Features of growing pansies: planting and care. How to grow pansies from seeds at home? Picking seedlings of pansies
Pansies are scientifically called Witrocca violet. They are grown in summer cottages, decorating flower beds, as well as on balconies. The plant is unpretentious: it can be transplanted even during the flowering period and planted in early spring, as soon as the snow leaves. Pansies bloom early and bloom profusely. If everything is done correctly, then their colorful flowers will delight the eye from spring to late autumn.
Pansies: growing
There are 2 main ways of cultivating pansies: growing from seeds and cuttings. Seeds can be planted in 2 ways: in open ground and boxes. When the plant fades, the fruit with seeds remains on it, which are used for further sowing. Seeds can be harvested when the pod turns pale yellow or turns white. The seed will ripen during drying. You can store it for 3 years. Sowing pansies depends on the desired flowering period. To obtain good flowering in early spring, sow in late June - early July of the previous year.
Seeds are planted in nurseries or well-cultivated beds in loose rows. They sprout 1 - 2 weeks after planting, and after 2 - 3 weeks you can see the emergence of sprouts. Sprouts dive, and at the end of August they are planted at the place of the intended flowering at a distance of 25 cm from each other. If you want to get flowers in the same year, it is recommended to sow the seeds in boxes. Then the seedlings are transplanted into a flower garden.
Sowing seeds of pansies in boxes is carried out in February, scattering them over the surface of moistened soil. Do not forget to sprinkle them with a thin layer of earth. The boxes are placed in a dark place, maintaining a temperature of 15 - 20 degrees. They need to be covered with glass, and periodically ventilate and moisten the soil. When the seeds sprout, the temperature should be lowered to 10 degrees and the box with the sprouts should be placed in sunlight. You can dive seedlings of flowers in about 10 - 20 days. Planting in open ground is advised in May.
If you have chosen to grow a plant using cuttings, you need to produce it immediately in open ground in May - June. The final green shoots with 2-3 nodes are cut from the bush. They are planted in a shaded area close to each other to a depth of 5 mm. Water the soil well and spray the cuttings with water. Roots appear in a month. If cuttings are made in the spring, pansies will bloom in summer or early autumn, and if closer to autumn, then in the spring of next year. Cuttings rejuvenate the plant, preventing the bushes from growing strongly. From the 1st large bush you can get 10 cuttings.
Pansies: proper care
To date, about 400 species and several hundred varieties of pansies are known. Winter varieties bloom very early. The flowers of the Swiss large-flowered group are luxurious - these are plant varieties with a flower diameter of up to 10 cm. Their color is with large spots, a border around the edge and stripes of different tones.
The palette of colors is quite rich - it is yellow, orange, wine red, deep black, blue, indigo and purple.
Main varieties: Rhine Gold, Bride, Flame, Sunny Kiss, Black King, Love Duet.
This plant is not whimsical in care. Pansies are quite shade-tolerant, but if grown in partial shade, flowering will not be as plentiful, but longer. For planting pansies, fertile and moist loamy soil is recommended. Make sure that the melt water does not stagnate, otherwise it can lead to rotting of the root system of the plant and its death.
You need to water the flower 2-3 times a week. On hot and dry days - daily. It is necessary to feed the plant with complex mineral fertilizers, which include phosphorus, potassium, nitrogen and other trace elements. It is necessary to fertilize the violet both before budding and during flowering. Seedlings can be fed with superphosphate and ammonium nitrate (20-40 g per 1 m²). Pansies cannot be fertilized with fresh manure.
In order for the plant to bloom for a long time, remove faded flowers and dry leaves in time. Be sure to weed the beds where pansies grow, removing weeds. Don't forget to loosen the ground.
In terms of diseases and pests, aphids, cutworms, spotting, powdery mildew, blackleg, root and stem rot are common. You may encounter these problems if you violate the agricultural practices of planting, growing and caring for pansies. You can fight pests and diseases with special preparations that are sold in gardening stores.
