New Guinea Busy Lizzies

Hello all - new member - brand new question..!

i cant seem to keep them alive!!

have bought 2 batches both from b&q, they looked healthy however within days of planting them in a bed they began to shrink and eventually die, they are in full sun as the care label suggested and have kept them watered and fed but to no avail. Some i planted in containers are doing slightly better and are flowering, however they are still really small and the leaves are discoloured.

What am i doing wrong?!!:gaagh:

 

New guineas are a very robust plant . They will flower later than your bog standard Busy Lizzie , but I cant understand them going belly up.At this time of the year you should only be starting to feed , and always keep the watering to a minimum - also it has been blooming cold for the last few weeks which has not helped anyone ! A few pics may help the gurus on here pinpoint your problem :happydance:

 

I gave up with New Guinea Busy Lizzies a few years ago.
They always died off within a couple of weeks. It may well be me, but I assumed they didn't like our inclement weather when they went outside.

Robust was not a word I associated with them.

The slugs love the ordinary Busy Lizzies, so I stick to Begonias in the garden and the non-stop variety in planters. These last all summer and are a good display.

 

I planted LOADS of busy lizzies a few weeks ago and 2 survived (by loads I mean LOADS) I can only assume they fried in the heat.

 

Ditto...24 plug plants ...brought on well to a decent size but planted out too early in the cold snap we've had....that's my excuse anyway.

I've dished the few weak specimens left.

 

I've had no joy with those New Guinea BLs. They look irresistible in the shop but never do much when I get them home. I think they're grown/treated/bred to look fantastic at point of sale but don't make good garden plants, IME. I have heard of growers using growth retardants to keep plants looking compact - is this possible/likely?

 

Must admit I've had similar problems, but dont bother with them any more.

They do look impressive when you buy them, but I tend to think they are more tender than normal bedding types.
Probably best grown as pot plants and given a very warm spot if outside.

Not sure direct sun is required, but humidity and warmth is good, so later outside planting might work.

 

I cant understand why Busy Lizzies are failing on planting. I grow them from seed , buy bargain bucket ones from B and Q , buy them from the corner shop. They are planted in full sun , in virtually full shade , in baskets and bags. I have lost a couple to slugs , but I cant remember any failing. I plant out about the second week in May dig a little hole tease the root ball out and stick them in. Maybe it was the cold dry spell that was the problem
New guineas , not had a problem (yet! ) These I grow in full sun. This year I have bought 10 Sunpatiens , another New Guinea cross. They all seem to be performing well at the moment and are just starting to flower.