We all love having flowering or ornamental plants in our house or backyard. They add to the beauty of the surroundings by their mere presence. However, growing them goes hand-in-hand with caring for them. Every plant's needs are different, and you need to keep them in mind to get good blooms all year round. Pansies or violas are characterized by the unique markings on their blooms which has made them popular over the years. They grow well in cooler as well as milder climates, and hence are one of the best fall flower varieties.
Whenever you plan to grow ornamental plants, there are factors like sunlight, water, pH, fertilizers, and the pruning that need to be considered. Pansies can be grown in the ground or can be potted as well.
Sunlight
Pansies are sun-loving plants. They love medium hours of sunlight; that's when they bloom their best. So while planting them, make sure they receive ample amounts of sunlight. While potted, keep them in the balcony where they can easily get 8 hours of sunlight.
Water
As with many other plants, pansies do not require a lot of water. You can water the plants once a week, the key is to water the soil and not the leaves. If the soil gets dry, then you will have to water them twice or thrice per week. However, do not drench them in water since this could lead to rotting of the roots.
Fertilizers
These plants grow well when supplied with nitrogen fertilizers, preferably nitrogen nitrate. You have to fertilize the plants once a month. You could also add earthworms into the soil, these help to make the soil porous and fertile--which is best for plant growth. However, it's necessary to feed them with grounded coffee and dried eggshells regularly. You can maintain the acidic pH of the soil by pouring a coffee solution (one part coffee powder and four parts water) as an alternative to fertilizer.
Pruning
Be it any plant, pruning is a necessity because it allows the plant to grow, as well as helps get rid of dead foliage and blooms. You will have to prune the plants whenever the necessity arises by cutting the dry and dead parts of the plant off. You can trim the plant to half its size in the summer and fall since this is when they grow their best.
Pansy Care in the Winter
Use a liquid fertilizer, instead of granules or powder, and cover the flowers with pine straw so that they are prevented from frost. Provide them with as much sunlight as you can, and water them often. Pansies are available in varieties which can sustain cold climates, keep this in mind when purchasing seeds.
