Planting Color for Winter

By Lyn Hayes, Forsyth County Master Gardener

TownLoafer Magazine, October 2006

The sun is still shinning brightly, but the crisp air of fall is just peeking around the corner. As the kids head back to school, Autumn is the perfect time to get out in the dirt and make your landscape burst with beautiful color! The mums are in the garden centers, but that isn’t the only plant fall has to offer to your landscape.

As the nights cool down and the daytime temperatures begin to fall into the seventies, the conditions are favorable for planting pansies.

As stated in my article last month, bed preparation is essential. Pansies love fertile, moist, well-drained soil rich in organic matter. They have a delicate root system and will not thrive in a hard soil bed. You can achieve success by tilling the soil and mixing in organic soil amendments such as peat moss, rotted sawdust, or compost.

Space your pansies 6-10 inches apart depending on the pot size. Planting them close together may make the bed look fuller now, but could lead to overcrowding when the plants reach their full potential in the spring.

Fertilize well with a water-soluble liquid fertilizer and deadhead to prolong flowering.

Pansies are also ideal for containers. Check with your local nursery for the best selection. Create a beautiful design by combining varieties of colors and sizes.

In addition to pansies for your seasonal color, you can choose from a selection of biennials to add to your beds, such as dianthus, snapdragon and violas. To complete the bed, add texture and interest with plantings of ornamental kale, cabbage, lettuce, and parsley.

Planting Bulbs for Spring - Fall is also an excellent time to plant spring flowering bulbs. In most areas of Georgia, spring bulbs can be planted from October - December. Check with your local nursery for availability of bulbs. You should always choose the highest quality bulbs as the success of the flower will depend on the quality of the bulb.

Select bulbs that are firm and have unblemished skins. Do not plant bulbs that feel soft or look discolored or moldy. If you cannot plant them soon after purchase, store them in a cool (60 - 65 degrees) dry place.

For planting depth and spacing, check the label information card. Plant the bulbs upright and press the soil firmly around them. Complete your planting by watering your beds thoroughly; this will cause the soil to settle. Then wait patiently until spring to receive the surprise from Mother Nature.