With their bold, striking colors, it's hard to not notice a garden full of pansies (Viola x wittrockiana). Suitable for growing in pots, along borders or in flowerbeds, pansies are annuals best suited for USDA hardiness zones 4 through 8 and will even flower in the winter. For a colorful kick, add pansies to salads or deserts, as they are lovely and edible.
When planting pansies, it's all about location, location, location. Choose a place where pansies will be in the path of full sun, or a spot with partial shade, ensuring they still receive plenty of light. Growing pansies in too dark of an area will result in spindly plants with only a few small flowers. Also, don't grow pansies in the same location for more than three years, as Pythium, a fungus, will accumulate in the soil.
Fertilizing pansies is an important part of the growing process that begins before the flowers are even in the ground. Treat the pansies' soil, which should be well drained, with a 5-10-5 fertilizer, peat moss or manure, working it into the dirt. Throughout the pansies' growing season, apply another dose of fertilizer every three to four weeks for big, healthy flowers. Also, working blood meal into their soil is another good option for fertilizing.
Colorful pansies are thirsty flowers and require ample water. If pansies are look weak or sick, the Old Farmer's Almanac suggests watering them before taking any other steps, as dehydration is usually the cause of their poor appearance. However, it's also important to not over-water pansies, which is best prevented by allowing their soil to dry out between waterings. Too much H2O will postpone pansies from root and cause an imbalances of nutrients.
Animals and insects alike will ravage pansies if given the chance, so check them regularly for signs of damage and act if needed. Sprinkle blood meal around pansies to keep away hungry squirrels and rabbits. Caterpillars are another pansy problem and should be picked off by hand. Remove nearby weeds, which caterpillars will hide in, and introduce predators such as bigeyed bugs and lacewings. As an added bonus, these predatory insects will also kill aphids, another threat to pansies.
Mild California weather is good for pansies, but there are some factors to take into consideration before planting. If planting pansies during a chilly autumn or winter, start them inside six to eight weeks before moving them outdoors, protecting them from the elements when they are most vulnerable. Also, try growing light colored pansies instead of dark ones, as the National Garden Association says they fare better in Northern California's climate.
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