7 Tips for Growing Pansies

Summer may be months away, but it’s not too early to start thinking about planting flowers and plants that love and embrace the cooler temperatures! Pansies are perfect for people who are ready to grow something and invite some color to their yards, even if the weather is less than smoldering. If you want to plant pansies this growing season, take a look below at 7 tips for growing pansies so you can enjoy a colorful and healthy crop! Here is how you can get started.

7 Tips for Growing Pansies

1. Start from seedlings.
So you can enjoy your pansies faster, avoid planting from seed and instead buy them as seedlings. You can typically find them by the plant or by the flat at your local gardening or growing center. You will find them to be quite reasonable too, typically less than $1 per seedling.

2. Use nutrient rich soil.
Pansies are tough plants, but they still want to be comfortable. Use nutrient rich and well drained soil. The best way to achieve this is to buy potting soil instead of just using back yard dirt or fill. This way, you can be sure the soil has the nutrients your plant needs. When planting, give the pansies some room to stretch. Plant pansies 6-8 inches apart for plenty of room to grow.

3. Don’t fear cool weather.
Pansies do exceptionally well in the cooler months, which is why they are ideal for spring or fall planting. Even temperatures in the high fifties and low sixties will work, as long as the temperatures don’t drop dramatically during the evening.

4. Harden them off.
Get your pansies use to the cold temperatures by hardening them off. This means you will set the flat of seedlings outside each day so they can acclimate. Then after a week to 10 days, you can move them to permanent pots or flower beds outdoors.

5. Dead head the pansies for best results.
You will want to dead head the pansies for best results and so they use their energy for new growth. This means you will snip off dead blooms as soon as you see them. This way, the plant won’t waste energy trying to fix or heal a dead bloom and instead will create new one.

6. Fight off pests.
Slugs tend to hang out around pansies. Tell them to take a hike by placing slug traps around the flower bed or pots. A little beer in a shallow dish should do the trick, or some gardeners swear that crushed and crumbled egg shells work well too.

7. Mulch away.
A layer of mulch or straw around the base of the pansies can help keep soil moist and help keep the plants warm should the temperatures get too cold. Consider layering some mulch as soon as you plant for best results! Straw, crushed leaves, or wood chips all work well.

If you are ready to enjoy pansies in your garden or landscape, give these tips for growing pansies a try. You are sure to enjoy some excellent results!

You may also like this nifty Cool Season container!