Pansies to the Rescue

Fall is upon us, and the top gardening question of the day is, "what can I plant in my garden in the fall?"

The answer: Pansies. Known in some circles as Viola x wittrockiana, the pansy provides just as much color in the fall and winter as it does in the spring. While some pansies are specifically marketed as repeat bloomers, all pansies are multi-seasonal. Plant your pansies 6-12 inches apart in moist well-drained soil.

They should be planted in a location that receives at least six hours of sunlight, and faded blossoms should be picked off to increase flowering. Adding compost to the soil during planting will improve the plant's performance. The pansy is useful in settings that range from planting beds to window boxes and containers. The flowers not only add color, but are fragrant and edible. So if fall, winter and spring color is what you're looking for, it's time to get out there and plant those pansies.

Look for pansies planted in WPC Community Conservation Gateway Gardens in Slippery Rock, Butler, East Liberty and Esplen/McKees Rocks.

Today's photo was taken last week as volunteers planted pansies in a newly established Gateway Garden in the East Liberty section of The City of Pittsburgh.

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