Pansies flowers: photo
Pansies are very beautiful and unpretentious flowers that will decorate any suburban area. You can use them to transform rocky crust and small flower beds. Pansies look beautiful in hanging pots that decorate balconies, verandas and terraces. Follow the planting rules and do not forget to care for the plant so that its lush flowering continues until late autumn.
Pansies, growing from seeds, when to plant will not leave anyone indifferent - such information will be useful to gardeners who like this delicate flower. The plant is herbaceous, attracts with a variety of colors. The most famous is the tricolor viola, the top of its petals is purple, the middle is amber, the bottom is white or yellowish.
Pansies - growing from seeds
It is easy to grow pansies, they are not capricious. The flower is bred with seeds, it is recommended to plant them in an open area or on seedlings. To collect seeds, you need to pick up a powerful specimen and wait until the boxes with seeds turn yellow. It is important to stock up on seeds until they wake up on the soil when plowing the pods. At the same time, there is a chance to prepare seed from crops of the coloring and variety you like. Pansies grow normally in shade and full sun. Viola is best planted where bright light illuminates it for only part of the day.
How to grow pansies from seed outdoors:
- When embedding in the ground, furrows 0.5 cm wide are made with a distance between rows of 2 cm, they are shed with water.
- Seeds should be planted every 2 cm (best done with a small sheet of paper), they are covered with a moistened substrate and the soil is slightly crushed.
- Sowing is protected with a film, periodically aired.
- When seedlings appear and the first pair of true leaves peck, the seedlings dive, shortening the main root by a third, seated according to the scheme 25x25 cm.
- Subsequent care consists in loosening the soil and watering.
- Before budding, it is better to fertilize the flower - pour it with dissolved nitrophoska - on a bucket of 1 tbsp. a spoonful of composition.
- For the winter, seedlings are covered with spruce branches.
When to sow pansies for seedlings?
Sowing pansies when growing from seeds, when to plant - the solution to these issues is due to when you want to see the first flowers. Experts recommend cultivating violet as an annual or biennial - so it has the most attractive appearance and lush flowering. Sowing pansies for seedlings - how to calculate the timing:
- I would like flowering in the same year in June-July - it is recommended to plant seeds in January - February for seedlings.
- Pansies - growing from seed, when to plant for early spring bloom in the second year: planting should be done outdoors in June. They will overwinter and start flowering in early spring in April.
- If planted in the ground earlier - in May, then the buds will bloom in the fall.
Germination of pansy seeds
To enhance the germination energy, the seeds of pansies are soaked in a solution of the growth biostimulant "" for a day before the backlog. The tool gives energy to the sprouts and at the same time performs disinfectant functions. Additional resistance to ailments will help to give a 20-minute placement of seeds in a solution of burgundy potassium permanganate. It is useful to soak them in a solution of wood ash: 1 tbsp. dilute a spoonful of the product in a liter of water and leave the grains in the composition for 2 hours. It is not necessary to germinate the seeds before sowing - they are very small and take root well in the ground.
Seedlings of pansies at home
When cultivating pansies, growing seedlings from seeds will speed up the start of budding. For sowing, shallow boxes are selected and purchased soil for violets is purchased. You can independently prepare the substrate from 1 share of garden soil, 1 share of sand and 0.5 shares of humus or peat. Before planting, the soil is steamed in a water bath and spilled with a fungicide to destroy pathogens and weeds. In the form of a disinfectant, a dark solution of magnesium chloride is suitable.
How to plant pansies for seedlings?
Planting pansies for seedlings:
- The easiest option to touch is to lay the seeds in containers on top of the soil and put them in a dark place at a temperature of + 20-22 ° C.
- Seedlings are covered with a film and aired every day for 10 minutes. Water the crops with a fine sprayer.
How many days does it take for pansy seeds to germinate?
