how to care for pansies

Plant in moist, humus-rich, well-drained soil. See our articles on soil amendments and preparing soil for planting for more information. Pansies like full or partial sun, but need cooler temperatures to thrive. The ideal planting site will get morning sun but avoid the heat of the late afternoon.

How do you take care of potted pansies?

To keep up with caring for your container grown pansies, water the flowers regularly so that the soil is always moist but not soggy. Indirect sunlight is best for these containers.

How long will pansies last?

That means if you plant them in the autumn, pansies can last up to eight months, from September to April or May, providing colorful blooms for much of that time. They usually aren't very pretty in the dead of winter, but their spring blooms can be even more robust when the plants have been in the ground since fall.

Do Pansies like sun or shade?

Pansies perform best in cooler weather, and are therefore usually planted in spring or fall. They like rich, well-drained soil high in organic matter, and full sun or partial shade. (Shade is especially beneficial south of Zone 7 where the hot afternoon sun will shut down flower production.)

How often do pansies need to be watered?

Pansies need 1 inch of water weekly when they are actively growing. However, gardeners need to ease up on watering when rain provides adequate irrigation. In addition, manual watering should occur in the morning so foliage has the morning sun and the rest of the day to dry.

What month do you plant pansies?

Pansies are planted during cool spring or fall months. Pansies prefer sites that provide full, direct morning sun, yet shield them from intense afternoon rays. Well-drained, fertile soil that's high in organic matter helps fuel abundant pansy blooms.

How can I make my pansies bloom more?

Sometimes, you can help the pansies along by providing them with a bit of fertilizer. Fertilize them every two to three weeks with a bit of liquid fertilizer to encourage root and plant growth. Phosphorus fertilizer, like bone meal, will also help promote flowering.

What to do with pansies when they have finished flowering?

To lengthen the blooming period of your pansies, pinch out flower heads that have finished blooming to ensure that nutrients aren't wasted. These removed heads will grow new buds, producing more flowers that will last for a longer period.

Do Pansies bloom more than once?

Pansies are generally one of the first plants to come up in the spring, and will continue to bloom until the temperatures rise and cause the plant to become dormant. However, when temperatures drop in the fall, pansies can bloom again if you take a some time to prepare them in the spring.

Do pansies multiply?

In the Pacific Northwest, pansies will often come back the next year or their prolific seedlings will provide year after year of color. ... So pansies are perennials but only in areas with short freezes, cool summers and moderate temperatures. The rest of us should treat them as welcome but short lived annuals.

Do pansies spread?

Pansies like full or partial sun, but need cooler temperatures to thrive. The ideal planting site will get morning sun but avoid the heat of the late afternoon. Space the plants about 7 to 12 inches apart. They will spread about 9 to 12 inches and grow to be about 6 to 9 inches tall.

Do Pansies bloom all summer?

Pansies are a classic cool weather flower, used in most places as an annual. ... They will bloom well until the heat of summer, at which time the plants will wilt and sag and stop producing flowers. But keep them going and you will get blooms again in the fall as temperatures cool off again.

How do you keep pansies from getting leggy?

Pansies prefer filtered sun to partial shade. When the weather warms or the trees leaf out and shade the garden bed, your pansies may grow long, "leggy" stems. Pinch excessively long stems back to keep the plant shaped in a neat mound of foliage and flowers.

Do you deadhead pansies?

Well-fed pansies produce a lot of flowers so remember to deadhead. This helps plants rebloom more quickly and keeps plants looking tidy. It's easy to do, you just have to make sure you're cutting off the right stem.

Why do my pansies keep dying?

Crown rot (Phytophthora) is generally active in warmer weather and can cause plant collapse in pansies. The fungus can attack the crown just above the soil line or cause a leaf-spot disease. The plant will begin to collapse, and can often be easily separated from the roots with little effort.

What is the best fertilizer for pansies?

When the weather cools and soil temperatures drop below 60° F, begin a liquid feed program using a fertilizer containing at least 50 percent of its nitrogen in nitrate form. A standard 15-2-20, high-nitrate pansy formula fertilizer applied at 14-day intervals through March 15 provides excellent results.

Is Miracle Grow good for pansies?

There are foods made specifically for pansies, but a generic plant food such as Miracle Gro will suffice as well, McGraw said. Pansies should be watered upon planting and then a couple of times a week. Adjust watering to rainfall.

What temperature will kill pansies?

Areas much further north than zone 6 are tricky and may have winter weather that kills pansies. When the temperature gets down to about 25 degrees Fahrenheit (-4 Celsius), flowers and foliage will begin to wilt, or even freeze.

What is eating my pansies at night?

Slugs & Snails: These pests feed on pansy leaves and blooms at night. In a single night, their feeding can result in large, irregular holes in leaves and flowers. A sign of their presence is the slimy trail of mucus that they leave behind as they move.

Are coffee grounds good for pansies?

You have to fertilize the plants once a month. You could also add earthworms into the soil, these help to make the soil porous and fertile–which is best for plant growth. However, it's necessary to feed them with grounded coffee and dried eggshells regularly.

How do you revive pansies?

Water pansies throughout the summer, whether they are in the ground or in containers, but temporarily stop fertilizing them during the hot summer. As the seasonal temperatures continue to cool, the new feeding regimen will revive your pansies, and they will begin to produce flowers two to three weeks later.

When should I fertilize my pansies?

Fertilize your pansies by applying 3 tablespoons of a 5-10-5 fertilizer per pot in late fall and then again in March. When flowers are in bloom, apply fertilizer once every three to four weeks to get larger, longer-lasting flowers.