The sun is finally shining, the grass is greening up, and blue skies bring fresh air. Ahhh, spring is here! Gardeners and homeowners alike pop into their local garden center to put their itching green thumbs to work.
It’s easy to get carried away, especially the first few weeks of April when the excitement of the changing season begins. One of the first things you can do, while the weather is still fickle is spruce up the front of the house with some pansies.
These annuals are easy to take care of, thrive well for when it gets a little colder at night, and are vibrant enough to bring some color into your life!
Planting and Placing
Pansies are great for containers and flower boxes. Once you pick your favorites out, plant them between 7 to 12 inches apart. Theses little guys will spread out and fill in about 9-12 inches.
General well-drained soil works great with pansies. You can also sprinkle in some all-purpose fertilizer or plant food to help growth.
Note: Be sure the fertilizer isn’t nitrogen heavy, which can cause foliage later on.
Pansies bloom best with partial sun. Ideally, place them in an area where they will get morning sun (about 6 hours,) but also be protected from the heat in the afternoon.
Upkeep
These annuals will most likely need watering once a day. The best way to tell if they need a drink is if the top inch of soil begins to feel dry.
As far as pruning and keeping a nice bloom, occasionally check for any dead or faded flowers and pinch them off. This will encourage the plant to produce more blooms.
Pansies will start to slow down and die off early summer when the weather gets hotter. This is completely normal and the circle of life. Feel free at that time to replace them with summer annuals.
Enjoy the colorful blooms and welcome spring!
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