
The Impatiens walleriana, usually called joys of the home, bear ears or simply joys, are a very popular plant in both indoor and outdoor gardens, thanks above all to their great capacity for flowering, rapid growth and natural resistance. In this EcologíaVerde article, we are going to see how to get the most out of those companions with showy flowers that embellish any room or garden.
If you want to learn how to give them what they need to be beautiful, take note of this practical care guide for the joys of home.
Characteristics of the joys of home
The joys of the house, also called Impatients walleranaare plants of the genus Impatiens, from Africa. It is a perennial and succulent herbaceous plant that reaches up to 60 cm in height and stands out, among other things, for its ability to produce flowers of red and pink tones throughout the year if they receive proper care. If you like to have your house or garden in bloom every month, discover more Plants that bloom all year round here.
They are also common Impatiens hawkeria relative also called Guinean joy and the Impatiens balsaminaalthough most of the species found in stores are hybrids of the joys of home.

Plant joys of home: care – practical guide
Next, we explain some aspects of the life of these plants so that you take them into account when caring for them, take note of this basic care guide for the joys of home:
location and light
When choosing the location of the joy of the house you must take into account that the plant needs a very bright environment but without direct exposure in the strongest hours of sunlight, as this would wither its flowers. If you are going to plant it in the garden, do it in a semi-shaded space, while if you decide to have it in an interior room, we recommend that you place the pot in a very bright space but where it does not receive direct exposure in the midday hours.
Regarding the pot, joy blooms when its roots get tangled, so it is advisable to change the pot for a larger one in spring, but only if it really needs it and its roots have covered the entire space of the substrate.
Temperature
This plant is typical of tropical climates, so if you live in environments where the temperature drops to 13ºC or less, your joys may suffer greatly. When we talk about hot climates, on the other hand, you should know that these plants can withstand temperatures of up to 24ºCalthough ideally they should be somewhat below this value.
Irrigation and humidity
The alegrías have a great capacity to retain water due to their condition as succulents, but they always appreciate being in moist soil. In winter, a weekly watering will suffice, while in summer you will have to water them often and regularly, always avoiding wetting the leaves so that they do not suffer a fungal attack.
Pass
The plant will appreciate a contribution of liquid fertilizer that helps its flowering. This can be done weekly in the summer months, but in the winter you can space it out more or even stop it, especially if you live in cold climates. If you want to offer your plant the most natural fertilizer possible, take a look at this article on How to make homemade organic fertilizer for plants.
Bloom
As we have already said, a joy of the healthy house blooms practically all year round. This means that if the plant stops putting out new flowers, it is probably either because it needs a transplant or because it suffers from some problem related to the needs mentioned above.

Playing the joys of home
Reproduce the alegrías by cuttings it is very simple. If you have doubts about how to perform the reproduction, follow these steps:
- To begin with, you should cut the cuttings in spring or summer with stems of about 10 cm.
- Next, remove the lower leaves and leave them in water until they put out some roots.
- Next, you can plant them in pots with moistened and fertilized substrate and keep them away from intense light for about 15 days.
- After that time, you can now treat the cutting as an adult plant and dedicate the aforementioned common care to it.

Common diseases and pests of the joys of the house
The joy of the house is a plant that is quite resistant to most threats and, in addition, does not tend to present problems of its own. However, there two common problems What is worth keeping in mind:
- The first problem is fungi: If you live in cold or humid environments, or if you have watered your joy too much or wet its leaves while doing so, it is possible that the plant suffers from fungal attack. If this happens, you will be able to see them on its leaves and petals. At this point, we recommend reducing the irrigation dose and using a fungicide (preferably homemade) to restore the plant’s health.
- The second threat is the spider mite: these tend to appear only in very dry areas, and the sign that they are there are their recognizable brownish cobwebs and the fact that the plant shows some more curved leaves than natural. Against the spider, it is best to use an appropriate insecticide. This article on How to Make Natural Insecticides for Plants will help you take care of the problem quickly.
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