Keep trimming simple – no fancy shapes required
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Wear gloves to protect hands from irritant sap
Cutting back impatiens properly each fall is the key to success with these popular annuals. Follow the guidelines outlined here to keep your impatiens healthy and maximize their performance. With a few minutes of routine fall maintenance, your impatiens will thrive season after season.
When to Prune Impatiens
Impatiens can be pruned at any time during the growing season. Typically, Impatiens may need a trim around midsummer when the plant may start to appear leggy. Leggy means the stems grow longer and appear spindly, and there is extended space between leaves. Leggy plants may also produce fewer flowers.
Pruning a leggy Impatiens will remove the lanky parts while promoting new, dense growth and more flowers. Pinching back new growth throughout the growing season can prevent the plant from becoming leggy, but if the plant maintains a full and lush appearance naturally, then pruning is unnecessary.
Spent flowers naturally fall away from Impatiens, but you can remove them. Pinching off spent flowers allows the plant to redirect energy into new buds so that the plant will be a more productive bloomer with some assistance. Dead growth can be removed from Impatiens at any time. Use a clean pair of pruning shears or scissors to cut away dead growth in its entirety.
We recommend pruning Impatiens to prevent the plant from looking overgrown. Cutting back an overgrown or leggy plant will promote new growth and ultimately make the plant look bushy. Taking a proactive approach and routinely trimming will encourage flowering and healthier branching and lead to a more dense plant. Pinching back new growth will cause the plant to push out new stems or branches in other areas, which will result in more foliage and flowers.
Cutting Back Impatiens to Make Them FULL All Summer
FAQ
Can impatiens be cut back for winter?
Some of your impatiens, geraniums and other annuals overwintering indoors may be looking a bit unkempt. Break out the pruners and get busy with a little grooming. Long leggy stems can be cut down to size.
What to do with impatiens in the fall?
Impatiens are tropical plants that will succumb to the first light frost. Pull up and discard these plants to prevent pathogens from overwintering. Potted plants can be similarly discarded or bring them indoors if you plan to keep them over the colder months.
Should I cut back Impatiens before winter?
Follow this simple guide to properly cut back impatiens before winter. The best time to prune impatiens is in late fall after the first frost has caused the plants to go dormant. This is usually around the time other tropical plants are being brought indoors or prepared for winter.
How do you cut back Impatiens?
Follow these key tips for success when cutting back impatiens: Never remove more than 1/3 of the total plant when pruning. Make cuts just above leaf nodes where new growth emerges. Use clean, sharp tools to prevent ripping or crushing stems. Remove only dead, diseased or leggy growth – keep any healthy stems.
Should I prune my Impatiens?
When you pinch back or prune your Impatiens plants, keep the healthiest trimmings to use for propagation. This is a great way to save your healthiest, best, and favored plants from one summer to the next. Just place the cuttings in good soil and care for them as houseplants through the winter months.
How long should I cut my Impatiens?
Cut them back to 3 inches (7.5 cm) from the ground. Although this may seem like a severe length to cut to, your impatiens will grow back fuller and stronger when this technique is used. Cut back any impatiens that have become leggy by mid-summer. Cut spindly, straggling, or leggy impatiens to 3 inches (7.5 cm) tall.
Are impatiens ready for winter?
Impatiens plants that bloomed enthusiastically through the previous spring, summer and fall are likely to have been tuckered out and ready for the winter. The best way to tell if a plant is ready to bloom is to look at its leaves. If the leaves are dark green, then it’s time to plant it in the garden.
How do you remove dead growth from Impatiens?
Dead growth can be removed from Impatiens at any time. Use a clean pair of pruning shears or scissors to cut away dead growth in its entirety. We recommend pruning Impatiens to prevent the plant from looking overgrown.