by Bronwynne Bailey
The growers are getting ready for a busy fall season. What should you plant? In my opinion, pansies and violas are a great option. These whimsical flowers were imported from Europe in the 18th century. Viola flowers are smaller than their pansy cousins—about the size of a nickel—but much more abundant. Violas also tend to be more heat and cold tolerant giving them an extended blooming season. The range of colors is not as extensive as pansies but the traditional solid colors are available along with mixes like Penny Citrus Mix – a fun orange, yellow, and white combo.
Pansies are viola hybrids, officially known as Violax wittrockiana, with a complex ancestry that includes several species. They’re short-lived perennials but are used as annuals most commonly. Similar to pansies and offered in garden centers at the same time are Johnny jump-ups (Viola tricolor) and Viola “Jackanapes.” Both have hardiness similar to pansies. If the bloom has four petals pointing upward, and one petal pointing downward, it is a pansy. If the flower has two petals pointing upward and three pointing downward, it is a viola. Violas are smaller than pansies, and they bloom abundantly.
Colors and Varieties
Matrix pansies provide a wide range of options for gardeners. Many have the traditional blotch, a dark coloration on the lower petals, which resembles a face. Other groups of Matrix flowers have the clear colors. These flowers don’t have a blotch and flash pure color. These pansies have freely branching growth habits and will about eight inches tall and wide. When massed together they create a lush carpet of color. There are 35 pansy colors or blends to choose from, so there should be a color to suit every palette and color combination. Remember to use them in combination with color from other cool-season plants like dianthus, flowering kale, and cabbage, Red Giant mustard and snapdragons, and spring flowering bulbs like daffodils or tulips.
Growth Habits
The viola can easily thrive from Thanksgiving all of the way through Easter.
Soil Preferences
They tolerate a variety of soils, but the soil should be loose and hold moisture.
Planting Depth & Spacing
Pansies like full or partial sun but need cooler temperatures to thrive. The ideal planting site will get morning sun but avoid the heat of the late afternoon. Space the plants 7 to 12 inches apart. They will spread about 9 to 12 inches and grow to be about 6 to 9 inches tall. Maintain a layer of mulch to keep soil temperatures moderate.
Watering
The plants need plenty of moisture to fuel their fast growth.
Fertilizing
Incorporate 2 pounds of a slow-release, 12-6-6 fertilizer per 100 square feet of bed space.
Pruning
When winter pansies are in bloom, you can remove spent flower heads by pinching them with your fingernails or trimming the stem back with clean, sharp pruners. This allows the plant to focus energy on new flower production. If the plant becomes leggy, cut back by one third to promote regrowth.
Propagation
Pansies are grown from seeds. Pansies can be directly seeded into your flower garden. However, I recommend an early indoor start six to eight weeks before November. Seeds germinate slowly, usually in 10 to 20 days.
When choosing your plants, healthy pansies are compact, exhibit minimal leaf yellowing and probably show fewer blooms while in the packs because they’re younger plants. Despite the lack of color at the time of purchase, these are the plants you want. When you find packs that look good, pop a few plants out and look at the roots, they should be white, not brown, and should be well developed throughout the soil plug. Garden centers often sell old, stretched out plants at a discount, but resist the temptation to buy them.
Fun Fact: Pansy comes from the French word pensée which means thought.
