How to Grow Perfect Pansies This Spring

Pansies are beautifully colored, easy to care for, and the perfect spring flower for your garden. Below are some tips to help you grow gorgeous pansies in the spring and fall.

1.     Start Seeds Indoors

You never have to start seeds indoors but it gives you the advantage of being able to control the temperature ensuring healthy plants from the beginning. Plant seeds indoors late in the winter for spring flowers or halfway through the summer for fall flowers.

2.     How to Plant

Pansies like sun but also require cooler temperatures and some shade. Planting them in a garden bed near your home is usually a good choice as they will not be in direct sun for extended periods of time. Make sure your soil is nutrient rich by adding plenty of compost. Plants Pansies 7-12 inches apart as they will spread at least this much and grow up to 12 inches tall.

3.     Watering

The most common reason that Pansies fail is too much direct sun and not enough water. Make              sure you keep the soil moist but not water-logged at all times. This is especially important on              unusually warm days in the spring and fall. Just one day in too much sun and heat is enough to               kill your Pansies.

4.     General Care

Besides watering regularly make sure you remove withered and dying flowers as this will promote the overall growth and health of your plant. The common pests to watch for are slugs and snails which can be removed with a number of different methods.

5.     Fun Facts

·       Pansies are a symbol of love, friendship, and admiration.

·       The word Pansy is sometimes used as a mild insult but we might want to rethink this one. Pansee is a French verb meaning, to think.

·       Perhaps best of all, many people don’t realize that Pansies are edible. They have a slight medicinal flavor that’s been compared to herbs in the mint family. For this reason, they make wonderful garnishes for home cooked meals.