Experienced flower growers answer the question of how many seeds of pansies sprout - if the sowing is done with high-quality material, then after 1-2 weeks the seedlings will sprout. Sometimes (depending on the variety and quality of the grains), germination can take up to 3-4 weeks. Before that, it is better to cover them with a dark dense garbage bag - the seeds like to sprout in the dark.
Picking pansies
Boxes with green shoots are placed on a lighted window. When growing the initial 7 days, seedlings are accustomed to air. To do this, every day the cycle of its open presence is increased from 10 minutes to 5-6 hours, then it can be removed from the seedlings. Watering is done when the top layer dries. When to dive pansies after germination:
- When 2-3 true leaves appear, seedlings are placed in separate containers or a common box according to the 5x5 cm pattern.
- When picking, young plants are buried to the cotyledons.
- When growing a viola, when there are 6 leaves on young sprouts, pinch the top of the central stem so that the violets form a lush bush.
- Feed the viola every 2 weeks with fertilizer for seedlings, monitor the moisture content of the substrate in pots.
With quality care in a month (by the end of May), the viola blooms and is ready for planting in the garden. Before transplanting sprouts to an open area, they are hardened. To do this, the seedlings are placed under the sun's rays, starting from an hour a day and increasing the time daily by an hour. Planting scheme for pansies in a flower garden - 20x20 cm. Care for pansies:
- For generous flowering, the plant needs frequent watering, especially in the heat. After moisturizing, the bush is better.
- Feeding with mineral supplements, such as nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, has a beneficial effect on the development of the viola. It is advisable to start fertilizing flowers 2 weeks after planting with a solution of ammonium nitrate or superphosphate at the rate of 20-40 g per 1 m 2.
- Dried flowers and leaves of the viola must be removed. If you implement these simple requirements, then a bright carpet will delight the eye until frost.
Tricolor is better known as pansies or Ivan da Marya. The plant is herbaceous, biennial or annual. Sometimes it occurs in a perennial form. Currently, many varieties and hybrid forms have been bred, which are very popular in the design of flower beds and gardens. There are both spectacular large-flowered forms and undersized ground cover varieties.
Many gardeners purchase ready-made seedlings of pansies in the spring and grow them in their annual form. Next summer, you need to invest in seedlings again. We will try to figure out how difficult it is to grow a tricolor viola and when to sow pansies for seedlings.
Terms of sowing seeds for seedlings, preparation of seed material and soil
Sowing dates
In order to get plants that bloom in the spring and delight the eye all summer, pansies in most temperate regions need to be grown from seedlings. The timing of sowing depends on several reasons, one of them is the purpose of pansies.
If seedlings are needed for sale, then it is better to sow in January and even at the end of December, then by the spring season you can sell seedlings that not only picked up buds, but also began to bloom. However, in this case, it will be necessary to arrange additional light for seedlings for several hours a day. If flowers are needed for planting in your own garden, then you can start sowing in the third decade of February and continue until the end of March. You can calculate the optimal time for sowing seeds based on climatic conditions.
The reference point for the countdown will be the date of late spring frosts. If, for example, they fell on May 20 last spring, then 90 days must be subtracted from this date and the planting date is February 20. This number should be guided by when sowing viola tricolor seeds for seedlings. When sown in these numbers, additional light is no longer required for seedlings. It is important to know that for growing in a two-year form, the seeds of pansies are sown in the summer, in July, immediately.
Preparing seeds for sowing
Seeds of pansies do not need special pre-planting preparation. It is important to purchase varietal seeds from trusted garden centers or stores. For several hours before sowing, it is enough to soak them in a solution of citron or another stimulant.
Soil preparation
If a modest amount of seeds are intended for cultivation, then they can be sown in wet peat tablets or ready for violets. If there are a lot of seeds, then the purchase of tablets and soil will require significant amounts.
Video about the proper care and reproduction of viola (pansies):
In this case, in the fall it is better to prepare leafy soil and rotted compost. Mix these ingredients in equal proportions and fill planting pots or boxes a day before sowing, and moisten the soil well. Viola can be sown the next day after this.
