Violet-pink impatiens flowers above green leaves in a mulched garden bed.
Photo: Carole McHale · CC BY 4.0. Source caption: “Flowers - Craven Co., NC”. Cropped for display. Resized and re-encoded as WebP. Impatiens walleriana reference photo; the pictured plant is not confirmed as a member of the Beacon series.
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Flowers · A sheltered porch with bright shade

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Impatiens walleriana — Beacon Lipstick

This plan is for Beacon Lipstick Impatiens walleriana

Light: Bright shade or gentle morning sun; avoid hot afternoon sun.

Planting steps ↓

YOUR SIMPLE GROWING PLAN

One pot. Here’s the plan.

Before you start Start Beacon Lipstick Impatiens walleriana outdoors after frost danger, once soil warms above about 60°F. Choose bright shade, with shelter from hot afternoon sun and drying wind.

What you need · pot, mix & supplies
  • 1 rooted Beacon Lipstick Impatiens walleriana nursery plant
  • One 14-inch-wide, 12-inch-deep pot with drainage
  • Fresh potting mix and a watering can

The soil

Miracle-Gro Organic Potting Mix (US, with starter nutrients; check your bag for its additional-feeding directions)

Is this your plant? Choose Beacon Lipstick Impatiens walleriana for bright shade. New Guinea impatiens and SunPatiens have different light tolerances. Beacon has high downy-mildew resistance, not immunity.

A sheltered porch with bright shade. Start with nursery plant.

THE POT14 in. wide × 12 in. deep

One draining pot for one plant with an expected 12–14-inch spread. This roomy single-plant layout is an editorial choice; it will not look as full at planting as a multi-plant nursery basket.

HOW MANY1 nursery plant

Choose one rooted Beacon Lipstick Impatiens walleriana. It has high resistance to prevalent downy-mildew populations, but is not immune.

See the planting illustration
Illustrated starting setup: 14 in. wide × 12 in. deep; 1 nursery plant.
14 in. wide × 12 in. deep · 1 nursery plant One draining pot for one plant with an expected 12–14-inch spread. This roomy single-plant layout is an editorial choice; it will not look as full at planting as a multi-plant nursery basket. Choose one rooted Beacon Lipstick Impatiens walleriana. It has high resistance to prevalent downy-mildew populations, but is not immune. Original illustration; not to scale.
  1. 01

    Start with a named selection

    Look for Beacon Lipstick and Impatiens walleriana on the tag. Beacon has high resistance to common downy-mildew populations, although resistance is not immunity. This is the shade-loving kind.

  2. 02

    Plant without burying the stems

    Set the root-ball surface level with the new mix. Leave 1 inch below the rim, then water until excess drains.

  3. 03

    Give it bright shade

    Place the pot away from hot afternoon sun and drying wind. Acclimate a greenhouse plant gradually to its outdoor home.

  4. 04

    Make a quick daily check

    Feel the mix, check the leaves, and remove fallen debris. You do not need to pick off every faded flower to keep impatiens blooming.

Other ways to start
Start from purchased Beacon Lipstick seed+

Start about 10 weeks before your frost-free outdoor planting window. Use 2 seed-starting cells with 1 seed per cell. Place seed on moist seed-starting mix and leave it uncovered, as PanAmerican Seed directs for Beacon. Keep it moist in light at about 68–77°F; do not let it dry out or sit in water. Grow seedlings in bright conditions, then gradually acclimate them to outdoor shade. Keep one healthy plant for this pot and give away the spare. Use purchased labeled seed for this hybrid; a nursery start is simpler and gives a quicker display.

YOUR EVERYDAY ROUTINE

Water & fertilizer at a glance.

Water when
Check each morning. Water as the upper inch starts drying, before the root ball dries through; drain. Check wetness before watering drooping leaves. Empty the saucer or outer pot after draining.
Fertilizer
Jack’s Classic Blossom Booster (US 10-30-20)
Amount
1 level tablespoon in 1 US gallon of water
What that amount covers
Mix into water. Apply only enough solution to wet this pot and drain; the mixing batch is not the amount to pour on.
How often to feed
Once a month while this outdoor plant makes buds and flowers.
When to start or pause
Check the purchased potting-mix bag for when extra feeding is due. Delay if wet; stop when active growth ends or the plant moves indoors.

