This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

Planting Pansies for Fall and Winter Color

Add a dash of color to your garden in the cooler months.

As we start to feel a chill in the morning air and the leaves begin their autumn show, we know it’s time to think about replacing our tired summer annuals with fresh flowers for fall.  One great thing about living in the South is that we have the opportunity to enjoy flowers all winter long when we plant pansies.

Pansies come in a kaleidoscope of colors ranging from white to rich gold, purple, red, rose, maroon, orange and violet, with many shades in between. You can choose from solid colors (called 'clear' faced pansies) and blotches (having a darker, contrasting center, often referred to as 'faced' pansies), two-tones and all sorts of color blends and pastel shades. Some even have large flowers up to 4 inches in diameter.

To have beautiful pansies all winter long, there are a few requirements to consider when you plant.  First, the best time to plant is around mid-October.  You must wait for the weather to cool but you cannot wait too long or the pansies won’t have the opportunity to become established before the first frost. 

Find out what's happening in Norcrosswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Also, size does matter.  You’ll find more than one size of pansy plants at local garden centers. They offer 3-inch pots, 4-inch pots and six-packs of pansies from which to choose.  Pansies sold in larger containers perform better in our area because their larger root systems allow them to become established quicker and bloom more profusely during the colder months of winter. 

When choosing a site to plant, make sure the pansies will receive four or more hours of direct sunlight.  The area should also be well drained because pansies hate wet feet.  Most importantly, pansies like deep loose soil.  A pansy bed should be at least 25 percent composted material mixed with our native soil.  A good recommendation is to pour one bag of composted pine bark (like Nature’s Helper or soil conditioner) over 10 square feet of bed and mix it into the soil eight inches deep.

Find out what's happening in Norcrosswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

When planting pansies, spacing is important. Pansy plants are usually planted at a 6-, 8- or 10-inch spacing between plants. Although the 6-inch spacing results in a fuller appearing bed, plants may become crowded and more susceptible to spider mites and diseases. A wider spacing allows better air circulation between plants and helps avoid this problem. 

Water is one of the most critical steps of the planting procedure. A thorough watering immediately after planting will eliminate air pockets around plant roots.  Once the plants are installed, spread mulch on the soil surface. Fine-textured mulches such as pine straw or pine bark mini-nuggets remain on the bed better than coarse-textured mulches. Use your hands to carefully apply mulch around the plants and avoid covering the foliage.

Once established, the care required for pansies is simple.  Provide plenty of water, especially before a frost.  Frozen soils combined with drying winds can spell disaster for a pansy bed, even though the plants were healthy prior to these conditions.  

Feed your pansies regularly with a good fertilizer.  Fertilization requirements of pansies differ from other types of seasonal color. Avoid using fertilizers containing high amounts of slow-release ammoniacal nitrogen. These are fine for summer annuals but not for fall pansies. In fact, pansies prefer fertilizers with a nitrate nitrogen formulation designed especially for ammonia sensitive plants. This type of fertilizer allows pansies to absorb nitrogen even in colder weather.  Look for packages that say “pansy fertilizer” and you should be covered. 

Deadheading (removing spent blossoms) from frost damaged flowers and cleaning up beds by removing debris and leaves should be a top priority with pansies. This not only prevents insect and disease problems but also improves the visibility of the color display. Bi-monthly deadheading is an essential requirement if you want profuse flowering. Also, trim lanky branches periodically to encourage branching, compact growth and improved flowering

Now is the time to concentrate on planting pansies so they will reward you with bounteous blooms this winter and next spring.   

Julie Foster is co-owner of Gardens By Design, LLC which specializes in landscape design and consultation.  Visit their website at www.gardens-bydesign.com for information regarding their services. 

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?