Sowing seeds and first care
Seeding methods:
- the easiest way is to spread the seeds on top of the soil and put in a dark place at a temperature of +20 +22. Cover the plantings with a film and remove it every day for 10 minutes.
- you can sow the viola with embedding in the ground. With this method, the seeds are laid out in grooves about 0.5 cm deep. The distance between the grooves is 1.0-2.0 cm. The same gap is between the seeds. There is no need for a dark place. Also, crops are covered with a film with mandatory ventilation.
Watering and feeding
Viola is very responsive to watering. In hot summers, it can be watered daily with a moderate amount of water. Immediately after watering, the ground around the bush is mulched. When watering, you need to focus on drying the top layer. If it is wet, then the plant should not be watered, otherwise an excess of water will lead to decay of the root system.
In order for the flowers to be bright, pansies need to be fed regularly immediately after rooting. This will happen about two weeks after landing. You can apply fertilizer at the same time as watering. For these purposes, any complex fertilizer is suitable, for example,.
To prolong the flowering of pansies, you need to try to regularly pinch off flowers that have already faded. If, to the best of his ability, the gardener fulfilled simple requirements, then a bright viola carpet will delight the eye until frost.
Pansies are flowering, cultivated plants. In another way, they are called tricolor violets or violas. These beautiful plants are known to everyone since childhood. They occupy one of the main places in the world of floriculture lovers.
They have a variety of varieties (up to 400) and color shades. Bloom profusely from spring until frost. Many gardeners make sure to set aside a plot in the garden for these beautiful flowers.
Why is it called Pansies
The true origin of the flower's name is not known. There are only legends and myths. One of these legends tells that there was once a girl named Anyuta. One day she met a young man and fell in love with him very much. After some time, the young man decided to leave, but swore an oath that he would return to his chosen one.
Anyuta many times went out onto the road along which her lover had left. She peered into the distance, hoping to see him. She waited for a long time, but the young man never returned. Gradually fading away from loneliness and longing, Anyuta died.
After the burial, flowers grew on her grave, resembling eyes that tirelessly looked somewhere into the distance. So the popular name pansies appeared.
Pansies varieties photos and names
- the variety has pure white flowers with wavy edges. The size of the opened bud varies from six to eight centimeters. The total height of the shrub reaches thirty-five centimeters.
- This variety has white flowers with yellow patches. The size of the opened buds reaches seven centimeters. The length of the pedicel varies from eight to twelve centimeters.
- The flowers of this variety are painted in blue and purple. Petals have even edges and a smooth surface. The size of the flowers varies from six to seven centimeters in diameter. The length of the shoot is about eleven centimeters.
- the flowers of this variety have a cherry and red tint with brown patches. Petals are smooth with ribbed edges. The flowers are eight centimeters in diameter.
- From the name of the variety it is clear that the flowers have a golden hue. The size of the opened buds reaches seven centimeters in diameter. The length of the shoot does not exceed ten centimeters.
Varieties with large flowers
- flowers of this variety are brown and red. The lower petals have brown spots. The size of the flowers varies from five to six centimeters.
- the flowers have a bluish tint. The size of the opened buds is not more than five centimeters in diameter. The total height of the shrub reaches thirty centimeters.
- the flowers of this variety at the base have a purple and violet hue, and closer to the edges they acquire a white tone. The lower petals are completely white. The size of the opened buds reaches five centimeters. The length of the shoot is small, about seven centimeters.
- flowers are bright yellowish with purple patches. All petals have ribbed edges. The length of the stems reaches nine centimeters, and the diameter of the flowers is five centimeters.
- this variety has flowers that appear with a dark purple color, but after two days turn black. The petals have a velvety surface and smooth edges. The flowers grow up to five centimeters in diameter. The length of the shoots is ten centimeters.
