Pansies will add color and interest to your fall season garden. When most of the flowers die back due to the change of weather the cold hardy pansy will thrive.
Pansies are great container plants for your patio, or
porches. The pansies will grow well in
rich soil that is well drained. Miracle-gro makes a potting mix that is
perfect for container gardens.
Plant pansies so that they are nine inches apart as this
will allow the pansies room to spread. After planting set your container gardens in
an area where the pansies will get six hours of sun per day.
Water newly planted pansies well or until the water drains
from the holes at the bottom of the container.
Check your pansy containers daily to see if they need
water. Stick your finger into the top
soil about an inch into the soil and If the soil is dry to the touch ,
then water the plants in the morning.
If the weather is warm during the fall months recheck your
pansies in the early afternoon as you may have to water them again. Do a deep watering once a week especially if
no rain is in forecast.
Water pansy container gardens in the morning rather than at
night or late afternoon. Morning allows
the soil to dry out before the end of the day.
At night the soil does not dry out which may cause root rot and wet soil
may attract insects.
Feed your fall and early winter pansies with water soluble
fertilizer every two weeks. I use Miracle-gro
bloom booster and am satisfied with it as you can use it on both annual and
perennial flowers.
Pansies will thrive when the average temperature is 40
degrees at night with a high of 60 degrees during the day.
When your temperature dips below 25 degrees then move the
pansies to your garage, basement or grow as a houseplant in a room that is cool
and has southern exposure window or use a grow light. Pansies that are left outdoors will go
dormant as the weather is too cold for them.
Bring your pansies back outdoors in early spring when
temperature is an average of 40 at night and 60 during the day.
