Getting pansies to sruvive through winter and rebloom in spring (flowers, grown)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I've never planted pansies before, but today Lowes was selling huge flats for $3 so I bought a few flats on a whim and filled an entire side garden. Most of the plants look healthy, although only 10 or so have blooms. (I bought maybe 80 plants total). My hope is they live through the winter and then bloom in the spring. Is there any particular steps I should take to help this happen? Should I deadhead, add miracle gro when I plant them, or anything else? They're on the east side of the house in a spot that's fairly protected and gets some sun. We'll get snow probably in late December/early January and then have snow off and on for 2-3 months. Sometimes we get heavy snows, but usually it's fairly mild here in VA. I usually use the snowblower 2-3 times a year, if that helps describe the snow we get.
Hi, I have had pansies many times, and they generally survive winter with these basic steps.
Just make sure you mulch heavily, 3-4 inches deep with straw or wood chips. You will most likely think that your pansies are dead, but they are most likely dormant, and should recover come spring. When spring rolls around, thin out your mulch to about half.
When watering in the winter, try to avoid watering on the actual leaves and stem, and focus the roots. Also make sure that you water on warmer days, early afternoon. If you take your plants seriously, watch your local weather and make sure you do not water right before a deep freeze, as this can quickly kill your flowers.
I also have grown pansies here in NC and in Va Beach as well. I have noticed over the years mine have not done as well unless they get a lot of sun. Also, where I currently live, the ground has heavy clay soil. Despite amending it and despite having full sun, pansies rarely will flower in this location. Just a couple of things to think about. Good luck!
P.S. Also, I have read that plants with no flowers actually do better so that might be a help as well.
The newer 'winter' varietals are cake, and nearly bulletproof. imo...
We plant some in outside planters, sitting on our deck, at 5,000 ft elev., in Zone 5b/barely 6a.
That location gets sun, wind, rain, sleet, snow, serious winds, and may get below zero.
We come back to our Mtn house in April, and the pansies are doing fine, every year.
If they grow at our location, with literally no attention, they will grow for the OP, imo.
GL, mD
I have them in the ground here in Denver and they're still blooming. I just have to remember to water them since the sprinkler system is off now. But I don't do anything special and they always survive. They'll be blooming again in March. I have some in planter boxes and those don't make it. I assume the roots just get too cold being above ground, but they're still blooming right now.
I planted pansies a couple of years ago in the Fall, and the plants overwintered in zone 7. I don't recall doing anything special. After the ones I planted did a disappearing act the following year, I discovered pansies are 'biennial.' So, they'll probably overwinter...but most likely for a single year. I decided to give up on them since I prefer perennials.
Pansies/violas will tolerate mild winters. I don't know the how low they will survive, but low-20s only slows them down here in Sacramento. I think the gloomy days of December and January here do them more harm than freezing temperatures. The do much better if they get sunlight and have good drainage. They tend to get stem rot at the top of the root zone in cold, wet clay-like soils.
I've never planted pansies before, but today Lowes was selling huge flats for $3 so I bought a few flats on a whim and filled an entire side garden. Most of the plants look healthy, although only 10 or so have blooms. (I bought maybe 80 plants total). My hope is they live through the winter and then bloom in the spring. Is there any particular steps I should take to help this happen? Should I deadhead, add miracle gro when I plant them, or anything else? They're on the east side of the house in a spot that's fairly protected and gets some sun. We'll get snow probably in late December/early January and then have snow off and on for 2-3 months. Sometimes we get heavy snows, but usually it's fairly mild here in VA. I usually use the snowblower 2-3 times a year, if that helps describe the snow we get.
They'll do fine. You don't need to do anything at all. I'm in VA too, and they come back every spring.
I planted pansies a couple of years ago in the Fall, and the plants overwintered in zone 7. I don't recall doing anything special. After the ones I planted did a disappearing act the following year, I discovered pansies are 'biennial.' So, they'll probably overwinter...but most likely for a single year. I decided to give up on them since I prefer perennials.
I've noticed that they get all "stingy" after surviving one Winter and then they hate the heat here in Denver. So I just yank them out in early May and replace them with fresh, Summer annuals.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
