Caring for Playful Pansies

How can such a delicate looking flower be so hardy?

Pansies love the cool weather and if you live in a milder climate, you can enjoy the whimsical-face of this five-pedaled beauty into winter.

Pansies comes in vibrant shades of pink, purple, blue, red, orange, yellow, white and a variety of multi-colors.

They are fragrant and edible flowers and make amazing decorative garnishes
for summer salads and fruit parfaits.

Pansies are biennials meaning they have a two year life cycle. The first year they grow leaves and stems then go dormant over the winter. The following year they flowers and, sadly, die.

Pansies are natural wanderers and, given space, can spread a foot or two. To keep in check, plant in pots and baskets. Otherwise, plant 6 to 12 inches apart and let them go.

Growing Your Pansies

Pansies are fairly easy to grow from seed but bedding plants are ready to bloom while your seedings will need their first year development. Should you want to grow from seed, you'll need to start indoors 8 to 10 weeks before you want to transplant outdoors.

Lightly cover seeds with moist soil and place in a dark location that stays a cool 40-60 degrees. After 2 to 3 weeks the seedlings should have a leaf or few and be ready to move to pots. They will need a new location as they must now receive daily light. Move outside after another 6 to 8 weeks as long was the temperature is still between 40-60 degrees.

Plant in early spring for spring/summer blooms and in all for winter/spring blooms.

Pansies are the perfect flower for creating a pattern or color scheme design. Try a circle with light to dark rows and mutli-colored centers or diagonal stripes bordering a walkway. Their little faces look especially delightful paired with garden ornaments.

Caring for Your Pansies

• Pansies need well drained soil and can tolerate either full sun or partial shade.
• Set in individual holes about 6 inches deep with enriched soil.
• Mulch around the plants.
• Don't neglect watering as pansies will not tolerate a dry spell.
• Keep the soil moist not soggy at all times.
• Over watering will also cause leaf spotting and root rot.
• Fertilize every 3 to 4weeks during the growing season.
• Keep your pansies pinched back to promote bushy growth and prevent self-sow.

Pests

In keeping with their hardy nature, pansies are not prone to insect infestation. They may occasionally become victims to aphids and spider mites. Slugs and snails love pansies as much as you do so watch for the slim and take defensive action quickly.