Busy Lizzie's

[Jemisa]

We went to B&Q garden centre yesterday to get our plants for our pots and hanginh baskets, we walked round & round looking for Busy Lizzies I couldn't believe there was none, in a big place like this. I asker the gardener there & he said they won't be stocking them this year or probably next.
I didn't know about the problem did you? He pointed out a large poster telling the prob.
READ ON:

Busy Lizzie problem - impatiens downy mildew disease killing plants

“What’s wrong with my busy Lizzies – they’re dying?”

The answer, sadly, is a disfiguring disease that is killing busy Lizzies (impatiens) all over the UK. Impatiens downy mildew is a relatively new disease. It was first discovered in the UK in 2003, but there was never a real problem with it until a couple of years ago. But this year, probably encouraged by the cool, damp summer weather, it has run riot in gardens – killing plants wherever it appears.

Jem.

[Jemisa]

What are you replacing your Busy Lizzie's with???

jem

[ladybird49]

B&Q are so overpriced , we got loads of assorted from morrisons and what a show of flowers it produced , will be doing the same this year , didnt get busy lizzies last year , and after your post wont be this year!

[jamesnan]

Busy lizzies also need a lot of water, they do not like dry weather, so with the hosepipe ban in force another bedding plant is probably the best option.

[rowanwitch]

fibrous rooted begonias.... grow well in the same sort of conditions....

[shihtzublue]

I saw this on a shopping channel a couple of weeks ago. They said that they will not be stocking them this year either.

[Nibble]

I didn't know that -we bought special offer petunias from Homebase last week, they look very healthy.

[shihtzublue]

Think it is just busy lizzies nibble. which is a shame because they grow well in my garden.

[Jemisa]

They grow really well in my garden too, I could always rely on them to give a goood show, I will miss them.
Last year I was too ill to do any gardening so wasn't aware of the problem.
I've bought lots of Petunia's & Begonia's & Geraniams, so hope they will give a good show too.

jem

[Traci66]

Busy puzzles have been a problem the last couple of years, last year we had begonias and they did really well.

[netnet]

a lot of gardeners are growing begonias instead of busy lizzie cos of the disease