Dependable pansies (Viola × wittrockiana) flower profusely during the winter months in mild climates that only experience light frost. They can even flower year-round in areas with cool summer weather. Although pansies grow as short-lived perennials in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 6 through 10, they often are treated as annuals, because flowering declines after one year. Pansies thrive in well-drained beds that receive six hours of direct winter sun. With proper care, you can raise a healthy pansy bed that produces an abundance of colorful blooms.
Spread a 2-inch layer of compost over the top of the garden bed. Sprinkle 1/2 pound of 5-10-5 fertilizer per 25 square feet of the site, and till the compost and the fertilizer into the top 6 inches of soil.
Plant your pansy seedlings in the prepared soil at the same depth they were in their nursery containers. Space the seedlings 6 inches apart in all directions. The plants will quickly grow and fill in the empty spaces as they establish.
Cover the bed with a 2-inch layer of organic mulch, such as bark nuggets. Mulch suppresses weeds and conserves soil moisture, while also providing some insulation around the plants during cold periods.
Water your pansies weekly when less than 1 inch of natural rainfall has occurred during the previous five days. Provide about 1 inch of water, or enough to moisten the soil to a 6- to 8-inch depth. Avoid allowing the soil to dry out completely.
Fertilize the pansies every four weeks, using 1/2 pound of 5-10-5 per 25 square feet. Sprinkle the fertilizer on top the soil between the plants, then water in immediately. Immediate watering rinses the fertilizer dust off the pansy foliage, so it doesn't burn the plants.
Cut back the pansies if they become leggy with weak stems, or if they begin to flower poorly. Prune back the plants by up to half their height, using shears disinfected in a solution of 1 part bleach to 9 parts water.
Monitor the pansies for mildew and other fungal problems. Destroy badly affected plants or prune out the affected foliage, disinfecting the shears after each cut. Minimize fungal problems with periodic cutbacks and by avoiding overhead watering.
Things You Will Need
- 5-10-5 fertilizer
- Pruning shears
- Pansies rarely suffer pest problems, but slugs may sometimes feed on the plants. Remove slugs by hand, or set out slug traps to remove them from the garden.
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