In case you have not heard about this problem. I work at a garden center and growers informed us they might not supply them this year.
http://www.delawareonline.com/...

Yes, this is one of the true ornamental gardening tragedies of all time! Hopefully they will develop an immune or at least resistant I. walleriana soon. No other plant can really take its' place. New Guinea Impatiens are OK, but don't have the "wow" flowers.

There is also a strain of downy mildew that wrecks Coleus. Fortunately there are more alternatives to this one, but this is huge too. Not at the emergency level of Impatiens, but beware of any ill-looking and/or pruned plants while out shopping.

I'm just sick about this

Many of my impatience died last summer and they were over 10 years old and grown from seed. I over winter them every year. I bought new seed and they are doing well but I did that before I had heard about this virus.

I hear you. It will probably be a few years before we get a resistant variety. I am going to be curious to see how many places will be selling impatiens this year...

Most of the article is not available to non-paying viewers, so some things to know:
The spores are spread by wind, rain, plant to plant contact, splattering of water, humans, etc. There is no cure, so starting new plants from seed won't fix the problem. Overhead watering can help it spread. There is a ton of info out there if more reading material is desired. So very sad!!

Sunpatiens are supposedly resistant, but do need more sun like the new Guinea ones.

But the New Guineas are also resistant, right?

Karen

From what I'm reading, yes.

Thanks, Vic.

Karen

http://www.anla.org/knowledgec...
If you have the time , this is a more thorough description of the problem.

Thank you Bob

Thanks, Bob.

Karen

I just returned from garden club meeting where my fav local greenhouse grower spoke.I asked him about the impatiens & he said he had not heard of anyone having it around here ,yet. He said no doubt it is coming but for the time being we can plant impatiens just realize they might get sick.I asked him about the disease in coleus & he said this has always been around.& he doesn't see any reason to forgo planting coleus at this time.Glad to hear this as I have a greenhouse full of beautiful coleus.
sewNsow

Oh dear! ---and I have impatiens seedlings under lights.
I hope that that disease does not like cold winters!

Carolyn, I've read in several places that the disease can be killed in very cold northern winters, though I'm not sure how reliable that is. This says 5° is the magic number, but I question "for how long?"

"They are reliably killed when winter temperatures drop to below 5 degrees F. This seems to be a contributing factor in the rise of this plant pathogen here on island. We haven’t had severe cold here in a few years. "

That's from here http://www.nantucketchronicle....

Karen

I have been putting mine outside so I'm thinking it may not be long before they bite the dust. Just hoping to get a little bit of pleasure from the blossoms. A few are already blossoming but they need to go in pots. I am going to spray with fungicide to try and prolong the plight.

So they may be okay here!
We shall see.

Caroline, I sure hope they will be fine for you. I'm pretty sure my will end up dying.

I may have a couple of I. wallerianas from time to time in the summer, but I have more I. balfourii, glandulifera, and sodenii that reseed. I have arguta and omeiana that are hardy here, and I try to winter over I. niamnaimensis, Are they likely to be affected, or spread it like Typhoid Mary? I'll be really sad if they die.

I have read here and there that growers use a pretty toxic fungicide to prevent the disease, I wonder if it works. I'd be unlikely to personally use it, but I know people who would.

I wonder if foliar sprays of Actinovate will work for preventing Impatiens Downy Mildew.