The busy lizard (Impatiens walleriana), which comes from Africa and is now mostly cultivated as an annual in Europe, blooms persistently from May to autumn. This makes the so-called balsam with its abundance of different varieties and flower colors an ideal plant for a balcony.
Is Busy Lieschen suitable for the balcony?
The Busy Lizzie (Impatiens walleriana) is ideal for the balcony as it blooms from May to autumn and tolerates partially shaded to shady locations. Suitable neighbors are pelargoniums, petunias and lobelias. Ensure adequate watering and fertilization.
The location needs of the busy Lieschen
The busy Lieschen copes well with brightness, but has difficulty withstanding the summer midday heat in direct sunlight. Conversely, the busy Lieschen also blooms very reliably in semi-shady to shady locations. The plant needs a lot of water and should never completely dry out in the root area. However, the busy Lieschen does not like waterlogging, which is why a drainage layer should be created in the planters. Ordinary potting soil is suitable as a plant substrate; when propagating from cuttings, a simple glass of water is sufficient in the first few weeks.
Planting the busy Lieschen on the balcony
Since the Busy Lieschen is extremely sensitive to frost and relatively cold, it should be planted on the balcony after the Ice Saints at average temperatures of 10 degrees Celsius or more. Since the Busy Lieschen is non-toxic, it can also be planted on balconies where children and pets have access. Balconies that do not face directly south and where the plants are somewhat protected from wind and rain by a roof or side walls are ideal as a location. During the flowering period in summer, the plants that require a lot of water should be watered daily if possible and fertilized with a little liquid fertilizer (€14.00 on Amazon) about every two weeks.
Suitable neighbors for busy Lieschen on the balcony
The pretty flowers of the Busy Lieschen look particularly attractive on the balcony when they are placed in contrast to other balcony plants. Due to the location requirements, the following plant species are particularly suitable for a combination with the busy Lieschen in the balcony box:
- Pelargoniums
- Petunias
- Lobelias
In addition, within the genus Impatiens there are various types of busy lilies with quite varied flower colors and shapes. Please note that the double-flowering varieties of the Busy Lieschen can often only be effectively propagated through cuttings.
Tip
While some balcony plants only thrive in tall plant pots, different rules apply to the busy Lieschen. This usually blooms particularly profusely when the roots are in a rather narrow plant pot.