- the flowers of this variety appear with a blue color, but after two days the petals begin to lighten, acquiring a light bluish tint. The size of the flowers reaches a diameter of five centimeters. The length of the shoots is about nine centimeters.
- The flowers of this plant are white with long, purple patches. There are varieties with petals that have white, yellow, purple and green hues. The height of the bush reaches twenty centimeters, and the diameter of the flowers is five centimeters.
Varieties with small flowers
- flowers with a dark red hue with a black base. The lower petals are yellow. The flowers are four centimeters in diameter. The total height of the shrub is twenty centimeters.
- the variety was named after a girl from a folk tale who had a red hat. Likewise, the flowers of the plant have a light or dark shade of red along the edges, and a black color in the center of the petals. The size of the flowers is small, only three centimeters.
- flowers with velvet petals of a pure white tone. The size of the flowers can reach four centimeters in diameter.
- this variety has delicate petals with a blue and light blue tint. The flowers grow up to four centimeters in diameter.
Pansies growing from seed
To please yourself with flowers in the first year, you need to know how to properly plant this plant. It all starts with sowing seeds at the end of February. To do this, use any plastic boxes filled with slightly acidic soil.
Seeds should be planted at a depth of 5 mm. Then put the boxes in a dark and warm place. After five days, the seedlings will germinate. Having noticed the first shoots, transfer the seedlings to a bright place where the temperature does not exceed + 17 ° C. Monitor the moderate soil moisture, feed the seedlings with a soluble fertilizer containing potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus.
When the seedlings germinate well and two leaves appear on each stalk, proceed to planting in cassettes. After transplanting, place the boxes in a cool place where no more than + 13 ° C. During this period, continue to monitor soil moisture and fertilize.
Violet is a very beautiful flower that can be grown at home, the main thing is to follow the rules of care and you will not have problems with it. You can find all the necessary recommendations in this article.
Viola soil
For tricolor violets, it is necessary to choose a nutrient soil. In poor soils, such as sandy or clay, flowers do not grow well, becoming nondescript dwarfs.
To improve infertile soil, you need to mix it with fertilizer. Apply 5 kg of vegetable compost or last year's manure per square meter.
Pansies planting
Violet tricolor is not whimsical when grown outdoors. The only thing she needs is a large place and warmth. Choose an open, sunny site for planting. When you start planting seedlings, keep the distance between seedlings (15-20 cm). Plants will take root in 3-4 days.
Important! Plant seedlings in open ground two months after diving. The number of leaves in a seedling should be at least 4 pieces.
Watering the viola
You need to water the flowers three times a week, and if the weather turned out to be hot, then every day. Try not to flood the seedlings, but maintain moderate soil moisture. Pour water under the very root.
Important! Do not allow water to stagnate in the soil, this can cause the flowers to rot. Loosen the soil after watering.
Fertilizer for tricolor violet
The first dressing of flowers should be done two weeks after transplanting into open ground. As a fertilizer, any complexes of minerals (phosphorus, nitrogen, potassium) are suitable. The next feeding should be done during the appearance of buds and before flowering.
Important! Do not fertilize this plant with fresh manure.
pansies pruning
Violets reproduce quickly, throwing seeds into the soil. If you do not want the flowers to grow strongly in one place, then you need to remove the seed boxes in time. Flowers should be cut at a distance of five centimeters from the ground.
In three weeks, you will have new inflorescences. Circumcision is also done if the bushes begin to turn yellow and dry out, and the flowers fade and decrease. In two weeks, the shrub will give new shoots.
Important! Leave two leaves on each stem in the cutting area.
Pansies flowering period
Violets give abundant flowering from May until frost, that is, 4-5 months a year. Such a long flowering is due to the constant change of flowers, which occurs imperceptibly.
Old flowers fall off after 3-4 days, and new ones appear in their places. If you want flowers to start appearing in early spring, then sow the seeds outdoors in the second half of summer.
tricolor violet in winter
Violets tricolor easily survive the cold season. But they need help preparing for the winter.
