Pansies are popular garden plants that are either grown as annuals or biennials, depending upon the location you live in. A common question that comes to every gardener’s mind is can you plant pansies in hanging baskets?
In general, pansies sizes and long flowering periods are perfect for hanging baskets. Some varieties of pansies like cool waves and wonder fall trailing varieties grow well in hanging baskets. Pansies in hanging baskets prefer light, well-drained soil, frequent watering, and full sun.
Pansies in hanging baskets require proper planting and maintenance tasks for their healthy growth. This article will clear your doubts regarding the growth of pansies in a hanging basket.
It will discuss the stages of growing hanging pansies and provide you with an ultimate care guide.
How long do pansies last in a hanging basket?
Hanging baskets that are typically filled with annuals last for a season and then need replacing.
Perennial plants that grow yearly will need replacing and pruned to continue growing in a hanging basket after one season.
If pansies are planted in the fall, then pansies can last up to eight months.
For instance, if you plant your pansies in September, it can last till April or May, providing fall and spring colors.
If you want to grow pansies as biennials, then you should not plant them in hanging baskets. Hanging baskets are temporary planter that is used for decoration purpose.
Also read: How Long Do Pansy Live? (+How To Keep Them Thriving)
When to plant pansies in hanging baskets?
Pansies in hanging baskets are usually planted at roughly the same time as in-ground garden pansies.
You can plant pansies in late summer or mid-autumn so that they will bloom through the winter and the following spring.
You can also plant them in spring after the winter frost has passed. They will provide you with colorful in the growing season.
Which type of pansies can you grow in a hanging basket?
There are certain varieties of pansies that grow well in hanging baskets.
You can plant several pansies together into one single planter that will brighten up your entrance with their charm.
Some suggested trialing varieties are:
- Cool wave pansies: They are fast-growing, with blooms that measure up to 2 inches across. These require full sun to partial shade and moist, well-drained soil.
- WanderFall pansies: They have large blooms that come in blue, lavender, rose, and purple shades. They are the most preferred trailing types. These plants take full sun and grow 6 to 8 inches tall with a 12 to 15-inch spread.
- Freefall pansies: They grow around 6 to 8 inches high and measure about 12 to 15 inches across. They are less prone to higher temperatures and have long and graceful stems.
- Plentifall pansies: They measure up to 11/2 inches across. These trailing pansies grow 6 to 8 inches tall and spread 15 to 18 inches. They are bigger than violas and have fragrances. They also prefer full sun.
How many pansies can you plant in a hanging basket?
You should place your pansies in hanging baskets in a way that all the plants get the most amount of space to reach their full potential.
A general rule of thumb is that you should place one plant per inch of basket diameter.
You can plant ten plants per 30 cm (12″) hanging baskets. A 30 cm (12″) patio container can easily accommodate 8-10 pansy plants.
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How can you grow pansies in a hanging basket?
Growing pansies in a hanging basket is a bit tricky. You have to make specific preparations before planting pansies in hanging baskets.
We will first discuss the preparation process in detail, and then we will discuss the planting steps.
Preparation process
The preparation process involves the following steps. They are:
Selecting hanging baskets
First, you have to select a hanging basket for your pansies. Select a pair or more of hanging baskets that you can coordinate with your decor. Wire baskets are better for planting pansies.
Selecting pansy plants
Now you have to select pansy plants. You can purchase pansy starter plants from local nurseries.
Buy those starter plants that have healthy green leaves and stems. Pick plants with tight, compact green leaves without blooms that are just beginning to bud.
These plants are young plants that can survive for a longer period. Avoid buying plants that are long, spindly, and stretched out.
These stretched pansies will never do well when planted. Also, check the roots of the pansy plant. Don’t buy plants that have overgrown and compact roots.
Buy plants that haven’t produced enough roots yet in their shelf packs.
Purchase potting soil and sphagnum moss
A premium potting mix is excellent for growing pansies in hanging baskets or containers.
Sphagnum moss provides moisture retention, insulation, and drainage for hanging pansies.
