Grow Pansies

Pansies are often described as flowers with faces, meaning their petals lie flat and sport a pattern that resembles a face. Although pansies come in an array of colours like purple, gold, orange, and violet, there are essentially two types: clear-faced pansies, which have a single solid color, and faced pansies, which have a darker center bordered with a lighter color.[1] As biennials, pansies bloom twice and live for about two years, but are often just treated as annual flowers. Pansies are hardy flowers that look great planted in containers, as borders and beddings, or planted between other spring flowers like tulips.

Steps

Preparing to Plant Pansies

  1. Figure out when is the best time to plant your pansies. Pansies can flower all year round, depending on the climate of where you live or Hardiness Zone. Each country defines its own Hardiness Zones, which details each region's ability to grow certain plants. If you're planting seeds, the goal is to avoid blooming pansies in hot temperatures such as in July or August in most climates. So in most climates, the best time to plant pansy seeds is during the fall or after the frost in late winter. This way, you avoid the hot temperatures of the summer and the freezing temperatures of the winter and can catch a fall or early spring bloom. If you're planting matured pansies, transfer them to your outdoor garden in the spring or autumn.
    • If you live in a mild climate with mild winters, you can expect to see your pansies blooming all throughout the winter.
    • The most accurate way to find the best time to plant pansies is to look up your area's hardiness zone which can usually be found on your city or country's website and look to see if they provide any plant survival data or suggested planting dates.
    • Pansies are able to survive in USDA Hardiness Zones 4 through 8.[2]
  2. Find a sunny spot. Whether you're planting your pansies in pots or in the ground in your garden, a spot with full sun or partial sun is best. Too much shade can reduce the number of flowers that bloom and the size of your pansies. It can also cause your pansies to look spindly or grow too tall from seeking out sunlight.
    • Look for a location that allows for 6 to 12 hours of sunlight a day.[3]
    • Pansies grow best in a cool environment. If you live in a place where summers can get quite hot, keep your pansies in partial shade. This means a tree or bush is nearby to create shade at certain times during the day, especially around noon when the sun is the brightest.
    • Don't plant pansies in the same location 3 years in a row. This space will have begun to build up fungus diseases in the soil that could feed on your plants. Leaving the space empty for a year will force the fungus to die out.
  3. Measure your soil's temperature. Pansies do best in soil temperatures between 45° F (8° C) and 65° F (18° C). However, planting or growing pansies in soil temperatures under 45° F (8° C) can stunt the growth of your pansies so if you plan to grow your pansy seeds in the fall, ensure you protect your pansies in the winter or consider growing your pansies after the frost.
    • Measure soil temperature by placing a soil thermometer at the depth you plan to seed or plant your pansy. Take the soil's temperature twice throughout the day to get a better measurement. You should take one measurement in the morning and another in the early evening to get an overall temperature measurement. If you're planting in a field or garden, you should take temperatures at several locations in the soil where you plan to plant your pansies.[4]
    • Greenhouses and coldframes can help regulate soil temperatures. They're especially helpful if you're planting pansy seeds when temperatures are not ideal.
    • Pansies can be grown indoors at room temperature as long as they receive direct sunlight from a window. They should be watered frequently and planted in a well-draining pot.
  4. Prepare your soil if you're planting pansies in a flower bed. Pansies thrive in soil that is well-drained and rich in nutrients. If you're preparing a new flower bed or renewing an old one, it's important to add organic materials like compost, peat moss, or animal manure to improve the soil which adds moisture to the soil and reduces the risk of diseases in your pansies.[5] To prepare your flower bed:
    • Dig up and discard old flowers or vegetation from the soil. This prevents diseases and insects from being carried over by the old plants.
    • Add compost to your soil. Your compost or organic material should make up 25 percent of your total soil. This means if you have 12 inches (30 cm) of soil, you need at least 3 inches (8 cm) of compost material.[6]
    • Mix together your soil and compost. Use a spade to mix the two materials together. This helps loosen the soil especially if you're not adding any new soil and also helps to aerate the ground for better drainage.
    • Make sure your soil is free of lumps, stones, and other coarse materials.
    • Water your flower bed.
  5. Find a well-draining pot for your pansies. If you're planting your pansies indoors or in containers, be sure to use pots or containers that are 9 to 12 inches (24 to 30 cm) deep. They should have a hole or multiple holes at the bottom for water to drain out.
    • Place a plate or pan underneath your pot to catch the drained water if you're planting your pansies indoors or on a surface that can't become wet.
    • Prepare your soil the same way you would prepare a flower bed by adding soil and compost together. Or you can fill it with potting soil or rich, sandy loam soil.
    • Always water your soil before you plant or seed pansies.
    • These containers can be permanent or temporary homes for your pansies.

