Do you think the weather will be nice enough to plant "pansies" in my flower bed?

Fort Lewis

Do you think the weather will be nice enough to plant "pansies" in my flower bed?
I have some Violas - which are like Pansies but smaller. I planted them late last Spring and they've bloomed ever since. They even survived the torrential rain we had in December, multiple snowfalls and below freezing weather.



So you might want to try Violas - they're a bit hardier. They're also perennials that you only need to plant once unlike Pansies that are annuals which only bloom once. I grew mine from seed. I picked them up from someone I found on eBay with lots of flowers I hadn't seen elsewhere. They also sell them at http://www.burpee.com. Whatever you end up planting I would first let them germinate indoors since we're still having some rather cold nights. I'm kind've a purist when it comes to planting flowers. I like to grow them from seed. Seems like cheating when you buy them already grown :)
Reply:I'd be near willing to wager that we're done with the real "winter" weather we've been having, all of Seattle! I drove through Fort Lewis last weekend, camping at Ocean Shores, where it was snowing right on the beach, though. I probably would have been willing to bet it wouldn't have snowed last weekend, too, if I hadn't seen it. I think you should probably be safe, now, but you can see how unpredictable things have become around here!
Reply:I think you'll be fine. Pansies can take a lot of cold; I've been seeing them outside the Home Depot here in Issaquah, and they look fine. If it's going to freeze, you can take an old bedsheet and toss over them to protect them; in a light freeze it will hold enough heat to make the difference.
Reply:Pansies are winter flowers in the South. So they should be okay in the cooler temperatures as long as it doesn't snow.



I'm on my way to Seattle next week to see if I want to move there.
Reply:Yes, they will be fine. You can plant them now. They are hardy plants, and will keep blooming from now until the early winter here.
Reply:I planted pansies at my house in Renton 2 weekends ago and they're doing fine (even after a light snow the weekend after I planted them!)

Teeth