A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2003 I need help with my pansies!

I need advice on caring for the pansies I plant each May. I plant them in a whiskey barrel with several holes in the bottom for drainage. The flowers don't seem to last very long. How do I pull the dead buds off? Do I pull just the bud like with petunias, or do I need to pull the whole stem? Please help!

[ June 03, 2003: Message edited by: Annabelle ]

Hi Annabelle,

I haven't had pansies in a few years, but i pinched off just the dead buds (the energy is going to the buds to produce seed) and that helps keep them continuing to flower by allowing the energy to produce more flowers.

Annabelle,
I still have a few pansies..But there a winter are cool weather type flower .I planted some in May here in Texas last year they didn't bloom alot..But as soon as weather started turning cool they were just beautiful..Like Bob said just pinch the dead ones off it want hurt them..Maybe they need some bone meal ..

Annabelle,
Get the Fiskars thread snipers, they're great for dead heading little tiny flowers like that.
Also, are you in the heat??/ Like stated above, they are cool season plants and don't do very well in the heat. If you've had some flowers go in to seeds, let them fall to the dirt and when it cools off they should reseed for you...What zone are you in???

here's some info right from our own site... http://www.thegardenhelper.com/pansy.html
Check it out!!!

http://www.iciclepansy.com/product.htm

http://www.ext.vt.edu/departments/envirohort/articles/herbaceous_plants/pansycr.html

Give 'em a read and let us know how you're doing!!!
Happy Gardening!
Weezie

*grin*

When I dead head my Pansys...I just pinch them off right behind their little faces.

Good luck!

Annie

Hi, Annabelle,

Everyone seems to agree about pinching the pansies. You might as well take the stem that the flower is on since it has no further use. Same goes for petunias, don't just take the flower but also the stem that supports the flower. And to keep the petunias flowering longer, you can pinch about on third of the stocks back to about 4 or 5 inches. When those have grown out and begin to bloom, pinch another third. This will keep petunias fuller and blooming better.