Pansies are a great addition to your garden, especially in winter. They can brighten any cold winter day. However, you must know when to plant them and how to care of them during winter.

As a general rule, pansies are best planted during cool days but before the frost. It usually occurs in November (or October, depending on your location). This is why it's important to prepare everything in time so you can plant pansies at the onset of the cooler temperatures.

How to Plant Pansies

Ideally, pansies should be planted at the first onset of the cool temperatures and cooler days. However, it should be done before the ground gets too cold. They have to be in the ground before it becomes too cold because you need to allow enough time for the roots to attach.

It's always best to prepare a bed for pansies even before the plants arrive. This way, there will be no delay in planting. When preparing a bed for pansies, it's important to loosen the soil and also add nutrients. An ideal pansy bed is one-fourth composted material mixed with the soil. Mix the composted material into the soil about 8 inches deep. This will make the bed ideally prepared for pansies.

Also, make sure not to plant pansies in the same location for more than 3 consecutive years. It can lead to nutrient depletion.

You should plant all of the pansies carefully and make sure to use healthy, good-quality plants. Put in enough flowers so the bed looks rich and attractive. The actual size of the plants will depend on your personal preferences as well as your location. You should know which ones perform the best in your area. Generally speaking, the smaller ones need more attention until the roots attach while the bigger ones don't need as much attention once they are planted.

After planting, it's important to give pansies a good soaking. Pansies like a complete soluble plant food.

The Importance of Fertilization

One of the most important steps in growing pansies is fertilization. It will often determine your success at growing pansies. It's best to fertilize them once the roots have attached. This usually occurs about 2 or 3 weeks after planting. From that point, you should fertilize them on a monthly basis (usually, from November to March). Fertilized pansies will usually give more flowers and a larger plant size. If you have a well-prepared soil then less fertilization is needed.

Pansies are planted in winter but they actually prefer plenty of sun once they're grown. That's why you should never place them in full shade. They like to be in the sun except in the hottest part of the day. Carefully monitor your plants. They can become leggy if they are not getting enough sun.

Make sure that your plants are healthy. Strong, healthy pansies have sparkling, dark green leaves. You should water them regularly to provide them with enough food to grow. Healthy pansies give large flowers over a long period so they can brighten any garden.

Photo credit: greenhem