Bizzie Lizzies any News ?

I like Bizzie Lizzies - now I know the more ardent gardeners on here will be having a coughing fit . The humble Bizzie Lizzie was considered to be , well a bit naff.
As most know, on here , in 2011 the BL succumbed to a mildew disease . This spread with amazing speed decimating park displays and gardens. It was quite frightening how far and fast it spread from the south coast to Scotland.
Is there any news on growing the BL again ? Are we past this outbreak , or will it always be there to strike
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=205

 

I don't think there were any outbreaks in the last year or two despite the cool wet summers some of us experienced as wet and warm are what increases downy Mildew spore production.
Some nuseries and GCs are growing them again and I don't think you should worry @HarryS , growing your own is perhaps safer than buying from the mass produced Sheds but if an epidemic broke out yours would not necessarily be immune.
New Guinea BLs have never been affected.

 

I grew bizzie lizzies for years before I quit my office 9 to 5 and decided to diversify. I found watering under the foliage madd them grow wonderfully. Mine got to about 3.5 feet high. Hmmm, need to go back there.

And yes I had heard about the fungul intruder. Glad to hear it's being managed.

Got to admit I was never keen on the "sunshine/african" version. They just neved seemed as Bizzie!

 

I have grown New Guinea Sunpatiens since 2011 John . They are a lovely long flowering plant in sun or semi-shade . This year , from Brookside , I am trying the variegated white. Hope they turn out like below !

 

Hi Harry,

I had one of those last year, the flowers start white and then take on a pink tinge ( a bit like Apple blossom ), it grew massive but one day I got up and it had just collapsed, no sign I any pest, disease or owt. I tried to take cuttings off it but couldn't get any to strike.

 

Hi JWK,

Yeah I came to the thought that there must have been something wrong with it when I bought it. I bought another one ( a red one ) from another shop and that ones still ok.

 

Yeah, they were raised indoors. The red one did brilliant and is still quite a large plant. The variegated one grew massive and then just collapsed. My first thought was vine weevil but instead of just throwing it out I stripped it out of the pot and compost and there was nothing !