I’ve had several customers tell me they just haven’t had good luck with pansies.  After questioning them I discovered all of them had the same problem – the pansies were in poor draining soil.

Pansies don’t do well in soil that stays wet – in fact they like it on the dry side.  So, here’s some ideas on how to prevent this problem so you can enjoy beautiful blooming pansies throughout the winter months ahead.

Don’t over water

Sounds simple, but we all have a tendency to just water the pots.  Check your pots prior to watering to make sure they are dry and need watering.  If your pansies are planted in the ground make sure they need watering.  Our plants don’t require as much watering as we have been giving them throughout the summer, so pull back on the amount you water as we go from Fall to Winter.

Reset your sprinkler system

If you haven’t reset your sprinkler system from the summer setting, now is the time to do so.  As the weather cools off our lawn and flower beds don’t require as much water as they do in the hotter summer months.  Set your sprinklers to water less frequently during the fall and winter.

Get your hands dirty or use a moisture meter 

We can look at the surface of a pot and tell if it looks dry, but how much moisture is down at the root zone.  The only way to tell is to either stick your finger in the dirt and see how wet it is or use a moisture meter that will instantly tell you if it is wet or dry.  Use one of these methods to determine if your pansies are in need of water.

Planting in poor draining areas

If the area does not drain well you can create a raised bed in which to plant, thus ensuring the  plants are planted above the wet area.  This can be achieved very easily by creating a mound or longer berm out of garden soil (not potting soil) and plant into this raised area.  Cover with mulch to match the rest of your bed and your poor draining area is solved.

Install drainage solutions into your landscape

You may have a drainage problem that needs a drainage solution such as a French drain or piping downspouts out of your flower beds.  Feel free to call our store with photos so we can try and give you the best method to resolve drainage issues.

Make sure your pots and planters drain well

Planting pansies in pots and planters around your home gives you winter color in a variety of areas.  Make sure that they have adequate drain holes in the bottom so excess water can drain out of the pot.  If the pot is sitting on a solid surface the drain holes may not be able to drain.  Place the pot on pot toes or small blocks of wood that enables the pot to be slightly raised from the surface it is sitting on so water is able to escape out the drain holes.  Also, use the finger test or moisture meter to test if the pot needs watering.

These are just a few of the ways you can turn a wet, poor draining situation into one that is dry enough for pansies and other plants to bloom beautifully. 

If you have questions about how to solve a specific problem please give us a call at (903) 753-2223.  You can text a pic to (903)-339-0922 and we can help determine a solution to a problem or answer your questions.