I'm hoping that someone who has tried to overwinter pansies in a climate similar to yours will chime in. I'll suggest that your success at over wintering in your zone might depend on whether you take special care to protect the root system or not. It's a little late to plant the pansies out in a bed, but you might consider sinking the pot as Ken suggests. The soil provides excellent insulation. There are Viola hybrids that are extremely cold hardy, something you may want to look into for next year, but you would still need to protect the root system from freezing. Even those new-ish hybrids are not recommended for container planting in very cold climates. In my zone 7 climate, pansies are planted as a fall/winter/spring annual. If protected from the coldest of temperatures, they'll provide color all during the cold months and will only die back once it gets too hot. Where ever you live, pansies do not like the hottest months of the year. I expect that you can begin to see pansies in your garden centers in February or so...they don't mind frosts or even freezing temperatures. I wouldn't stick them out in advance of a severe cold snap, though.

No matter how hard I try to save them they just don’t survive for me. I try almost every year but they always get so scraggly for me as well. I have to say that the planter always ends up with something else in it before fall. I have a small planter full now on my porch and so far the snow we had twice since I bought them hasn’t killed them. They are one of the first flowers to purchase in Chicago in spring. They always remind me that warm weather will be here. They are so sweet. I like them better than mums in fall but they are so costly to really get an impact alone so I mix them in fall planters with other flowers. Good luck if you try. July and August will be hard to keep hem going.

If you are planting in containers, you should always make sure the plants are fertilized. Potting soil does not always contain nutrients, and nutrients may have washed through older containers. If you are planting in the ground, plants don't usually need extra fertilizer. However, not all soils are naturally fertile, so adding a balanced fertilizer can be helpful. Pansies are quite cold tolerant, and can bounce back from overnight, single-digit temperatures. Nonetheless, very cold weather can leave vegetation looking sad. In the southern states pansies are one of several winter annuals that tend to stay low to the ground over winter, and bloom from late winter through spring. When plants begin to put out new growth you can pinch back the most damaged vegetation. Plant winter hardy annuals in October to make sure they get settled in before really cold weather arrives. Potted plants will do better in larger containers, because the greater volume of soil doesn't get cold as quickly as a smaller container.

damask, That is one thing I'd never heard of. Learning something every day. That's what I call cheating! :) I am starting to think that gardengal may really be onto something! If anything, I may have fertilized too much. It dawned on me that I indeed used less fertilizer in another container with pansies I have on the lower deck (pictures below). I have not reached out to that one as much because...well, further away. Out of reach. Lo and behold, that one is doing better! I am trying to post some pics but I am having trouble. I will try separately below. Just like last year, violas did much better ...to the point where I am not even sure I will bother with pansies anymore next year. Maybe a few - but I will rely on violas to get my bloom fix. These little things keep blooming their heads off throughout winter. That being said, even these I feel could have done better. Too much foliage. Maybe I am a bloom glutton because even when my plants perform decently, I still end up jelly of those commercial, picture perfect results where the plant is completely covered by a carpet of blooms to the point you can't even see any foliage. (I call it lettuce LOL). Probably must of those are Photoshopped or ...well, blooming hormone.I need to practice some bloom gratitude and be happy with what I have. And maybe lay off the fert. :)