Use a good quality multi-purpose potting compost for planting pansies in pots. In borders, add some well-rotted garden compost or a planting compost first, to improve the soil.
Keep pansies watered during dry spells, pouring the water onto the soil rather than spraying the foliage, which helps avoid spreading fungal diseases. From spring to autumn, feed fortnightly with a liquid fertilizer or make a single application of controlled release fertilizer. Remove the faded and dead flowers regularly which encourages the plant to keep producing new blooms. Either pinch them off with your finger and thumb or use a pair of garden snips or secateurs to cut off the dead heads.
Pansies can be grown from seed. Sow the seed under cover in February to April to bloom from late spring to autumn. To grow pansies for autumn and winter flowering, sow seed from May to July. Spots and blotches on pansy leaves can be caused by fungal diseases. The spots can be confined to the leaves only, but occasionally the stems or the centre of the plant can also rot.
If you notice leaf spots on your pansies, pick the leaves off and bin them. Avoid growing pansies in the same spot the following year as as the fungal spores can survive in the soil.
Plants are particularly hardy and can flower from May to September. As with any plant, pansies perform better if the soil that you place them in is well prepared. Choose a planting location that is well-drained and work in inches of rich organic matter, such as Meadows Farms Planting Mix or Peat Moss. Plant pansies at about the same level, or slightly higher, than they were growing in their market packs or containers, taking care not to plant too deep or the plants may wilt and rot and the roots could smother.
After planting, mulch and water the bed thoroughly. Remember to check the plants often during the first three weeks after planting or until new growth begins, to ensure adequate moisture necessary for healthy growth. However, it is worth noting that pansies planted later on are less likely to survive harsh winter weather because they have had less time to develop robust roots.
Winter flowering pansies are bred to withstand frosty temperatures, drooping during harsher conditions and rebounding when temperatures rise. If properly planted and well cared for, winter pansies can last for three years or more. Despite British winters being notoriously wet, pots under covered areas can still dry out. For the best possible results, make sure covered pansies are regularly watered and likewise have good drainage.
Check your pansies weekly for any dryness by placing a finger in the pot and watering as needed. The difference between winter pansies and summer varieties is that winter breeds are hardier to ensure they survive the colder conditions. Like this article?
Sign up to our newsletter to get more articles like this delivered straight to your inbox. Choose seedlings that are bushy and robust and if they are in flower, select the ones with more buds than blooms.
Pansies love cool weather and generally can be planted from March to July. In cooler areas, pansies can also be planted at the end of winter and will flower into spring and early summer. Pansies will bear larger and more brightly coloured blooms as the cool season progresses.
When spring arrives and the weather heats up, pansies will go on a natural decline. Although they are almost always grown as annuals, pansies are actually short-lived biennials. Because pansies flower so prolifically, they usually exhaust themselves in one season. For good flowering, pansies need a sunny position but in warm climates they usually prefer some protection from the hot afternoon sun.
In such cases, ensure they have sun for at least half the day. Pansies have shallow roots which means they can dry out quickly in hot spells, so make sure you keep them moist and well mulched. Mulching also helps insulate the roots and discourages weeds, Searles Premium Garden Mulch is ideal.
0コメント