A: Pansy, Violax wittrockiana, can be planted in the spring or fall when night temperatures are 40ºF and day temperatures are 60ºF. So either season will work and pansies have been known to tolerate freezing temperatures so they may last well into the winter for you. However, our summers are too brutal for this delicate little flower to remain so we consider it an annual. Once temperatures start to rise consistently into the 70s it will be time to pull pansies out of the ground. You can grow them from seed or purchase them in flats from the local garden center. Either way, you are sure to be happy with the results of adding pansies to your landscape. Please cluster annuals in one spot as they may require more attention (water and fertilizer) than most perennials. There is seemingly no limit to the variety of solid and multiple colors of this pretty little flower. The word pansy is believed to be derived from the French word pensee which means thought or remembrance. Whether that is true or not, it is a nice thought or pensee – sorry, I couldn’t help myself. The leaves and flowers of the pansy are edible and are high in vitamin A and C. I have seen them used as decoration along the edges or atop cakes and even added to soups and salads. In addition, the flowers have been used for organic dyes. Pansies can be susceptible to root rot so be careful to provide the plants with moist, but well-drained soil. Slugs and aphids are common pests so check your plants often for best management.

0