Pansies are flowers that most people are familiar with. You might grow them during cooler times of the year so that you can enjoy their beauty.
These flowers grow well in the autumn months, and some even bloom during the winter if the weather is appropriate. Many people still simply grow them in the spring so that they can add some color to their garden areas.
You might be interested in the new pansies that have been cultivated that are made to grow in hanging planters. These gorgeous trailing pansies can be a lot of fun to own, but you do need to understand how to care for them.
Caring for pansies when they’re in hanging baskets will be a bit different than usual. Take a look at the advice below to get more information so that you can have the best experience.
Don’t Crowd the Planters
Don’t crowd the hanging planters if you want things to go well. Some people have made the mistake of putting too many pansies in one hanging planter.
When you crowd a hanging planter too much, it makes it so that the plants have to compete for nutrients. They also have to fight over space so that they can spread their roots.
Crowding issues can lead to you having unhealthy plants. They won’t look as good and some of them might even die if you take things too far.
Understand that the trailing pansies that are made to be grown in hanging planters will spread out on their own. You don’t need to crowd the planters to make them look full.
Plant Them in Soil That Will Help Them to Thrive
Of course, the pansies will need great soil that will help them to thrive. If you don’t plant them in the right soil, then you might not get good results.
Ideally, you should plant hanging pansies in potting soil at first to help the plants start out. Potting soil generally contains nutrients and even a little bit of fertilizer that will promote growth.
You don’t want to reuse potting soil, though. Be sure to go out and get fresh potting soil so that you don’t run the risk of exposing the plants to various pests or diseases.
Keeping an eye on the plants will be necessary, too. You need to remember that hanging pansies will dry out faster than normal pansies because air is coming at them from every side.
This means that you’ll have to check the plants far more often. You’ll learn more about this in the watering section.
Watering the Pansies
Watering the plants will be of the utmost importance. You know that you need to water plants for them to thrive, but hanging plants might need to be watered more regularly.
Since these plants will dry out faster due to air exposure, you’ll want to regularly check the soil. During hotter times of the year, it might even be necessary to water the pansies more than once per day.
To check the soil, you’ll need to touch it with your fingers to judge its condition. When the soil is dry and a bit powdery, it’ll tell you that you need to give the pansies some water.
If you feel that the soil is still moist, then you should check back later in the day to see how the pansies are doing. It’s wise to pay especially close attention to the pansies when it’s the hottest part of the day since they could wind up drying out quickly.
Hang Them in a Suitable Location
Finding a good location to hang the pansies will be crucial, too. Giving the pansies full sun will be a good idea, assuming that the temperature isn’t too hot.
When it’s the middle of summer, hanging pansies likely won’t be able to tolerate full sun. They’ll wind up getting scorched if you don’t protect them and find a better location to hang them.
You should move the pansies to a spot where they can receive partial sun when it’s the middle of the summer. This should make it less likely that you’ll have to deal with the plant getting scorched.
Be careful to keep an eye on the soil during the hottest times of the year. Remember that the plant will start wilting if it gets too dry and hot.
If you’re watering the plant to the best of your ability and it’s still wilting, then you might need to find it a cooler location. If you live in a particularly hot region, then you might need even more shade to help the pansies.
Fertilize the Pansies
Fertilizing the plants will help them to grow strong and look nice. Your plant won’t look as healthy when grown in a hanging planter unless you use fertilizer properly.
You can use a basic fertilizer to help give your pansies enough nutrients. A simple granular fertilizer is fine, but you can also use a water-soluble fertilizer if you’d prefer.
Using fertilizer with a ratio of 1:2:1 is recommended. This will help to promote both flower growth and foliage.
Be sure you follow the instructions that were included with the fertilizer that you purchased when mixing things up. Fertilize the pansies on a biweekly basis during the growing season.
If your pansies are bright green and they have many flowers, then you’re doing a good job. You should be able to keep getting good results if you use fertilizer responsibly during the growing season as instructed.
Remember to Prune the Pansies
Remembering to prune the pansies will also be important. If you don’t take the time to do this, then the pansies won’t look as presentable as they should.
You should deadhead the pansies to promote better flower growth. This means that you’ll be cutting off flower blooms that have lost their beauty and have started dying.
It’s best to cut the blooms right where the flower stem connects with the foliage. Doing this promotes branching and ensures that the plant’s energy will be directed toward growing more pretty flowers.
Try to keep an eye on your plant so that you can prune it when necessary. It’ll help you to keep the hanging pansies looking their best throughout the season.
Final Thoughts
Taking care of hanging pansies will be easier if you’re able to follow the advice above. Remember that you need to avoid crowding them when you’re placing pansies in the basket.
They will spread out over time, and this means that you shouldn’t add too many. You don’t want the plants to have to compete for resources and wind up suffering.
It’s also going to be imperative to remember to water these plants often enough. The fact that they’re in a hanging planter will make them dry out faster due to being exposed to air on all sides.
Pay especially close attention to the plants during the hottest parts of the day. Sometimes you might need to water them more than once per day because of how fast they will dry out.
Just be vigilant and you’ll surely have a good time taking care of these plants. They’ll look good on your porch or deck, and you’ll be glad that you got them.
Growing up with a mom who filled her home (inside and out) with all sorts of plants, Lisa got her start in gardening at a young age. Living now on her own with a home and yard full of plants (including an indoor greenhouse), she shares all the gardening tips she’s gained over the years.