Pansies for ladies all — Elizabeth Barrett Browning Cool fall weather is the perfect time to plant pansies for a burst of color when most of the flowers in our gardens are beginning to fade. Easy to grow, pansies love cooler weather and will bloom from fall to early summer in our cool coastal environment with very little care. A member of the Violaceae plant family that also includes violets and violas (a tiny version of the pansy), the velvety petals of the pansy come in a rainbow of colors as well as many different color combinations that will suit a variety of color palettes. Most pansies are recognized by their “happy face” that looks as thought it was hand-painted onto the flower’s center. On Saturday, Nov. 1, Weidner’s Nursery in Encinitas will be open for its annual pansy dig. The Weid-ner family and its matriarch, Evelyn, who has loved pansies since she was a child, have planted more than 15,000 pansies and violas for the digging festival, where customers are invited to take their shovels and trowels and dig up their favorite varieties. Pansies do not mind being transplanted, and digging your own pansies is much better than purchasing plants that are growing in pots, since the freshly dug pansies have a much larger and more established root system that will eagerly take root in your garden. A few steps before planting will ensure your plants a healthy growing season. Before you plant, make sure your soil is soft and ready for planting and not hard and compacted. A good layer of organic matter worked into the soil, as well as a topcoat, will work wonders and keep your plants happy and productive through their approximately eight-month growing season. Organic compost and earthworm castings are great additions to any garden’s soil and will help support your plants as they grow. Dig a hole a few inches deeper than your plant’s root system. Pansies do not need to be planted too deeply; in fact, if you plant them too deeply, they may rot and die. Evelyn says that you should not fertilize newly planted pansies right away: “Just give them a good drink of water for the first week or so and then you can begin fertilizing.” Pansies love sun and prefer to be planted in an area of the garden where they will receive at least a half-day of sunlight. While they will survive in a partially shaded area, the plants will not produce as many flowers. Pansies like to be kept slightly moist, and you should never let them completely dry out, because once they wither, it is difficult to get them to come back to life. When our fall Santa Anas hit, make sure your pansies are watered regularly. As the flowers fade, remove them to increase the production of new flowers, and your plants should reward you with flowers until the summer weather heats up. The compact growing habit of the pansy makes it perfect for planting in masses or in a border. They are also great for window boxes and container planting. Violas have a more trailing form with masses of tiny pansy-like flowers. They are perfect for planting in containers or a place in the garden where they can cascade down. Weidner’s is offering hanging baskets filled with violas to take home for an instant splash of color. The nursery gates will open at 8 a.m. on Nov. 1 and the digging begins at 9. For information, visit www.weidners.com and click on the pansy link for more tips on how to grow these cheerful flowers. The nursery is located at 695 Normandy Road, Encinitas, (760) 436-2194. — Linda is a local Realtor with Coldwell Banker who specializes in historic and architecturally designed homes. A co-founder of the Secret Garden Tour, her garden was featured on the 2001 tour. Take a tour of Linda’s garden on www.LindaMarrone.com or call her at (858) 456-3224 with your questions.