What is wrong with this Sun Patient?

[MaikeT]

 

 We bought two beautifully flowering Sun Patients hanging baskets from Bunnings Maroochydore. They were recommended by a nursery staff member as being ideal for our undercover terrace which gets morning sun and afternoon shade. She told us they are very 'forgiving' plants and will tell is when they want water by leaves starting to droop a little. We followed her instructions. She said that she has had these plants at home now for 3 years. When the top soil got a little dry or leaves started to droop which I checked daily, I would give them a drink. They seemed to do fine for the first 3-4 weeks, but then started to look weird. Elongated dry leaves, no more flowers.  We have another Impatient on our pool deck and it is doing great. At $32 each, we are very disappointed  and worried for the last two we purchased. We've only had them for about 2 months. And they've been sickly for probably half that time. I've tried giving them more shade as the dried leaves would indicate sun stress, but that hasn't seemed to make any difference. I'm usually very good with plants. These have me stumped. Any advice on how to save them would be greatly appreciated. Oh yes, I have inspected the roots of one. I cannot see any rot and the soil is moist but not wet. I've replanted with new soil and sliw release fertiliser hoping it may help the sickest of the two. 

[JacobZ]

Hi @MaikeT,

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community, it is fantastic to have you with us.

From what you have described, it sounds like you have been doing many of the right things already. SunPatiens are generally quite resilient, but they can still be affected by environmental factors that are not always obvious at first.

One thing that can sometimes catch people out with undercover terraces is reflective heat. Even if the plants are not in direct afternoon sun, heat reflecting off paving, walls, glass, or ceilings can raise temperatures around hanging baskets quite significantly. This can lead to stress symptoms such as elongated or dry-looking leaves and a reduction in flowering, even when watering appears correct. Is it possible that this could be a factor? Could we get some photos showing where they are being hung?

The fact they are in hanging baskets could also be a factor, as they tend to dry out faster while still holding moisture unevenly through the pot. The key is to water thoroughly, so moisture reaches the entire root ball, rather than frequent light watering. Ideally, water until you see it run freely from the base of the basket, then allow the top layer of mix to dry before watering again. In warm or sheltered areas, checking the soil for moisture is important, but it is also worth lifting the basket to gauge its weight, as this can be more reliable than surface dryness alone. Consistent, deep watering helps avoid stress from repeated drying and rewetting cycles, which can contribute to leaf scorch, reduced flowering and overall decline.

The steps you've already taken, by replacing the soil and adding a slow-release fertiliser, are the best general steps you can take, so hopefully they will help. From there, the only things I can think are to check for reflective heat and consider moving them to another area if it is excessive, and nailing the watering, and hopefully they will bounce back.

I should mention that you will be covered by our Perfect Plant Promise. If they were to die despite your efforts, they can be returned with your receipt for a replacement.

Allow me to tag @Noelle and @mich1972 to see if they have any thoughts on what could be causing the issue and what could be done.

Jacob

[MaikeT]

Hi Jacob. 

Thanks for your reply. 

The soil was evenly moist when I checked and replanted. I always water them until I see water dripping out the bottom.

There are two Sun Impatients directly under the hanging baskets (I have taken them down at present), and these plants, plus the one I have on the pool terrace are doing fine.  I've attached some images of the location they normally hang - see hooks. The terrace is east facing, getting morning sun. 

I've also attached photos of the other Patients. 

Maybe the batch of plants the hanging baskets were part of are diseased? Just bad luck.

I will be returning them to your Maroochydore store tomorrow to be exchanged. 

Thanks again.

Regards

Maike

 

 

 

 

 

[JacobZ]

Hi @MaikeT,

The spot looks perfect for them, and the light colours make me doubt the reflective heat thought.

I trust that your watering technique is not to blame; I just thought I'd mention what should be done in case it could be a factor.

As you've said, sometimes plants just don't survive, and you can't really pinpoint a reason why. Everything you've said sounds like you're doing the right thing, so they may have just been unwell and were never going to make it. Luckily, in situations like that, we have our Perfect Plant Promise.

If you have any issues moving forward, please don't hesitate to reach out so we can assist.

Jacob