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Many Jersey Shore gardeners have come to cherish the summer-long color of flowering impatiens, long a staple of Jersey Shore gardens. But with a stubborn fungus threatening the popular annuals -- especially in Monmouth and Ocean County -- what options do gardeners have? Plenty, according to the garden experts at Sickles Market.
Sickles' gardeners have assembled a collection of hearty, colorful alternatives to impatiens, making selections that are particularly suited to conditions at the Shore. These easy-to-grow, shade-tolerant and fungus-resistant plants include New Guinea Impatiens, Sunpatiens, Angel Wing Begonias, Torenia, Angelonia, Ivy Geraniums, Caladium and Coleus. “These substitute plants are so easy to care for and give a wider range of colors and textures that were lacking with impatiens,” says Natale Siclare, garden center manager.
The fungus striking impatiens is called Downy Mildew, and garden scientists are currently working to control and ultimately eradicate the disease. The fungus is transmitted by soil, wind and water and can live for up to 10 years in soil. It thrives in humid conditions such as New Jersey’s summer climate and has been prolific in Monmouth and Ocean counties.
According to Sickles Market, wholesale growers are not growing as much stock of impatiens so there is bound to be a shortage in garden centers. However, members of the Sickles garden staff are prepared and available for questions and landscape solutions that gardeners of all levels, from novice to professional, may have on how to create magnificent looking, colorful landscapes, patios, decks and porches using alternative plants.
According to a recent article in Bloomberg News, the fungus was first detected in the U.S. in 2004 and is now found in 33 states. U.S. horticulture is an $11.6 billion industry, according to the Department of Agriculture, with nursery plants and annual flowers such as impatiens, violets and geraniums accounting for more than half that amount. About 80 million Americans, more than a quarter of the population, have planted gardens, according to the USDA.
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