Pansies are flowers that can add a lot of beauty to your garden, but they only bloom during the spring. You may have noticed some gardens keep their pansies perky all summer long, or you may just be wondering what extra care your pansies will need to get through the summer. Even though it’s not their season, there are definitely some things you can control!
To keep pansies through the summer, give them proper care by providing ample shade, regulating temperature, and ensuring their nutrient needs are met. Although pansies generally despise heat, it’s possible to keep them going in the summer heat.
You’ll have to pay more attention to your pansies in the summer than when you first planted them because they tend to wilt or get leggy. In the rest of this article, I’ll dive into what needs to happen to make your pansies last all summer long.
1. Ensure They’re Getting Shade
Pansies are most comfortable in the shade —especially during the heat of summer. So, while they need to receive about least six hours of sunlight per day, they should get shade for the rest of it.
If you don’t have enough shade for your pansies, consider using a shade cloth (or two). They’re inexpensive, easy to install, and can provide an extra layer of security for your plants during the hottest parts of the day.
How You Can Provide Shade
If you need some shade but don’t have any suitable spots in your garden, you can grab a shade cover from your local gardening store or online. Also, if you have planted your pansies in a pot, you could always move them around to shady spots.
As opposed to constantly moving them in and out of the shade to meet their sunlight needs, you can instead position them to receive light in the morning but are shaded in the late afternoon.
2. Make Sure to Deadhead Spent Flowers
One of the best things you can do with your pansies is to deadhead them. If you don’t take off the spent blooms and instead allow them to wilt on the plant, it may look like your pansy flower beds are dying!
Pansies are perennials, and they can be kept all summer, but to keep them looking their best, deadheading is necessary.
You should also remove any leaves falling below the soil surface so they don’t get too crowded in the pot or bed. Removing these leaves will allow more light to reach the plant and prevent any disease from spreading.
You can add some of those spent plants if you have a compost bin.
Deadheading is easier with the right pair of shears or pruning scissors. You could pick flowers with your fingers, but this may damage the stems.
Investing in a good set of shears will make deadheading much easier. Even a cheap pair of kids’ scissors is more efficient and safer than your fingers!
3. Provide Nutrients With Fertilizer or Compost
Summer is the perfect time to add some extra nutrients to your pansies. You can either use compost or fertilizer, depending on availability and preference.
Even if your soil is naturally healthy, it’s still extra important in the summer to supplement it since pansies die back because of the heat, and a nutrient boost can go a long way.
Using Compost on Your Pansies
Pansies need a lot of nutrients in the summer, so composting is a great way to give them extra nutrition. You can throw your old leaves and grass clippings into an open pile and let them sit for a few weeks to break down before using them as nutrients for your pansies.
Once the decomposition is done, mixing the compost with the dirt in your garden beds will help keep everything balanced for healthy plant growth all season long!
Fertilizing Your Pansies
If you don’t have any compost handy but still want them looking their best when fall comes around again next year, opt for fertilizer.
Adding some fertilizer might be just what they need right now, too, especially since most fertilizers contain high amounts of nitrogen which help promote healthy root growth. They also prevent browning leaves caused by stress due to a lack of adequate nutrients.
Pansies are also sensitive to heat and humidity, so you’ll want to ensure they get plenty of water during this time of year—especially if no rain is coming soon!
4. Keep Them Cool (if Possible)
Pansies are generally a cool-growing plant. This means they prefer temperatures between 45-66℉ (4-16℃). The best way to keep your pansies cool temperature-wise, if possible, is by keeping them in a cool, shady location. If you can find a shady spot for them that is also protected from strong winds and direct sunlight, this would also be ideal!
If you own a greenhouse or another similar structure, it can be a good alternative to leaving them in your garden.
These types of structures tend to hold heat very well and can provide shade from direct sunlight in a pinch.
Consequently, they can make an excellent place for growing pansies throughout most of the year, especially during hotter months when direct sunlight becomes more intense outside due to longer days and lower altitudes.
Watering early in the morning or late at night will help prevent water loss due to evaporation from heat and direct sunlight exposure during midday hours when temperatures tend to be highest (10 am–2 pm).
Watch for Pests and Fungus
In the summer, pests and fungus can be a problem for pansies. Pests include aphids, slugs, snails, and many others. You will want to keep your eyes open for these pests while taking care of your plants.
A subtle sign of an infestation can be wilting in the plant or increased weed growth. In cases like this, it is best to treat them immediately with a pesticide or by handpicking them.
Aside from pests and fungus, your pansies may encounter other issues, such as black spots.
To learn why pansies develop black spots and how to handle them, you can refer to my other article: Why Do Pansies Get Black Spots On Them
Why Pansies Struggle in the Summer
Pansies are perennial, but they only flower in their second year. They grow during the cool temperatures of spring and winter but can be killed by frost or hot weather. Pansies do not need a lot of water to survive, so they work great if you don’t have as much time for watering.
Pansies can be happy in the summer, but they grow best if you take care of them with their preferred season in mind. This isn’t to say that they won’t live through the summer, especially if you live in a cooler or more mild climate.
Most plants need certain conditions to thrive, and pansies are no different. If you want your pansies to stay healthy, ensure they have proper nutrients, pH, enough water, and plenty of sunlight.
Temperature is the reason pansies struggle the most in the summer. Pansies should be planted in early spring or late fall for optimal growth and blooming during warmer weather. For best results, plant them in pots with good drainage or directly into the ground where temperatures remain calm throughout the day, particularly at 50-60°F (10-15.55°C)
Watering is an essential factor no matter the season. Pansies need more water while growing, so ensure they get watered every two days at least until they’ve established themselves properly into their container/landscape bed before cutting back on watering needs after that point!
Will Pansies Bloom All Summer?
Pansies are a beautiful addition to any garden. Still, you should know their life cycle before planning for the gardening season.
Your pansies will bloom in spring or summer. Still, most gardeners consider pansies more of a springtime plant because they prefer cool weather. Your pansies will stay alive and bloom all summer should they be given the proper conditions, like adequate shade, temperature, and water.
Like any plant, pansies will need a lot of TLC to produce the beautiful blooms you want. That said, it’s generally advisable to grow them only for one blooming season rather than maintaining them until the next year.
You’ll usually be better served by uprooting the plant once it’s started to die back and replanting a fresh 1-year-old seedling.
Since the plant doesn’t bloom until its second year, buying a seedling instead of growing from seed will ensure you have blooms every year.
