Planting pansies - the essentials from A to Z

The large-flowered garden pansy is the result of numerous crossings of several species of the genus violets (Viola) from the violet family (Violaceae). The small-flowered horned violet is closely related to it and comes from the same genus.

Are pansies annual or perennial?

The garden pansies are biennial, which means they bloom the following year after sowing. However, if you sow them by July, you can expect flowering as early as October of the same year.

Which location is suitable for pansies?

The pansies thrive - depending on the variety - in both sunny and partially shaded places.

Do pansies need special soil?

Pansies prefer a lime-poor, humus-rich, moist but not too wet soil. Commercially available garden soil is ideal for planting in the window boxes.

When and how do you plant?

You can buy pansies as early as the end of January / beginning of February and plant them in the window boxes (€ 106.25 at Amazon *) and tubs. For outdoor use, it is recommended to plant out in March-April, when permanent frost periods are no longer to be expected. For healthy growth, the following plant spacing should be observed:

for larger areas about 10 cm in a square
for planting balcony boxes or tubs approx. 5-10 cm

Can you propagate pansies yourself?

The pansies are propagated by seeds. Most of the varieties of this culture are F1 hybrids and therefore hardly suitable for seed production. Plants created by self-sowing often do not have the same flower color, persistence and abundance as the parent plants. For a certain flower color, buying seeds from specialist shops is recommended. If you don't decide on the color, self-sowing can provide enough new plants in suitable locations.

When do the pansies bloom?

The approximately 5 cm large flowers open between February and October, depending on the sowing time and the weather. The plants sown in autumn / winter are frost hardy and, with appropriate care, often bloom into midsummer.

How do you prefer the plants?

For a spring bloom, the pansies are preferred to cool in winter (up to a maximum of 10 ° C). For the summer bloom, the seeds are sown outdoors in summer. It should be ensured that the sowing is not too dense, otherwise the young plants will shoot up instead of growing bushy and compact, so prick out in good time if necessary.