What is The White Velvety Growth on My Impatiens?

With the spring planting season hitting full swing in May, local garden centers are selling all sorts of plants. But that doesn't mean you don't need to worry about disease.

According to Carrie Leinonen at Village Garden Center impatiens, one of the most popular annual flowers, are susceptible the disease which comes primarily from the south.

This year the worry comes from downy mildew, a white velvety growth on the undersides of the leaves.

"When you buy your impatiens from the garden center they won't be infected, but planting them in infected garden beds can lead to the eventual death of the plants," Leinonen said. "Windblown spores can also cause infection in garden beds where there hasn't been downy mildew before."

If you see the plants in your garden, the first step is to remove the infected plants and any fallen from the garden and bag them for disposal. Leinonen warned against composting infected plants because the disease will remain alive in the compost and spread.

Not all impatiens are vulnerable to downy mildew. Leinonen suggested New Guinea impatiens, which are not vulnerable to the disease. Other plants you can use in shaded garden beds include begonias and coleus.