Pansies - The Barometer of Tucson's Potted Gardens

Did you see the temperature forecast for this week? It looks like we are finally making it to fall in Tucson! I have always held off our winter annual plantings for our clients until the last week of October. Yes, the flowers are in the nurseries at the beginning of the month and yes, landscapers are planting wildly around town. However, typically we have a high heat spell mid-month and by the end of the month the nighttime temperatures creep under the 60 degree mark.


The reason for the delay is that pansies and violas need those cooler nights to thrive. We want them to last until May through any freezing weather we have. To give them a strong start, we cannot tire them out with high nighttime temps.

...and no - I am not a meteorologist. I do not track the weather except in my memory. In my 14 years in business where I attend a mid-October Octoberfest, I know more years than not, it has been in the 90's for that event. If it is too hot for me to stand out in the sun all day, I know it is too hot for my pansies too!

Need help with your potted gardens? Send me an email and I will be happy to make some recommendations. Also, check out my free potted garden classes this Saturday (Oct 29) I will be talking about creating potted cactus and succulent gardens. Visit  the class link for more information.