Planting Pansies

  1. Choose whether you want to plant your pansy seeds indoors or outdoors. The general practice for planting seeds is to grow them in seed trays. Planting seeds outdoors can be harsh but it is not impossible. However, the success rate of seeds sprouting in seed trays indoors is much higher.
    • When you plant in seed trays, it's important you have enough pots to transfer each seedling into. The seedlings will outgrow the seed tray in a couple of weeks and you'll either have to transfer them to pots or to an outdoor location.
  2. Space out pansies when you plant them. If you're creating a bedding out of pansies, be sure to keep each plant about 6 to 12 inches (14 to 20 cm) apart in all directions.[7] Having wider spacings between each plant allows for more air circulation in the soil which prevents spider mites and diseases that can destroy your flower bed.
    • Pansies can grow up to 8 inches tall (20 cm) and spread as far as 10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm) across.
    • If you're planting seeds on a bed, it's best to plant pansies in rows. This makes it easier for you to identify individual seedlings in case you would like to move them to another location . It can also help you weed between plants more efficiently.
    • You can choose to plant your pansy seeds and grow your seedlings in a temporary location that is cooler than the permanent location. This improves the likelihood of your pansies sprouting and creates a good foundation of healthy pansy plants.
  3. Water your soil before planting. Whether you're planting a seed or a mature pansy plant indoors or outdoors, it's important to water your soil first. It is also important to water after planting to fuse the soil with your seed or pansy plant.
  4. Cover seeds with an ⅛ inch (3 mm) of soil on top. Flatten the soil and water it to secure the seed within the soil. Extra steps are also recommended in order to ensure moisture is retained in your flower bed before your seedlings sprout:
    • Cover your seedbed or flower pot with white plastic film (a cut open white garbage bag is a good alternative), aluminum foil, or moist burlap. This keeps the moisture in and sunlight out. Do this until you see your seeds sprouting which takes about 5 to 8 days.
    • Shade your sprouted pansies with a canopy. Place it a foot or so above the bed. If you have potted pansies, place them away from sunlight until the sprouts develop their first leaves. A good location in your home to place your seeded pots is in a cool basement or closet. Once you see leaves sprouting, your pansies will be ready to handle direct sunlight.
    • If you've been growing your seeds in a seed tray, it's time to transfer them to their own individual pots or outdoors once you see leaves sprouting. You can also choose to Thin-Out-Seedlings before your replant them.
  5. Water your seedlings lightly in the early morning. If it's too dry, your seeds could die before they sprout. But if your seeds are too wet, rot can start to form. It's important to keep a balanced level of moisture in your seedbed. Your soil should not look dry and should feel wet to the touch. However, the soil should not be overflowing with water and you should not be able to squeeze water from the soil when you press into it with your fingers.
    • If you've been covering your seedbed the first few days after seeding, you should not need to water your pansies. What you used to cover it should have trapped any moisture from your pansies. However, check the quality of your soil daily and water if needed.
  6. Move your seedlings to their permanent locations. Once your seedlings have developed 6 to 8 leaves, or the weather is just right, plant them in their permanent locations.
    • Plant your seedlings 6 to 12 inches (14 to 20 cm) apart.
    • Separate and spread the roots of your seedlings before replanting them. This is especially important if you've bought seedlings from a store or gardening centre, as their roots can become quite compacted in their pots.
    • Water your seedlings after planting to regain lost moisture and fuse the soils together.
  7. Transplant seedlings or bloomed pansies in fall or early spring. If you're not growing pansies from seeds, plant your pansies in their permanent locations in the fall or spring.
    • Separate and spread the roots of your seedlings before replanting them. This is especially important if you've bought seedlings from a store or gardening centre, as bought seedlings are quite compacted in their pots.
    • Water your seedlings after planting to regain lost moisture and fuse the soils together.

