Alegría or Impatiens plant care

It is one of the most popular plants in homes. It is not only beautiful, colorful and generous with its bloom. In addition, the care of the Alegría or Alegría de la casa plant makes it even easier to enjoy it since it is one of the easiest indoor plants to grow. Although it is usually grown indoors, it can also be seen planted outdoors, especially in Mediterranean climates or with mild winters. Something that already gives us a clue about what is, without a doubt, its most important care: temperature.

Native to regions of East Africa, India, and China; The Impatiens Walleriana or Joy plant has a highly recognizable physiognomy. Beyond its fleshy stems, its main hallmark is its flowers in various shades, both in terms of color and intensity. Although its design is simple, with a different tone around the pistil, its main attraction is that we can enjoy flowers almost all year round. Its name, Alegría, is not in vain, it is due precisely to this detail!

For all these reasons, let’s see how to care for the Alegría plant in order to have that touch of natural life in our home.

5 KEYS IN THE CARE OF THE ALEGRÍA PLANT

Before anything else, it is interesting to know that the Alegría plant is a fast-growing plant that, in a short time and with proper care, can reach an interesting diameter. One reason why, although it is usually kept indoors, it is widely used as part of our balcony and terrace seasonal plants. It is not its only location, since it can also have a hole in the garden. It is a candidate to take into account in the list of the best plants for rockeries or even perfect for planting at the foot of climbers.

Given that, as we said, the Alegría plant does not get along with the cold, how is it possible to plant it outdoors? In two well-defined ways. On the one hand, considering it as a seasonal plant that we can transplant indoors with the arrival of winter. On the other hand, and if we want to have it outdoors as if it were an annual plant, we can only do it if we live in a warm climate or with mild winters. And, despite the latter, it does not hurt to cover it at night in the cold months with a thermal garden blanket and mulch it to protect its roots.

Wherever it is, it is important to know how to care for the Alegría plant in order to enjoy its greatest gift: a flowering that is as simple as it is striking, which honors its name during most months of the year.

1. Light, something to value depending on the place of planting

When we consider having the Alegría plant inside the house, it will be essential to find a bright location for it, which will be key for it to give us its flowering. What’s more: if we see that it pulls the flower buds without opening them, our plant will be telling us that it is not in the right place. If we decide to place it near a window, we will have to know what the light that enters through it is like. La Alegría de la casa tolerates direct sun, but only during the hours of least incidence. In case of receiving midday light, it could burn.

If we choose to plant it outdoors, its ideal location will be slightly different. For it to be comfortable and flourish, we will have to find a semi-shade location where it receives good morning light. And yes: at the foot of bushes, trees or climbers can be the ideal place.

2. Temperature, the most demanding aspect in the care of the Alegría plant

As we have seen before, it does not support the cold. If exposed to low temperatures or even frost, its stems will deteriorate beyond repair. What is your ideal temperature range? Always higher than 13º.

Nor can we expose it to drafts or sudden changes in temperature. They will bill our plant.

3. Irrigation and humidity, two aspects to watch closely

Let’s start with irrigation, one of the cares for the Alegría plant that usually causes more problems in its cultivation. It is important to know that it is a plant that does not tolerate waterlogging, since excess water or poor drainage can rot its roots. For this reason, it is important to water moderately. While in the winter months weekly watering will be enough, in the summer and especially if the temperature is high we will have to water daily.

In addition to this, it is important to know that Joy appreciates having a certain degree of environmental humidity to be comfortable. Something that we can achieve by placing it on a tray with some wet aggregate. It is important, especially indoors, to avoid wetting the leaves and flowers: it is a plant with a certain predisposition to fungal diseases such as Botrytis.

4. Fertilizer, essential to enjoy the flowers of happiness

Crucial so that the Alegría plant can flourish abundantly and with well-being. In order to maintain that almost constant rate, you’ll need a regular dose of nutrients to allow you to take on the wear and tear of blooming.

To achieve this and among all the types of fertilizers for plants, the ideal is to opt for one for plants with liquid flowers that we can dilute in the irrigation water. The ideal guideline: once every 15 days or a maximum of one month when it is in flower.

5. The transplant, a task to be carried out with great care and at certain times

It is the last of the Impatiens Walleriana care that we have to know in depth. Because, beyond knowing how to transplant a plant correctly, in the specific case of Alegría there are some crucial details that we have to know. First of all: it can never be repotted lightly. In order to flower the way it does, Joy needs to be slightly root tight. For this reason, we will only change it to a slightly larger pot when we see that they come out through the drainage holes.

As important as this is to carry out this task in spring, and always using a universal substrate mixed with perlite. Thanks to it, we will help eliminate excess irrigation water, avoiding the much-feared flooding.

And ready! With these five cares for the Alegría plant, you will be able to enjoy it for a long time. Five easy-to-implement cultivation details that more than pay off! with the gift of her flowers.