How do you get a new guinea plant to produce seeds

Hi

Every year I buy new plants in a variety of colours. Does anyone know how I can get a new guinea plant to produce seed, mine never seem to unlike the busy lizzie which produces lots and lots.

New plants are quite expensive and I would just like to try growing my own from seed.

Any suggestions would be most welcome.

Regards
Sue

I'd love to know this as well, as I bought one and I love it! But it was a bit pricey.

Hello! No one answered your ? so I thought I'd "TRY"...I have never seen any of my New Guinea Impatients go to seed. The only way I would say to do it is by rooting cuttings and overwinter the plants/cuttings inside until they can be put outside again. I hope that this helps!

Jan
"...an addiction to gardening is not all bad when you consider the other choices in life..."

Hi
Thanks for your reply, I have been asking around my gardening friends here in the UK and searching the web for the answer to my question and it seems that these plants are hybrids so don't produce seeds. Your cuttings suggestion seems to be the only answer which is a pity because I get great satisfaction growing from seed.

Thanks again
Sue

Sue,

I just bought a couple of these plants about a month ago. They are very small. I just can't seem to find a spot they like. I have one inside and one outside right now, just trying to see what they prefer. It's like they are just stunted. No real new growth, but at least they are still hanging in there. What have you had the most luck with on these?

And I am with you, I love growing from seeds myself. There's just something about seeing it break the top, pulling itself out to make a healthy plant! So far my experience has been that the plants I grow from seed are much healthier also!

Have a great day,

Rhonda

The ones I've planted seem to do well with a little sun, either morning or a few hours of afternoon. They don't flower well if no sun at all. Too much sun and they will fry, so you need to find a happy medium for them. They also seem to be one of those plants that require quite a bit of water. They will be the first to droop when things start to get dry. If you overwater, you'll see yellow leaves.

I've had luck using Super Thrive on plants that don't want to do anything or are extremely stressed. A little bit goes a long way. About a half teaspoon or one capful to a quart of water. Whenever I use it, I usually see something happening with the plant within 24 hours or less. I had Alstroemeria that I watered with ST in the morning and have seen new growth by the time I get home from work. Amazing stuff. Sometimes I also use a product called Maxi Crop along with the ST; about an ounce to a quart of water.

you can also water your n.g.i. with a water/hydrogen peroxide mix. the h2o2 oxygenates the roots and stimulates growth (i.e. aids a plant suffering from root rot). i luv to start my plants from seed also, it's exciting to point to a luxurious plant and to proudly state "...i grew that from a tiny seed...".

good luck with your plants!

jan

"...an addiction to gardening is not all bad when you consider all the other choices in life..."

Hi

Rhonda, I put mine plants in partial sun (sun in the morning) difinatley not full sun, they seem to flower much better and I agree with beaker_ch they do need plenty of water.

I have sucessfully taken cuttings by putting the cuttings in water they take about 3 wks to root and then plant up. If you have the space to bring them somewhere indoors then this is the way to save you quite a lot of money. This is probably how the garden centre's do it.


Try also the Balsam impatiens these are very different again, tall plants with the flowers growing up the stem, very easy to germinate and each flower produces a seed pod very similar to busy lizzie pods but they are covered in tiny hairs. If do a forum search on the word balsam you find some threads about them.

Regards
Sue

This message was edited Aug 26, 2006 11:04 AM

I have double impatients & I have mine on the north side of the house with sun in the morning & late afternoon. I watched the greenhouse start these & they take a stem with a leaf on it & plant it in potting soil. I also tried this when I gave my plants to my daughter. (I guess she liked them as much as I did). Give them a little time & you will get starts from them.
Jerry.