Question: My impatiens get too tall every summer. I use a water-soluble fertilizer on them every week or two. My neighbors’ plants aren’t nearly as tall.

Answer: Impatiens’ mature heights is somewhat of a genetic factor. There are varieties that have been bred to stay very short. Ask your neighbors where they have bought their plants, or what variety they have used, then try to match it. Impatiens will also get leggy if they’re grown in very heavy shade, or if they’re given too much nitrogen.