Colorful Pansies Thrive Here
Question: I’ve always liked pansies. Are they easy to grow? Is now a good time to plant them?
L.R., Tustin
Answer: Pansies are easy to grow and the best time to plant them is during our cool season.
Though pansies belong to the viola family and are perennials, we tend to treat them as cool-season annuals in Southern California.
Pansies can be used in mass plantings in flower beds and are especially well-suited to window boxes and container gardens. They also make an excellent cover planting for spring-flowering bulbs.
These eye-catching flowers can be found in many colors, including rich jewel tones and pale, old-fashioned colors. Some are one solid color and others are bicolor with blotches that resemble faces.
You’ll find them in a variety of colors, including blue, white, mahogany red, rose, yellow, apricot and purple. There is even a very dark purple variety that looks black and shows up in the nurseries around Halloween.
Pansies can be found in the nursery from fall through spring and can be planted until the weather gets hot.
On the coast, plant in full sun, and in the inland, in partial shade (at least six hours of full sun per day). Before planting in clay soil, amend with homemade or bagged compost.
Pansies grow about 8 inches high. To fill in a flower bed, plant them 6 to 8 inches apart. Their blooms are 2 to 4 inches across, depending on the variety and growing conditions.
To assure continuous bloom, feed regularly with a fertilizer high in phosphorus (the middle number of the three listed on fertilizer packages) and regularly remove spent blossoms. Cut back some of the stem and leaves when you prune finished flowers to keep the plants neat and compact.
* Written by University of California master gardener Sheila Peterson of Laguna Beach.
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University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Master Gardeners are here to help. These certified horticultural volunteers are dedicated to extending research-based, scientifically accurate information to the public about home horticulture and pest management. They are involved with a variety of outreach programs, including the UCCE Master Garden hotline. You can reach the hotline at (714) 708-1646 or send e-mail to ucmastergardeners@yahoo.com. Calls and e-mail are picked up daily and are generally returned within two to three days.
