Dannette Hunnel
The pansy is an excellent winter plant for the “Beginning Desert Gardener.” This very dainty, pretty, and popular flower is one of the best choices for planting during our desert’s winter months.
A lovely little plant available in several vibrant colors, the pansy is non-toxic to pets and relatively low-maintenance. Pansies are suitable for planting from November through February.
It’s best to use healthy starter plants that are at least three inches tall.
We can count on pansies to thrive through our frosts as long as they are covered on cold nights, which are typically more severe starting in late December and lasting through mid-January.
As distant cousins of the pretty violets, pansies may seem delicate and soft in appearance, but they are actually tough as nails. The average price of a pansy plant at a local garden center is approximately $3. The plant will grow to approximately eight inches tall and is considered a mounding plant, spreading about 10 inches wide.
So, find a spot in your yard or a well-draining pot that you like, and plant your starter plants using some fresh potting soil and peat moss to help keep the soil well-drained. This winter flower will do best with continual sunlight.
Watering is suggested at the equivalent of approximately two minutes daily or six minutes twice weekly, as we typically have some rain, dew, or frost during December and January. Use your best judgment based on the weather and sun exposure. Remember, the darker and fresher the soil looks, the more moisture it is likely to retain.
Beginning in late February, it is wise to give your pansies some plant food, add more peat moss, and increase watering to daily—especially for pansies planted in pots.
One of the many joys of living in the Low Valley during winter is our wonderful abundance of bright color. This is thanks to petunias, pansies, geraniums, oleanders, poppies, lantana, bougainvilleas, daisies, and carnations.
It’s the most wonderful time of year for fresh floral color and beauty, mixed with our living green cacti and bushes.