A D D IT IO N A L IN P U TS : A RU N A LU DRA
Pansies
mav
SUN
be the most versatile
g a rd e n a n n u a ls. Few others
can match the array of colours and
patterns of these cheerful, small
plants. Add in their ability to thrive in
chilly weather and do equally well in
beds and containers, and you can see
why they are among the most useful,
and loved, flowers.
Pansies belong to the genus Viola
and like other flowers of the family, are
primarily winter blooms. Plant pansies
in late October or by mid-November, just
before the winter sets in. Later than that and your
plant will go into a dormant stage and might not
flower. When the first buds start showing up,
remove them for a more bushy plant, but do this
before January ends. Pansies will continue
flowering till late March. Remove deadheads in
February7
for more blooms and to prevent them
from becoming leggy. If you want healthy, bushy
plants, cut them down a bit with scissors. By
mid-April, your plants will be done with
blooming and it will be time for you to remove
and replace them with heat-loving summer
annuals such as impatiens, coleus, and begonia.
POTTED PLEASURES
Pansies bringajoltofvibrant
colou rto spri ng pots. Make su re
containers get regular water, even
in cool weather.
ON THE EDGE
Pansies are smal I, so plant them
along bed and wal kway edges,
wheretheirvivid colours can be
seen. Forgreater impact,grow
theminmassesortight grou ps of
one or two colours, rather than as
amixof several.
COLOURFUL POT BOUQUETS
Put pots of floweri ng pansies
insideyourhousetoaddaburstof
colou r to the indoors. Remove
deadheadsanddryleavesfora
cleanerand manicured look.
BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS
JANUARY 2011 115