Prune the bushes after a hard frost. Then cover the plants with dry leaves. Remove the leaves in early spring to keep the flowers from rotting.
Pansies growing from seeds when to plant
This is the main breeding method for violets. Seeds can be purchased at a flower shop or collected independently from bushes that have faded. They are planted in boxes for seedlings or immediately in open ground.
The timing of sowing seeds for seedlings may be different. To get early flowering specimens, you can sow in January and February. But for this you will have to provide seedlings with additional lighting. The first flower buds will appear in late spring and early summer.
Sowing seeds in open ground is carried out in early summer and autumn. In the first case, the plants will show abundant flowering in August and September. And in the second case, sowing will ensure flowering in early spring next year.
Pansies propagation by cuttings
For example, large-flowered varieties eventually degenerate and begin to produce small flowers. The cutting method can save and propagate such a rare specimen.
To do this, cut off a small shoot with two leaves from the plant and plant it in a cup with soil. Such a stalk will sprout roots without additional stimulants.
Important! Use soil from the area where you plan to plant flowers. This will help the plant to immediately adapt to the characteristics of your soil.
Propagation of tricolor violets by dividing the bush
This method is used to propagate perennial varieties. Violets should not grow in one place for more than four years. They are born and disappear.
To prevent this, a large shrub is divided into small parts. Divide the plant in early spring before flowering begins.
Diseases and pests
powdery mildew - This is a fungal disease that manifests itself on the leaves and stems in the form of a white coating. If the plant has small spots, you need to treat the surface of the leaves with fungicides, such as Pure Flower or Topaz. With a stronger spread of the fungus, the plant must be pulled out of the garden so as not to infect other flowers.
Gray rot is a disease of fungal origin. It manifests itself in the form of a grayish mold that covers the affected areas of leaves and stems. To stop the spread of infection, you need to remove the leaves. Sprinkle the remaining affected areas with wood ash or chalk. If the fungus has spread strongly over the flower, it is necessary to spray it with a fungicidal preparation (fundozol, pure flower, rayek, soon).
Bacterial spotting - the cause of this disease is phytopathogenic bacteria. It appears as brown or black spots that affect the leaves. To stop the spread of the disease, you need to pull out the affected plant, and spray neighboring shrubs with a mildly toxic fungicide, such as copper oxychloride.
Pansies medicinal properties
Violet tricolor is a unique medicinal plant that contains many useful substances: vitamin C, carotenoids, rutin, salicylic acid, trace elements, etc. Thanks to its chemicals, the plant helps to cope with coughs, bronchitis, stomach and intestinal diseases, urinary tract infections. bladder, neuroses and insomnia.
In the use of viola there are contraindications. Do not use the plant for inflammation of the liver (hepatitis) and kidney disease (glomerulonephritis). Frequent use of a decoction of violet tricolor can cause irritation of the stomach.
Decoction of the flu : Pour one glass of hot water into a container. Add one tablespoon of dried, ground herbs. Put the container on the fire and boil for 15 minutes. Wait until the broth cools down and strain. Take one teaspoon three times daily after meals.
Cough syrup : Add five tablespoons of dried, chopped herbs to a container. Pour five cups of boiling water. Leave the solution for twelve hours and then strain. Add five tablespoons of sugar and bring to a boil. Boil the composition until the syrup thickens. Five minutes before the end of cooking, add lemon juice. Use syrup with hot tea - one tablespoon of syrup per cup of tea.
Behind them, growing seedlings are the main, not always simple for beginner flower growers, stages of work. In terms of variety and saturation of flowers, this plant has no equal. Despite the fragile appearance, the touching name, pansies (violas) cannot be classified as sissies and prudes. The basic rules for sowing seeds, choosing a planting site, viola varieties, growing nuances will help to avoid many problems. They are suitable for cultivation throughout Russia. They are planted in the garden and front gardens, they decorate parks and city streets. All this makes pansies a real hit in spring flower beds.
