Divine Series of New Guineas
All the articles that discuss Downy Mildew, especially the ones in the popular press, always mention that the disease DOES NOT affect New Guinea Impatiens. It is a completely different species and New Guineas are highly resistant to Downy Mildew. This publicity will guarantee that the public will be asking about New Guineas.
If you plan to offer New Guineas as a possible substitute for impatiens, we would recommend the Divine series. These are pure New Guineas bred to resemble standard Impatiens as much as possible. The plant is compact so it grows to about the same height, the flower power is good, and they are not hybrids. The Divines do not have any of the vulnerable wallerina genetics in them.
Divine Orange
More important is the pricing. Because the Divines are a seed-based crop, their pricing will fall between the Impatiens and the New Guineas. It is still a jump up from the usual Impatiens pricing, but it is a reasonable jump for a plant that strongly resists Downy Mildew.
Divine Pink
That said, we do have to put in some expectation management here. The Divines are not Impatiens impersonators. They are New Guineas that wish they were Impatiens. This also means they have the cultural toughness that New Guineas are known for. They take wet or dry, they do not require follow-up visits, they work in full sun and partial shade, they are forgiving of erratic watering once established, and they survive the hot summer months with grace and good looks. Their weakness would be heavy shade, just like all New Guineas.
Divine Lavender
We've grown Divine before, but we've never put it into full production because they resembled Impatiens. This year, that weakness is now its greatest strength.
Divine Scarlet
We will be offering Divines in the six colors illustrated in this article. We will also offer them in two mixes: Mystic for the cool tones of purple, lavender and white, and Salsa for the warm tones of red, orange and white. They will be available in both the 1801 trays and as a 6-inch crop.
Divine White
You can pre-order this crop now, but if you want a large amount that you need to guarantee supply, you should give us a call. We will be placing our final order for the starter material next week.
Divine Violet
