Busy Lizzies

[Oleanda]

I bought bedding Begonias and Busy Lizzies and planted them together in tubs. The Begonias are doing fine but all but two of the Busy Lizzies have keeled over and died. Any ideas why?

[starone]

I like busy lizzies and try to plant them every year. However, the same thing has happened to me, mine have all died. Can't think why. A couple of years ago the same thing happened and I read in a gardening book that they had a virus and it was not just my busy lizzies, but all of them. I thought the virus was cured by now and hoping for the best, bought some more, but maybe it is still there or perhaps in the soil, since I planted them in the same bit of garden.

[Oleanda]

Thankyou. Mine were planted in potting compost, and I had a spare one that I potted up in houseplant compost and brought indoors, but that was the first one to die.

[Clanad]

If your Impatiens have been even slightly over fertilized they're not going to like it at all. Especially if they are of the New Guinea variety.
If you note brown or black spots on the the leaves chances are good you have a virus which can be soil borne. They're somwehat like tomatoes and cucumbers in that planting them in the same soil year after year isn't the best idea unless you treat the soil in early spring.
Additionally, they like lots of sun and warm temps and just enough watering... not too much... just keep the soil vaguely damp.
You might also check to see if any of the stems were cut off near the soil... cut worms are the culprit if that's in evidence...