What Flower Can I Plant in the Winter?

Pansies bring spots of color to winter landscapes around the country.

Flower gardens bring bright foliage and blooms from spring to fall, and add beauty to any home landscape. Most flowers cannot survive through fall and into winter, though, and leave winter landscapes gray and drab. Winter annuals like pansies may not survive the entire winter, depending on location, but prefer fall and winter plantings and bring color to otherwise-dull landscapes.

Lifespan

Pansies thrive in winter and can survive down to 2F during that season, though they do best in temperatures between 40F and 65F. Pansies live through fall, winter and spring in most areas, but die back in summer heat. These are annuals that require replanting each year.

Planting Season

A pansy's preference for cool weather means that plantings should take place in late fall or early winter, after the weather cools. Plant pansies in outdoor gardens or in pots around the last frost in all areas, and into winter in warm U.S. Department of Agriculture Growing Zones 10 and 11.

Planting Needs

Pansies need at least partial sun to grow and bloom in winter, and do best in areas that get full winter sunshine. Plant them in natural soil mixed with rich organic compost to provide rich, crumbly soil that holds moisture but not water. Put the pansies out as seedlings at 4 to 5 inches, and closer if you're planting in pots.

Care

Water pansies with 4 inches of water a week during dry periods to keep the soil moist, and feed them with 10-10-10 or 5-10-5 fertilizer at the start of the growing season. Keep 2 to 3 inches of mulch on the soil to provide extra cold protection for the plants through the winter.

References

• University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences; Growing Pansies; Randy Drinkard
• Utah State University Cooperative Extension: Growing Pansies
• Aggie Horticulture: Pansy