JR Peters supplies the dilution. Monthly feeding follows Minnesota Extension and is less frequent than the brand’s general 7–10-day outdoor interval. Use one feeding program and follow your actual US package.

Product directions ↗

Use level measures and the exact US formula shown. If your label differs, follow it; do not transfer this dose to another formula or combine feeding programs.

See the watering & feeding illustrations
A soil check followed by slow root watering and free drainage.
Check before watering. Check each morning. Water as the upper inch starts drying, before the root ball dries through; drain. Check wetness before watering drooping leaves. Original illustration; not to scale.
Fertilizer measure for Impatiens: 1 level tablespoon in 1 US gallon of water. Mix into water. Apply only enough solution to wet this pot and drain; the mixing batch is not the amount to pour on.
1 level tablespoon in 1 US gallon of water Mix into water. Apply only enough solution to wet this pot and drain; the mixing batch is not the amount to pour on. Once a month while this outdoor plant makes buds and flowers. Check the purchased potting-mix bag for when extra feeding is due. Delay if wet; stop when active growth ends or the plant moves indoors. Original illustration; not to scale.
Illustrated reference for Jack’s Classic Blossom Booster, US 10-30-20; not actual packaging.

US PRODUCT REFERENCE

Jack’s Classic

Blossom Booster

10-30-20

Soluble: mix into water

Check the official US product ↗

Illustrated reference; check the manufacturer’s current packaging and US label.

Warm-season flowers and mature size
03 / WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

Beacon impatiens make a mound of bright flowers and can reach about 14–18 inches tall and 12–14 inches wide. A budded nursery plant can color a shady porch quickly and continue until cold weather, with suitable moisture and care.

When to plant impatiens outdoors

Wait until frost danger has passed and the soil has warmed above about 60°F. Impatiens are sensitive to cold. In most US gardens, treat this as a warm-season annual and replace it after frost.

For regional planting windows, find your local Cooperative Extension office ↗.

Something looking off?

Are these the impatiens that grow in full sun?+

No. This plan uses shade-loving I. walleriana. New Guinea impatiens and interspecific SunPatiens have different light tolerances. Buy the type suited to the location; the names are not interchangeable.

Does Beacon never get downy mildew?+

It has high resistance, not immunity. Pale leaves, leaf drop, and a downy coating underneath warrant a closer check. Remove badly affected plants and ask local Extension to confirm the problem; fertilizer will not cure it.

Do I have to deadhead every flower?+

No. Removing spent flowers is not needed for continued bloom. Keep fallen debris off the mix and focus on moisture, shade, and drainage.

Checking sheltered pots and wilt
Check moisture under a porch roof

A porch roof can block rain completely. Even in shade, check the pot yourself instead of assuming a rainy day watered it.

Check whether wilt comes with dry or wet mix

First feel the mix. Dry mix calls for a thorough watering and drainage. If the mix is already wet, empty the saucer, check that the holes are clear, and keep the pot away from hot afternoon sun. Do not add water or fertilizer to cure wet-soil wilt. Persistent wilt, soft stem bases, or leaf loss need a closer root and disease check; ask local Extension for help rather than guessing from wilt alone.

Help with your next step.

Sources, dates & detailed PDF

Editorial plans, not results from a Plant Care Steps growing trial. Compiled with AI assistance; they have not yet had an independent horticultural review. Editorial approach.

Something needs updating? Suggest a correction

Published · Updated

By jennyzhuang

Sources checked View sources ↗

Detailed PDF ↓

Full reference edition with expanded explanations and illustrations. Its publication dates appear in the file.

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Soil: Miracle-Gro Organic Potting Mix (US, with starter nutrients; check your bag for its additional-feeding directions)

By jennyzhuang

Sources checked View sources ↗

Published · Updated

Read the online Sources section for linked references and the full reference PDF.

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Plant Care Steps · Care card

Impatiens

Impatiens walleriana — Beacon Lipstick

Water
Check each morning. Water as the upper inch starts drying, before the root ball dries through; drain. Check wetness before watering drooping leaves.
Light
Likes shade. Bright shade or gentle morning sun; avoid hot afternoon sun.
Temperature
Warm, frost-free weather. A sheltered porch with bright shade
Common problems
Are these the impatiens that grow in full sun. No. This plan uses shade-loving I. walleriana. New Guinea impatiens and interspecific SunPatiens have different light tolerances. Buy the type suited to the location; the names are not interchangeable.