Garden

[Nataliesgramma]

I usually plant some impatiens in pots around the patio, but I decided to give Vinca another try this year. It never seems to take off as well as impatiens.

Any hints out there? The area gets mostly afternoon sun.

[nyc1]

I'd love to hear the replies.  I did that one year, many years ago, and they were a dud for me.  Had more success with them in pots.  Good luck with your plantings....

[gardenman]

I've had good luck with Vinca Mediterranean. It's a spreading/trailing vinca. I just treated it like every other plant and it did fine.

[LonestarBabs]

Vinca needs to be watered almost daily if in pots in a sunny location. Here in TX it just burns up due to heat and strong sun. I've always had good luck with impatiens in shady/morning sun areas. Vinca is pretty, and if you live up north you'll have a better chance with it.

[Sweetbay magnolia]

Annual vinca does well with lots of sun.

Impatiens (which have been struggling to come back from a downy mildew epidemic) are best in shade/part shade.

Any annual in a pot needs frequent watering, though.  I like to fertilize alternately with fish emulsion and something "blue" - Peter's, Jack's Classic, Miracle Gro, etc.

[Nataliesgramma]

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@LonestarBabs wrote:

Vinca needs to be watered almost daily if in pots in a sunny location. Here in TX it just burns up due to heat and strong sun. I've always had good luck with impatiens in shady/morning sun areas. Vinca is pretty, and if you live up north you'll have a better chance with it.

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I live in Ohio....so maybe this year it will do better for me

[Carmie]

I plant vinca in planters on my  deck.  They do well for me if I can keep the squirrels from digging.  I like them because they seem to always be blooming.  I love potted flowers on the deck.

Last year I saw a new ( for me) plant that caught my eye so much I splurged and bought it.  It did extremely well and was in bloom all summer long.  It became my favorite flowering plant ever.  Everyone stopped to admire it and asked what it was.

Unfortunally, I had no idea.  I threw away the tag with the information. This year, I found them again and purchased three of them.  

They are called Dipladenia and require full sun.  I got mine at the Home Depot.  Last year they only had pink.  This year they have pink, fuschia and white.  If you need 

an annual for a sunny location, you will not be disappointed with this plant.  I am potting them up today.  They do well planted in the garden too.

PS.  I posted a stock pic of the flowers, it's not of my home.

[stevieb]

Vinca is pretty, has prettier foliage, but smaller flowers. There is also a Vinca that is more of a ground cover, but is a different plant. I'd might have opted for impatiens, only because they're more 'showy' and if they thrive they grow quickly, also keeping in mind that while there is a 'sunny impatien' variety, the traditional plant prefers partial shade. Both are subject to some form of 'blight'. 

[lulu2]

Every year I've been using Vinca more and more.  This year no Impatiens, rather only Vinca.  It takes the sun well and doesn't need to be watered as often.  With Impatiens I'm watering twice a day.  Also Vinca hanging baskets do well and are relatively inexpensive.

There are so many colorful varieties.  Flats were cheap at both Walmart and another grocery store.

[DiAnne]

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@Carmie wrote:

I plant vinca in planters on my  deck.  They do well for me if I can keep the squirrels from digging.  I like them because they seem to always be blooming.  I love potted flowers on the deck.

Last year I saw a new ( for me) plant that caught my eye so much I splurged and bought it.  It did extremely well and was in bloom all summer long.  It became my favorite flowering plant ever.  Everyone stopped to admire it and asked what it was.

Unfortunally, I had no idea.  I threw away the tag with the information. This year, I found them again and purchased three of them.  

They are called Dipladenia and require full sun.  I got mine at the Home Depot.  Last year they only had pink.  This year they have pink, fuschia and white.  If you need 

an annual for a sunny location, you will not be disappointed with this plant.  I am potting them up today.  They do well planted in the garden too.

PS.  I posted a stock pic of the flowers, it's not of my home.

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Those are beautiful.  I will have to look for them.