Bring Back the Color!
We have been impatiently waiting and…here it is! The perfect time to plant fall/ winter seasonal color such as pansies, violas, panolas, mustard, cabbage and kale has arrived. Planting now while the soil temperatures are still warm is ideal (this is true for trees and shrubs too) because the warm soil will encourage better root development than cold soil. Another less scientific but more mathematically true reason to plant seasonal color now is availability! While it’s been a warm season here in Arkansas, that hasn’t been the case all over and our suppliers will be running out of plants soon, in fact, they are already out of some pansy colors. We all have our favorites we don’t want to miss out on, so shop soon or risk having to make an alternative color choice. Last but not least, rain. Planting before a rain event is perfect! Be sure to use Ferti-Lome Premium Bedding Plant Food to encourage extra blooming this season and re-apply every 30 days for optimum blooming.
Not sure how to get started? Read this blog post for tips on getting professional results.
Now, on to choosing the right color scheme for your home! Start by looking at the style of the house, is it more casual or formal? Think about what colors would best complement your space, not just what appeals to you in the store. Also, consider whether the area is large or small. Okay, on to decision making! Small areas translate as larger if you plant one color, or two tones of one color to give the area more depth. A mix of colors doesn’t read well from the street in especially small areas. With larger annual beds, it’s easier to mix things up a bit, and do several colors mixed together or have layers of color such as yellow in front and blue behind. Add in some ornamental grasses, cabbage, kale or mustard. That added texture really sets off the planting! If you have always planted pansies in the past, consider branching out. The violas we planted last year as well as the panolas (the flower size of these is between a pansy and a viola) did extremely well! The blooms may be smaller but the impact is huge.