It sounds like a recipe for soup – a little parsley, some cabbage, a little kale and – pansies! But in truth, it’s the backbone of my autumn gardening season. Maybe more than in any other season, in the fall I appreciate gardening in the mild climate of Atlanta, Georgia. Once the heat, humidity and bugs have passed, or at least gone dormant for a few months, I am re-energized to plant again.
Pansies and violas are pretty amazing flowers. Planted in the fall, these will not only withstand all but the most frigid temperatures, they will also become established enough to begin growing and blooming in spring as soon as the weather warms again. In the past several years, my pansies have bloomed intermittently throughout winter, thanks to the dubious benefit of warmer-than-average temperatures.
Both pansies and violas are in the viola genus and are also related to the violets and johnny-jump-ups. Pansies were bred from the johnny-jump-up, native to England, to develop large, flat and beautifully marked petals.
Pansies are heavy feeders and should be treated to an application of organic fertilizer every few weeks in spring and summer. This year, for the first time, I put out a “pansy starter” fertilizer at planting time. I’ll let you know if it was worthwhile or if I just succumbed to great advertising at the garden shop for no reason.
Companion plantings for the pansies include parsley – useful in the kitchen as well! – ornamental cabbages and, my personal favorite, kale, which we pick and eat all fall and again starting in early spring.
So, don’t put up your trowel just yet but go out and plant some pansies!
My favorite fall planting for eating and beauty is Swiss chard.