Garden Care: Pansies and Violas

Pansies and Violas

Pansies and violas are not only beautiful; they are also signals that spring has arrived. The pansies and violas we grow today have greatly improved over the past decade. Now there are dozens of colors, color combinations, bloom sizes and even some distinctive plant habits.

Pansy & Viola Basics

Colors

	Traditionally, pansy and viola blooms had either bold, solid colors or multi-colored "faces" (a splotch of contrasting color).
	Pansy color choices have now expanded beyond yellow, orange, red, blue and white into some gorgeous delicate shades of pink, maroon, gold, primrose yellow and lavender.
	Viola colors include purple, blue, white and yellow.

Height and width

6-7" H x 9-12" W

Bloom time

Spring (April - May) and fall

Tips for Growing Healthy Pansies

Seeding

	Pansies and violas are fairly easy to grow from seed but they don't grow quickly.
	Seeds need to be started 10 to 12 weeks ahead of time and the plants will need to be acclimated.

Frost Tolerance

	Pansies and violas are very cold-tolerant plants.
	Grown outdoors and acclimated, they will easily handle temperatures down to the mid 20s and will continue blooming.
	If the temperature drops any lower, the existing flower buds are usually damaged, but the plants live on.

Light

	Ideally, pansies and violas like lots of sun in the spring and early summer, but they tend to struggle with too much summer heat.
	A great setting would be one that gets full sun before the trees are fully leafed out and dappled shade during the summer.

Locations

	Pansies and violas are perfect for containers. Great by themselves, they also combine well with other early spring blooms such as sweet alyssum and snapdragons. Tuck a few into a summer mixed planter for some early color while the summer plants fill out.
	Pansies and violas also thrive when planted in:
		Beds and borders
		Gardens interspersed with spring flowering bulbs
		Window boxes

Soil

Pansies and violas do their best in rich, organic, well-drained soil. Containers:
	Any peat-like mix such as Bachman’s Mighty Earth Potting Soil. For best results, replace soil in containers annually.
Ground Beds:
	Amend soil with compost or peat moss once the frost is out of the ground.

Transplanting

	Pansies and violas have a very fine, fibrous root system, so ease them out of their pots. The outside of the root ball may be a mat of white roots.
	Make several shallow cuts through these roots to encourage outward growth.
	Plant them at the same depth they were growing. Pansies don't do well when planted deeper.

Spacing

Space plants 4 to 6 inches apart when planting.

Water

	After transplanting, water immediately.
	Do not let dry out or they will quit flowering and set seed.

Fertilizer

Pansies profit from regular feeding with a water-soluble fertilizer.

Grooming

	Pansies are cool season annuals. As the summer gets warm, their blooming slows down.
	Deadheading (removing the spent blooms) will encourage them to bloom longer.
	Try cutting them back to a few inches above ground when it gets too hot. They may fill back out and begin blooming again in fall.

Troubleshooting Problems with Pansies and Violas

Problem

Cause(s)

Solution(s)

Leaves and flowers are spotted

	Leaf spots, a fungi
	Leaf spot organisms like it when it when the weather is cool and moist.

	Do not water from above
	Try to keep the foliage dry.

Poor flowering, lacks growth

	Not enough sun
	Past their prime

	Move to a sunnier location
	Deadhead spent flowers

Leaves turn yellow, wilt and die

Root and stem rot

	Allow soil to dry between watering
	Improve soil drainage

	Quality containers and pots
	Bachman’s Mighty Earth Potting Soil
	Water-soluble fertilizer
	Bachman’s quality grown pansies

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