Magazine - HTA ISSUES ADVICE ON IMPATIENS DOWNY MILDEW
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By Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) in Landscaping News on 29th Jan 2012 12:07
The HTA has issued an information sheet providing advice to garden retailers outlining the issue of Impatiens Downy Mildew and the need to promote alternative bedding plants this year.
Impatiens Downy Mildew is a fungal disease that causes yellowing leaves, leaf loss and death of Impatiens wallerinana, commonly known as Busy Lizzies, during wet weather and damp conditions. With 2011 being a particularly bad year for Downy Mildew young plant producers and wholesale nurseries have taken the decision not to grow cutting-raised Impatiens wallerinana in 2012 and many are not growing seed-raised either. A number of
high profile garden retailers have taken the decision not to sell Impatiens at all this year.
HTA recommends that customers are advised to take a break from Impatiens this year (until resistant varieties have been developed) and retailers use the opportunity to promote alternative bedding plants that are widely available in similar colours and will perform as well in the same conditions. Suitable alternatives include:
• Begonia semperflorens hybrids
• Petunia 'Grandiflora' and 'Multiflora'
• New Guinea Impatiens
As a result of the reduced volume in production Busy Lizzies will be in short supply this year and despite the disease risk on Impatiens some retailers may still make the decision to sell them. If so they should do so without any plant guarantees and with advice to customers to be aware of the disease and look out for symptoms; and to:-
- not plant in an area of border that had affected plants there last year
- preferably plant in new containers or wash any containers where infected plants have been grown previously and use a garden disinfectant as directed by the manufacturer
- use fresh growing media
- dispose of any affected plants as soon as possible, ideally by burning. Do not compost them.
Tim Briercliffe, HTA Director of Business Development, comments, "With Downy Mildew being particularly virulent and resistant to existing fungicides many members of the HTA Bedding Plant Group and other growers have taken the decision simply not to grow cutting raised Impatiens this year and very low volumes of seed-raised."
He adds, "With Busy Lizzies being the most popular summer bedding plants garden centres are sure to get requests for them. If retailers feel that they must sell them it is important that customers are made aware of the issue so that they can make their own decision before purchasing. Of course it provides a great opportunity to promote other bedding plants and inspire gardeners to plant something different to brighten up gardens for this summer of celebration."
The HTA information sheet can be downloaded from www.the-hta.org.uk/impatiens
Read more articles in Landscaping News, by Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) or from January 2012.