Soaking the sphagnum moss
At first, you have to take a bucket and fill it with water. Add the moss and allow it to soak so that the moss can absorb the water.
It soaks up water to keep the feet of the plant roots moist. Then start the lining of the basket by taking a handful of moss and squeezing the excess water.
Then press the moss onto the wire, adding handfuls as you work your way around and overlapping each handful to form the basket lining.
Keep adding handfuls of moss pressing together as you build up the sidewalls of the basket.
Continue overlapping the moss until it covers the top edge of the wire basket.
This is the whole preparation you have to do before planting pansies in hanging baskets. We will now discuss the planting steps.
Planting steps
- First, you have to line the bottom and the sides of the basket with potting soil.
- Then you have to fill the bottom of the basket halfway up with more potting soil. It should be about the depth of the plants’ plug you have purchased.
- Now add your pansies to the soil and arrange them the way you like.
- You can put one plant in the center and then surround the center plant with other plants. It can be 3 or 5 pansies depending upon the size of the basket. Don’t try to squeeze too many plants together. Give them their space to grow.
- Now add more potting soil around the plants, covering the tops of the dirt of each flowering plug, and pat down gently.
- Then add water to your pansies and hang them.
Hanging pansies care
Proper care of hanging pansies is essential for their healthy growth. It depends on many factors that are as follows:
- Soil
- Location
- Watering
- Fertilization
- Pruning
Let’s discuss each point in detail.
Soil
Hanging pansy needs new potting soil at initial planting to promote plant health. It’s preferable to add a small amount of fertilizers and nutrients for healthy growth.
You should not reuse the potting soil as this can put the plant at risk of soil-borne diseases.
For pansies that overwinter in containers, remove the plant from the old soil. You have to clean the roots and dump the container.
You should then pour fresh potting soil in the container and the pansies in hanging baskets.
Also read: What Type Of Soil Is Best For Growing Pansies? (+Best Soil Mix)
Location
Pansies prefer full sun, and they need at least 6 to 7 hours of minimum sunlight.
Hang them in a location where they get will get direct sun. They also need some partial shade in burning temperatures.
You can shift your pansies to a partially sunny location whenever the temperature increases to a burning level.
Any wilting in pansies indicates a lack of water and the need to relocate the hanging baskets.
Also read: Where To Plant Pansies? (Best Place+Things To Keep In Mind)
Watering
Hanging pansies needs regular morning water and sometimes multiple times each day.
It is always better to check the soil daily by pressing it with your finger. If the soil feels dry and powdery, water immediately.
If the soil feels moist, then check again later in the day.
You have put special care during the sunniest and hottest days since container-grown plants dry very quickly.
Also read: How Much Water Does A Pansy Need? (Pansy Water Requirements)
Fertilization
Pansies need additional nutrients for maintaining their healthy growth.
You can select an essential fertilizer in granular or water-soluble form with a ratio of 1:2:1 to promote flowers and foliage growth.
You have to fertilize your pansies every week during the active growth season.
Always follow the fertilizer’s label for appropriate mixing rates.
If you find your plants with bright green foliage and abundant flowers, it indicates that your pansies are receiving plenty of nutrients.
Also read: Do Pansies Need Fertilizer? (What Type, How Much & More)
Pruning
Pansies require timely pruning to maintain their beautiful appearance.
To prevent seed formation, you have to deadhead spent flower blooms.
Clip back dying pansy blooms where the stems meet the denser clump of foliage.
Timely pruning will promote branching and the fullness of foliage. It will direct the plant’s energy towards flowers production.
Final words
- Hanging pansies require more intensive care than container and garden plants.
- Hanging baskets support annual plants, so pansies can last for a season and need to be replaced.
- You can plant around ten pansy plants per 30 cm basket.
- Always buy pansies that have tight, compact green leaves and stems with no blooms.
- Regular morning watering is needed. Check the soil before watering.
- Fertilization and pruning are crucial for their healthy growth.
Ref: The University of Arkansas, Britannica, Utah State University, Wikipedia, The University of Georgia, The Pennsylvania State University, The Royal Horticultural Society.