Caring for Pansies

  1. Water your pansies thoroughly once every week in the morning. During the summer and spring season, it's recommended you water your pansies with about 1 inch of water every week. This means, for every square foot of soil in your flower bed, you'll need to give it 0.6 gallons (2 litres) of water.
    • For some gardeners, it is more economical or reasonable to ration the weekly amount of water needed for your pansies. Some months may be extremely dry and water is needed daily to ensure your pansies are well hydrated. However, deep infrequent watering encourages a deeper rooting system which develops healthier and stronger pansies. Shallow and frequent watering causes water to evaporate quicker which causes pansies to develop a shallow rooting system.[8]
    • During the fall or rainy season, rain would do most of the watering for you. So only water after dry periods or when you're fertilizing your pansies.
    • Don't water your pansies in the afternoon or evening. Morning temperatures are usually low and watering in the morning prepares your pansies for the heat of the day. The water will usually dry before nightfall, preventing fungal diseases from developing overnight.
  2. Fertilize your pansies regularly. Fertilizing gives nutrients to your pansies and ensures bigger and healthier plants. Some gardeners choose to fertilize their plants every month during the growing season or blooming season. It's most important to try to find a fertilizer without nitrates or one with low levels of nitrogen. Fertilizers with high levels of nitrates and nitrogen tend to cause plants to rot more easily.
    • The most important time to fertilize your pansies is after you have transplanted them to their permanent location.
    • Organic fertilizers have a slower release rate which releases nutrients over several months.
    • Always follow the directions provided by your fertilizer when applying it to your pansies.
    • Always water your pansies before applying any type of fertilizer.
  3. Protect your pansies from the winter frost. Apply pine boughs, straw mulch, a lattice frame, or white landscaping fabric over your pansies to counteract temperature variations during the winter. Repeated freezing and thawing of plants can be dangerous.
    • When the ground reaches killing frost temperatures (32 °F or 0 °C), plants can start to die or become damaged. If you live in a climate with mild winters, you might be lucky enough to see your pansies live through the winter and even bloom throughout it.
    • Mulch helps to retain heat and moisture in the soil for your pansies. Extra framework around your pansies can also protect it from snow or strong winds that could potentially uproot the plant.
  4. Groom your pansies. It's important you snip or remove any dying flowers or leaves regularly. This allows your pansies to grow back stronger and bigger. Removing dead flowers will also extend the plant's blooming period.
    • In the winter, pansies will wilt and shrink to protect themselves from the cold. This is normal and you do not need to groom wilted-looking parts of the plant.

Tips

  • Choose healthy, bushy pansies with unopened buds if you plan to plant mature pansies in your garden.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.cfm?number=B1359
  2. ↑ http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/Default.aspx
  3. ↑ http://northscaping.com/IZArticles/IS-0025
  4. ↑ http://www.agriculture.gov.sk.ca/Default.aspx?DN=401b8c2c-ef18-4450-b80c-3b5e63144b52
  5. ↑ http://fernhillcompost.com/?p=205
  6. ↑ http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/planting-pansies/
  7. ↑ https://extension.usu.edu/files/publications/publication/pub__2700826.pdf
  8. ↑ http://extension.illinois.edu/hortihints/0108a.html

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