I’m in Toronto. For several years I have cut pieces of impatience and placed them in holes of green oasis. Within a week, all plants would have roots. Not finding oasis, I purchased a block from the Dollarama. All roots rotted. Is there a good oasis that prevents root rot and where can it be purchased?
Thank you for contacting Toronto Master Gardeners. Impatiens are a favourite annual to add a splash of colour to a shady backyard. These plants can easily be propagated through seeds or cuttings. As Impatiens tip cuttings do root very quickly, most commercial propagation is through tip cuttings.
Choose non-flowering stem tips with at least two leaf nodes for your cuttings. Plant the cuttings in a moist, clean, sterile medium. A mix of peat moss, perlite and vermiculite is the optimal environment for aeration and moisture retention for new root growth. A document by Texas A&M, Propagating Foliage and Flowering Plants, contains more propagation guidance including: propagation media, moisture, light, humidity, temperature, and rooting hormones.
Although you’ve successfully used floral foam blocks in past years, the propagation media recommended above will provide a better result when rooting your impatiens.