Are pansies afraid of spring frosts? Choosing a place for flowers

Pansies (viola) planting, growing and care

The scientific name for this amazing plant violet, which is really very beautiful and completely unpretentious. Pansies come in different colors: white, orange, blue, yellow, etc. In general, growing these flowers is a pleasure.

Well, judge for yourself, the plant is unpretentious, flowering begins in early spring and ends in autumn. But there are modern varieties that bloom until frost, and the flowers themselves are quite large. The violet grows in the form of a compact or semi-spreading bush, the height of which is no more than 40 cm.

Pansies look good in flower beds, on alpine hills, and can be grown around bushes and trees. The viola flower looks no less beautiful on balconies and windows. If you decide to opt for these amazing beautiful flowers, then growing and caring for them will give you great pleasure.

Pansies: cultivation and care

Before you start planting viola, you need to decide on the planting location. It is important to choose a bright place with fertile, loamy soil.

Of course, pansies can also tolerate partial shade, but in this case the flowers will not be as bright as we would like, and they will also be small. In addition, although there will be flowering in partial shade, it will not be very abundant. When I was looking for information about growing pansies, I found conflicting information.

Some wrote that viola does not tolerate frost well, while others, on the contrary, argued that viola flowers are considered frost-resistant. Although, if the winter was snowy, then the viola flower will easily survive the winter, but if severe frosts, dream big amount snow, the plant may disappear, however, like any other plants. Viola flowers love moisture, however, if you decide to plant in a lowland, this will have a negative effect on the plant. In the lowlands, pansies suffer from waterlogging.

But if there is not enough moisture, then the viola flowers will be small, and in general, flowering may stop completely. Judging by the above, caring for pansies consists of proper and regular watering. Of course, care methods such as weeding and loosening the soil should not be neglected. It is very important to regularly water viola flowers during dry summers.

Viola planting, growing and care

Growing viola is most often done by seeds, but sometimes they resort to propagation by shoots. Usually, viola blooms the next year and in this case, if you want to get more early flowering next spring, then the seeds are sown in open ground at the end of June, beginning of July. Seedlings appear in about 2 weeks. At the end of August, you can start picking seedlings, planting the plants at a distance of 20 cm from each other.

If you plant a little earlier, then the viola may bloom in the fall, which will have an adverse effect on wintering; such plants will have a very difficult time withstanding frost. It is advisable to cover the young plantings with a layer of mulch in the winter to avoid the seedlings from bulging out in the spring. If you want In order for pansies to bloom this year, then planting can be done through seedlings. In February, seeds are sown in containers prepared for planting.

First, the soil is moistened and the seeds are placed. When the viola seeds are planted, be sure to cover the box with oilcloth and place it in a warm and dark place. Shoots appear within a week, maybe a little more.

After 20 days you can start picking, and you can plant them in open ground in early May. With this method of planting violas, flowering can be expected at the end of the month.

Pansies: growing by cuttings

I did not use this method of reproduction, as it seemed a little labor-intensive to me. However, it is good to use if you have seen beautiful variety pansies from a neighbor, and you really wanted to see such flowers on your site. To grow flowers with green cuttings, take planting material from an adult plant.

Choose any parts of the plant where there are 2-3 nodes, when the planting material is ready, plant them in a shaded place. There is no need to deepen the seedlings; 0.5 cm of depth is enough.

It is also very important to plant the viola cuttings very close to each other so that they touch. Young seedlings take root within 3-4 weeks. If seedlings are planted early, flowering can begin in late August or early September.

With more late breeding, then beautiful and abundant flowering awaits you next spring. When the seedlings have taken root, they can be transplanted to permanent place residence. Before the onset of frost, do not forget to cover the plantings.

Pansies (viola) care, feeding.

Viola care also includes regular feeding. More precisely, 2 feedings are carried out per season. The first feeding is carried out when the budding period begins with fertilizers such as nitrophoska and Agricola.

Fertilizers are diluted according to the instructions. The second fertilizing is carried out when flowering is in full swing. For the second feeding, Agricola-7 fertilizer is used.

There are many legends and superstitions around the viola. The French consider the flower a symbol of death, and the Germans associate it with an evil stepmother. The Slavs believe in a legend according to which a poor girl Anyuta fell in love with a guy from a rich family, and he abandoned her before the wedding.

Anyuta died without ever coming to terms with the loss, and beautiful flowers grew on her grave, which were popularly called pansies. Despite sad stories, the cultivation of this flower is practiced by gardeners all over the world.

Viola is a decoration for a dacha, garden, balcony, with many colors, shapes and sizes.

What are the types and varieties of viola?

Decorating a flower bed with viola flowers Among the variety of varieties of Wittrock violets, the most popular are plants that meet the following requirements:

have spectacular colors; adapted to the climate; resistant to diseases.

There are early flowering and late flowering plants. There are species that bloom throughout the summer - horned violet and tricolor violet. Spring flower stalks include Altai viola, capillary viola, and Labrador viola.

Late-flowering plants include graceful viola. Trimardo flower (Wittrock's viola) Within species, subspecies and varieties of Wittrock's viola are distinguished according to the predominant shades, flower size, and shape. The most popular variety groups are:

"Trimardo". Includes varieties: Adonis ( turquoise flowers), Lord Beaconsfield (blue-violet color with white upper petals), Cardinal (dark red flowers with darkening in the middle), Morenkönig (black).
Hemalis flower (Wittrock's viola) "Hemalis" winter varieties: Helios ( lemon color), Himelskenigin (sky blue shade), Jupiter (red-violet flowers with white upper petals), Mars (blue shade with darkening of the middle), Nardpol (white).
Large-flowered "Swiss"- flower diameter up to 8 cm. Includes varieties: Rococo (terry viola of various shades),
Flower Viola Vitrac Swiss Red Riding Hood (bright red flowers with darkening in the middle).
Viola horned has varieties: Altona (beige colour), Underland(purple hue) Bluewunder(dark blue flower), