Pansies are a wonderful cool-season plant to use in containers when the temperatures outside aren't too warm. Pansies thrive in the cooler seasons of spring and fall. Plant pansies when nighttime temperatures are above 40 degrees F. They prefer daytime temperatures of 60 degrees F. If the weather is warmer than 60 degrees, there may be less bloom production. If there is a cold snap and the nighttime drops below freezing, place a frost cloth (an old sheet or towel works well) over the container for protection. Be sure to remove the cloth in the morning.
Other cool-season flowers include snapdragons, ornamental cabbage, and kale. Some of these plants can withstand temperatures below freezing. Around the middle of May to early June, you'll want to change out the plants for more heat-tolerant flowers. For more information on growing pansies, please see the Plantalk script #1030 "Pansy" at http://www.ext.colostate.edu/ptlk/1030.html.
