Pansies
Pansies are quite durable and a "flower for all seasons.” They are a delicate looking flower often with a "face"; fragrant, edible bloom. Pansies are adaptable small, delightful plants. The pansy has one of the widest color ranges of any garden annual. Included in the wide color range are red, purple,blue, bronze, pink, black, yellow, white, lavender, orange, apricot and mahogany. The flowers may be of a single color or have two or three colors with a face. Pansies are easy to grow whether grown from seed or bedding plants, pansies are relatively disease and pest resistant as well.
Buying Tips
Select the flower colors that suit your garden design. Choose plants that are stocky with dark green foliage. If there are just a few blooms but many buds, this is the right plant for your garden.
Planting
Use the same procedure for planting bedding plants. Space the holes about six to ten inches apart. Pansies perform best in a garden location that receives morning sun and has well-draining soil. If the soil is not ideal, it may be amended with Bumper Crop to increase drainage and fertility. They like sun and prefer loose, organic soil. If you have not added organic matter to your soil to boost fertility, now is the time to add fertilizer. A granular or time release fertilizer can be incorporated into the garden soil as you are planting the pansies. By adding a granular fertilizer now, food is easily provided for the plants' long term garden performance. The final step is to water the newly planted pansies thoroughly, we also recommend using Esbenshade's Transplant Root Stimulator to promote root growth.
Growing On
If Pansies fail to thrive it is often because neither nature nor the gardener provided enough water and nutrients. Mulching around the pansies with 2 inches of organic material will help conserve moisture, and reduce weed growth. Water the soil (not the plant leaves) deeply. If there is a sudden winter cold snap and pansies freeze there is a chance they will not die. Many hybrid pansies have a high tolerance for cold, can be frozen quite solid and the plants will not die. You may notice a purple cast to the pansy leaves. This is a sign of stress and can be a result of cold temperatures.
Diseases
Mildew-Plants show white powdery deposits on leaf and stem surfaces. Plant leaves and stem may become stunted and brittle. Growing plants where they will receive adequate air circulation may prevent mildew.
Root rot-The first sign of root rot is yellow leaves. The plant then becomes stunted or dwarfed in stature.
Leaf spot-Leaves will develop spots of red, brown or yellow. The above diseases are best controlled by prevention. Check plants frequently during wet or humid weather as this is often when the first sign of disease appears. Avoid overhead watering which keeps leaves wet, providing an environment in which the diseases can
3 pests which may harm pansies include:
Aphids-These tiny soft bodied insects cluster on the growing tips of leaves and flower stems, sucking plant juices. The plants become stunted and deformed.
Slugs-These worm-like creatures feed on plant leaves and stems, often at night.
Spider Mites-These tiny insects also feed on plant juices. Pansy leaves will turn yellow and eventually drop off. If any of these pests become severe problems, there are organic and inorganic solutions.