Their appearance is distinguished by exquisite panache, especially in early spring, when they decorate the garden with juicy strokes. Another name for these flowers is viola.
The richness of colors, winter hardiness, compactness - that's what makes this culture so attractive. No wonder gardeners have been growing this domesticated subspecies of tricolor violet for several centuries.
Photo of a spring flower bed Pansies get along well with tulips and daffodils, they look great on their own in containers, hanging flowerpots, baskets. Winter-hardy hybrid varieties have been developed that tolerate hot, cold weather. So viola can be planted in spring, summer, autumn. But what is especially pleasant, this culture is extremely unpretentious.
White perfection - variety Weiss, photo
Thanks to the tireless work of breeders, flowers become more diverse every year. Don't believe? Visit your nearest seed store or order from a catalog online. Along with the classic purple, white, yellow, you will find there new varieties of violas of different tones - pink, orange, pastel shades. Most of them are still decorated with characteristic spots that give the "pansies" a unique charm, but there are monochrome ones, so to speak, with "clean faces".
In addition, varieties are bred with flowers looking up, on a short stem. Such violas are much more noticeable in a flower bed than looking down. It is also important that they tolerate bad weather better.
What variety of pansies to choose
Breeders and seed sellers divide them into two categories:
- varieties with large flowers - large-flowered;
- varieties with small flowers - many-flowered.
The largest flowers reach a diameter of 10 cm, the smallest - about 6 cm, and the rest - somewhere in between.
They sprout themselves, care is minimal - self-sowing, photo When choosing a variety of pansies, you should not think that the larger the flower, the better. As experience shows, the most hardy, strong plants have just small flowers. In addition, small multi-flowered varieties are better adapted to rainy weather, temperature extremes. Although their flowers are small, they are many. So the overall effect is brighter than from the same number of bushes with large flowers.
As experience shows, where the climate is colder, small-flowered varieties win. But small-flowered violas also became leaders in the south. In fairness, it should be recognized that in the south, large-flowered ones have one interesting feature: the hotter the weather, the smaller the "pansies" become. Thus, planting small-flowered varieties in the spring, by the end of the season you will get very small flowers. This is why large-flowered violas traditionally dominate urban flower beds, for example, they look great in hanging baskets or containers.
When to plant pansies
So, the hardest part is over: the variety is selected. You can go along the line of least resistance, and at the same time save a lot of time - buy seedlings, bring them home, plant them in a country house or a plot.
However, if you prefer to germinate the seeds yourself, then you should know that in order for pansies to flaunt in your garden this spring, you will have to get down to business even in the winter. It will take two and a half, or even three months, for a seedling to be obtained from a germinated seed, which can be transplanted into the ground.
Since violas tolerate cold well, they are transplanted two to three weeks before the last spring frost. Remember the vulgar season, when the last frosts happened then, count from this date three months ago - and get down to business.
Dynamite Orange, photo The most common mistake of amateur gardeners is that they start germinating seeds too late. Remember that these flowers love the cool, because they have never been tropical plants.
The ideal temperature for seed germination is relatively low: 18°C. You should not germinate them where you have dried or stored gladiolus bulbs. Gladiolus are often infested with thrips, and these pests love to feast on pansy seedlings!
Sowing is done in January in a greenhouse or in April (in the Kuban) in open ground, the seeds are lightly sprinkled with earth. They germinate in 7-14 days. Seedlings are shaded from direct sunlight. The best temperature for plant growth is +16-18°C during the day and +10-15°C at night. It is necessary to monitor the constant soil moisture. Winter seedlings are planted in a permanent place in the spring, and summer seedlings in the fall.
How to plant pansies for seedlings
Sow the seeds in moist seedling soil, sprinkle them with a thin layer of vermiculite or sand. In the light, the seeds of "pansy" do not germinate.
