Pinch off the top 1/2 inch of each growing stem on the pansy plants. Pinching encourages lateral branching and prevents legginess, helping to create a basket that appears full and mounded with flowers.
Remove the spent blossoms as soon as they begin to wither. Cut the blossoms of the stem 1/4 inch beneath the old flower head. Alternately, pinch them off the plant.
Cut back stems that have become overgrown with a pair of shears. Cut back up to one-third of the pansy if it isn't blooming well or has become severely overgrown or unkempt-looking. Cutting back helps stimulate new growth and formation of flower buds.
Trim away dead or damaged leaves as well as unproductive stems every four to six weeks. Cut the leaves off the plant where they join the stem. Remove any stems that are no longer producing flower buds at the base of the plant. Removing old and unproductive parts of the pansy encourages the plant to spend more energy on flower production.