Please help! I am new and lovin' it! My periwinkle's...

I need help - and I am new so understand I have beginner flowers! I love them! Ok, my periwinkles are beautiful, but in the past 2 days the leaves are beginning to lighten to almost lime green. Why?

Then if you can help about my impatiens - the leaves in one pot are beginning to curl up and the buds (seeds?) are drying up before they bloom. Why?

Last for this post.... I pinched off some of the impatiens that seemed to be growing too long and did not have any blooms on them and now I have baby plants coming in - do I just keep on pinching off when the blooms are gone? How long does this go on?

Thank you for any help anyone can give me. I live in Fort Worth TX which is in zone 8a, I think.

I am not sure what your flowers are suffering from - perhaps someone in your zone can help - but I remember when I first started gardening ( a billion years ago) I tended to over 'care' for everything. Too much water mostly. It is important to learn everything you can about what you are growing - sun needs, water needs, feeding needs, and the conditions that can impact. Some plants are more tolerant / tough than others and it is good to start with those types. Also remember plants grown in pots may need different amount and types of care as compared to plants grown in the ground.

Thanks! I have been on the internet reading so much, and am delighted to find this site! My brother-in-law and sister-in-law lives in Clayton NC is that any where close to you?

I appreciate your feedback!

Smiles,
Samijo

Clayton is a good 50 - 60 minutes away. I have friends that just moved there last year.

Agree that it's most likely an overwatering issue with the periwinkle(vinca) as I recall from my own experiences. They love the heat and love to be on the dry side. Twice a week watering is all they need here in South Florida.

Amore - I lived in Ft. Laud for many years (Wilton Manors) and my family still is there. I sure envy some to the things you can grow - I just love all those tropicals.

I used to live in Wilton Manors near Ft Lauderdale High School. Now I'm out west, in Plantation, a mile or so east of Sawgrass Mills Mall. Growing things here is neat. You have the tropicals and then you have the winter when you can grow many of the more Northern type plants.

Me too class of 70. I used to walk to high school. there was this pizza place right next door practically...had the best garlic knots.....

my sis lives in Plantation now. I can't think of the development. All the houses have similar plans but different colors -- she loves it. Right off of Pine Island Road I think is the name. There are these huge lizards everywhere laying in the sun.

I recall that restaurant. I don't believe it is there anymore. Used to walk there and also to the Dairy Queen. I'm sure I live within a couple of miles of your sister. I'm in Plantation Acres just off of Sunrise Blvd.

LOL I have some geckos and quite a few butterflies living inside the screening around the pool. Not sure how they all found there way in there. Loving the butterflies in this area and have put many flowering plants in the area for the butterflies to land on.

Here's one of the geckos in this area.

And here's one of the butterflies hanging out on a Begonia.

These lizards (maybe not proper name) are about 20 pounds each. They look like dinosaurs. I don't know the name of her development. She is on a canal. My husband says she is within one block of Sunrise he thinks next road up after you leave her development and turn onto Pine Island.

Maybe it's the iguana lizards? Those were the ones that were paralyzed and were falling out of the trees during our cold nights in January. I can visualize where your sister lives. There a lots of developments on Pine Island Road in between Sunrise & Broward Blvd.

Yes that is it - Iguana. They will chase you away from the community pool and lay on the rocks that line the waterway of the canals.

Apologies Samijo - didn't mean to divert your periwinkle thread. You are lucky can grow lots of things in Texas. Beautiful things.

I'm surprised I don't see much of the tropical type periwinkle up North when visiting family. Don't even see it for sale up there in the summer. The growing conditions much not be quite right.

The vinca I planted - I took out. It was probably a poor choice in a mulched area. The runners were not attractive and of course the mulch prevented the runners from attaching and making plants. And, the darn things had no flowers. Maybe too shaded.

Thanks for the feedback. I enjoyed your chatting. I've never been to FL, would love to go sometime. Sounds wonderful and all the plants and flowers must be beautiful!

I realized it wasn't over watering, it was Under watering! I gave them a drink Friday afternoon and they perked right up. Then I experimented! I actually transplanted some from store bought hanging baskets and combined 3 plants in a new planter, while keeping the hanging baskets. One is bright purple and one deep red. Combined they are so vibrant. Here it is Sunday morning and they are all doing good.

I know this is easy, but new to me. I am ready to branch out and try some different plants for my patio. I have about 15 different pots of periwinkles and impatiens.

That sounds like a good color combination and it must look very nice. I get in a rut down here in the summer trying to come up with new flowers to use/try. It's much more limited when it comes to heat loving summer flowers this far South. Other flowers I use in the summer are marigolds, torenia, short dahlias, Profusion zinnias (the short spreading ones), rudbeckia (black eyed susan), angelonia (summer snapdragon) and lisianthus (texas rose). Mandevilla and short Canna Lilies are also common tropical plants I've seen used as summer annuals in areas that get cold in the winter.

Regarding your impatiens, where are the pots and how much shade do they get? Impatiens usually do best in shadier spots with a good amount of moisture. Hot, dry spots will definitely take a huge toll on them. Some varieties are more sun-tolerant than others, but impatiens are generally considered flowers for shade to part-shade. Also, pots tend to dry out quickly, so potted plants often need more water than those planted in the ground.

When I see that my flower foliage is starting to droop and become floppy, I know they're not getting enough water. As long as the plants haven't totally died, they usually perk back up once watered.

As for pinching, I usually just pinch early on so they don't get too leggy, and then I completely ignore them other than watering. Impatiens rebloom just fine without deadheading.

Good luck!