Until shoots appear (usually this happens after about a week), moisten the soil, but not too much. If possible, water through the pan. To retain moisture, you can cover the box with a film, just do not forget to provide ventilation, otherwise cold-loving plants under such a shelter will simply boil.
As soon as the seeds germinate, put the box where it is light, cool - so that the seedlings do not grow too long, skinny. For this purpose, a cold greenhouse or a protected garden bed is perfect: there is a lot of light and a suitable temperature of 13-16 ° C.
If you are germinating seeds at home under a fluorescent lamp, choose a cooler location. Place the box next to the light source, but not closer than 5 cm. After a month, transplant the seedlings into pots. As soon as the air temperature reaches + 5 ° C, take the pots out during the day.
When the plants are 10-11 weeks old, start hardening off, which will help them adapt more easily after planting in the ground. A protected bed is also suitable for this purpose. If severe frosts are expected, cover the seedlings with a thin layer of straw or covering material.
Pansies - plant care
Due to winter hardiness and endurance, it is not difficult to grow modern varieties of viola. Open space and soil with good drainage - that's probably all they need. If you live in the south, plant them in lacy shade - this will help the plants survive the heat more easily. Regardless of the climate, the soil must have good drainage. If the ground is dense and damp, pansies will develop root rot. To avoid this scourge, first plant them on a high bed.
What to feed? Of course, compost. They don't need any other fertilizer. If you don't have compost, use any other organic fertilizer that is relatively high in phosphorus and potassium and low in nitrogen.
A mixture of varieties on the lawn, photo If you want to maximize the flowering period, regularly remove wilted ones. Since their roots are quite shallow, when the heat comes, mulch them with straw or grass clippings - this will also prolong the flowering period. If they are still blooming in August, do not forget to cut off the seed boxes, and flowering will continue throughout the fall.
- Do you want to extend the spring? Then leave the violas to winter. We assure you, this is not a joke! Plant seedlings towards the end of summer - they will bloom all autumn, during winter thaws, even next spring!
- This culture boasts an extremely healthy heredity: its ancestors are field violet tricolor and forest yellow. In fact, modern garden pansies are perennials and, if covered for the winter, live for several years, although most often we treat them as annuals and ruthlessly pull them out of the ground with the onset of heat.
- If you plant them from August 15 to September 10, then Wittrock violets will take root perfectly, decorate your garden not only in autumn, but also next spring. After overwintering, they will bloom in early spring, will bloom throughout March, April, and especially magnificently in May.
- Small-flowered varieties tolerate wintering especially well. Classic colors (gold, purple, white and yellow with spots) winter better than trendy oranges, reds, pinks and pastels.
- If you decide to plant violas in the fall, leave them to winter in the garden, find a place protected from the wind, provide them with well-drained soil, such as a high bed along the wall or some other shelter. Wind, land with poor drainage will kill overwintering plants. Plant them in the ground at least a month before the onset of frost, so that the roots have time to adapt by the beginning of winter.
- We recommend planting pansies mixed with tulip or daffodil bulbs - in spring your garden will have an exquisite carpet.
- The best shelter for pansies is snow cover. If the winter turns out to be cold, but with little snow, cover the plants with mulch, for example, coniferous spruce branches. Fallen leaves should not be used for this purpose - they absorb too much moisture, crush, and damage plants.
- If you live in the northern regions, you want to plant these flowers in the fall, even leave them for the winter, find out in advance if the nursery has the viola seedlings you need. If this does not appear, germinate the seeds of suitable varieties yourself. They should be germinated in the middle of summer. Prepare a cool place (cellar), get to work.
- You can wait until autumn, sow the seeds in a cold greenhouse or protected bed, and transplant seedlings in open ground in early spring. In autumn, you will not wait for flowering, but from early spring, violas will decorate your garden.
- As a rule, "pansies" do not have problems with pests. True, sometimes, when it is dry, hot, red mites appear. It is necessary to treat the plants with any insecticidal soap solution.
Video about the care, planting and reproduction of pansies.
