The never-ending quest for year-round color mandates that garden centers and retail outlets provide accent colors in the fall and throughout the winter months. Pansies provide landscapes with a bright splash of color, replacing spent summer annuals and fading perennials.
Pansies can also be used in shrub plantings as accent plants or in mass for a continuous show of color throughout the fall and spring. Pansies are available in an array of colors ranging from vivid blues to faint pink pastels, either “faced” or a solid color.
Hybrid pansy varieties are usually the best choice for large flowers, vigorous growth and better heat tolerance.
“Majestic Giants” series and other pansy types are very popular at local garden centers. Some series may have “pastel” colors which provide landscapers and designers more color options.
Pansies grow best in cooler weather in the fall and early spring. These plants will over-winter, providing massive color in the spring. Pansies tolerate extremely cold temperatures, but cold damage may occur if plants are not well established. Pansies need to become established before bitter cold weather arrives. Ideally, plants should be planted and well acclimated by late October.
Pansies grow best in full sun for the best show of color. Root systems need to be well developed before arrival of the heaving and thawing of winter.
Pansies need to be planted in well-tilled soils with soil conditioners and ground bark to loosen tight clay soils and provide ample pore space for root expansion. Permatil is an excellent soil amendment that helps reduce tight clay soils. Avoid working in clay soils when the soil is wet.
The plants need water-soluble fertilizers with high rates of phosphorus for root development and promoting bloom. Organic growers can utilize bone meal and cotton-seed meal as sources of organic phosphorous. Blood meal is a good bloom booster supplying plants with organic nitrogen.
Homeowners should monitor plants fertilizing periodically throughout the fall and early winter to achieve maximum growth for better winter survival. However, avoid using high-nitrogen fertilizers. Ironically, plants should not be fertilized during unseasonably warm spells. Excessive nitrogen fertilization over-stimulates plants, causing them to stretch and become leggy during unseasonably warm days.
Mulch plants with 2-3 inches of finely ground pine bark to conserve moisture and protect roots from freezing and heaving out of the soil.
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Darrell Blackwelder is an agricultural agent in charge of horticulture with the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service in Rowan County. Call 704-216-8970.
http://www.rowanmastergardener.com
http://rowan.ces.ncsu.edu
http://rowanhorticulture.blogspot.com