Planting Pansies in the Fall

November 9, 2026

My first memory of a pansy was not actually of a real flower. Back in the ‘90s, decoupaging plates was a huge hit! I remember my mom teaching a group of ladies how to make these fancy plates, and the pattern on the paper napkins was…you guessed it—pansies!

(For my younger friends who have no idea what I am talking about, think Elmers-type glue slathered on the back of a glass plate to hold a paper napkin in place. This sticky mess then dries into a pretty though somewhat dated design.)

Now I enjoy working with real deal pansies, and today I want to share why I love planting pansies in the fall.

Why Pansies are a Great Choice for Fall Planting

Pansies are the understated, unsung heroes of fall plants, in my humble opinion. You may be thinking, “Wait, mums aren’t your favorite?” Yes, I love a good mum, but I find them kind of pricey (for the amount of time that they actually look nice) and very short-lived. Very quickly, the blooms become brown, and if you are like me, you never remember to dead-head the mums. Mums bloom once while pansies just keep on blooming.

Pansies are like that little blue engine that just kept chugging up the mountain. Like the little blue engine, pansies are not big, but boy do they deliver over time. They are not overly showy though their petals are cheerfully colored. But they just keep growing through rain, cold, and even ice and snow in the South.

Here in South Carolina, I am able to keep mine looking beautiful clear through May. In fact it’s usually with a little sadness that I pull up my pansies to make way for spring/summer flowers because they just still keep blooming and looking gorgeous.

How to Plant Pansies

Now I will admit that I am NOT a professional gardener, but I do love playing in the dirt. Pansies are so simple to plant. You really cannot mess them up.

Before actually planting, I like to add a little bit of potting soil to my planters. The plants from the previous season have probably already absorbed all of the nutrients from the potting soil, and I want to ensure that the new plant babies have food to eat.

You could simply spread a bunch of potting soil on top and work it in with your hands or a small spade, or you could shovel some potting soil into each hole before planting the pansy.

Simply wiggle the plants out of the plastic container. I have found it helpful to pinch the bottom of the plastic holders and actually break it a little bit. Gently, I grab the base of the plant and wiggle the plant out.

Using a small spade, I dig a hole deeper than the depth of the plant to give room for me to securely seat the plant and have a little extra dirt to press around the plant.

Once the plant is in the hole, I gently pack some soil around the top of the plant. And that’s pretty much it!

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As I stared in quiet admiration of my new pansies this season, my heart pondered several short but powerful lessons. It reminds me that often the daily, small blessings in life are the most consistent. Sometimes the showy things of life fade quickly, but God’s faithful little blessings just keep showing up in my life every day.

Like the consistent pansies, God wants me to then turn around and be a

consistent person who just keeps chugging along in all the little tasks God has called me to do. My life may not be showy, but God wants me to keep smiling His grace into the lives of those around me. God wants me to keep showing up for the people who depend on me.

God wants me to keep showing up for the people who depend on me.

Don’t get me wrong, I love any flower that will grow in the fall, but there’s something special about the little pansy. If you plant these diminutive beauties, I hope that they will bloom all winter for you!

-Ashley

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