Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Divine Orange New Guinea Impatiens bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called New Guinea Impatiens, SunPatiens, Pacific Impatiens (Impatiens hawkeri).

More about divine orange new guinea impatiens

About Divine Orange New Guinea Impatiens

Impatiens hawkeri · also called New Guinea Impatiens, SunPatiens · flowering

Divine Orange New Guinea Impatiens is a vigorous, sun-tolerant hybrid series bearing large vivid orange flowers throughout summer into autumn. Unlike the common Busy Lizzie (Impatiens walleriana), it tolerates more sun and is resistant to impatiens downy mildew, making it the preferred outdoor bedding Impatiens today. Mildly toxic to pets if ingested.

Plant type: flowering

The reasons divine orange new guinea impatiens isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming divine orange new guinea impatiens traces back to one of these, roughly in order of how common they are:

Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.
Too much nitrogen feed, driving lush foliage at the expense of flowers (very common with general or lawn feeds).
The plant has not been deadheaded, so it stops flowering once it sets seed.
Irregular watering — drought or waterlogging at the budding stage makes buds abort.
It is still too young or was checked by a transplant and is rebuilding before flowering.

Feeding divine orange new guinea impatiens a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.

The fix — how to get divine orange new guinea impatiens to flower

Maximise sun. Give divine orange new guinea impatiens the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers.
Switch the feed. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.
Deadhead regularly. Remove spent flowers often to keep it producing more rather than stopping to set seed.
Water consistently. Keep moisture even through budding and flowering — drought-then-flood swings make buds drop.

Light and feeding do most of the heavy lifting here. Dial in the spot with the light guide for divine orange new guinea impatiens and get the feeding right with the divine orange new guinea impatiens fertilising schedule — the wrong feed (too much nitrogen) is one of the most common silent reasons a healthy plant makes leaves instead of flowers.

Bloom season and what to expect

Divine Orange New Guinea Impatiens flowers across its growing season (mostly summer) and, kept fed and deadheaded, can bloom for many weeks or right up to frost.

Post-bloom care so it flowers again

Deadhead, keep feeding lightly, and many will rebloom; collect seed from the best plants at the end of the season if you want to grow them again.

For everything else this plant needs day to day, see the full divine orange new guinea impatiens care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Divine Orange New Guinea Impatiens blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my divine orange new guinea impatiens flower?

Divine Orange New Guinea Impatiens blooms on the season's growth given enough sun, warmth and the right feed — there is no cold or photoperiod trick, just good growing conditions and a bloom-leaning feed. The most common reason it is not happening: Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.

How do I make divine orange new guinea impatiens bloom?

Give divine orange new guinea impatiens the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.

When does divine orange new guinea impatiens normally bloom?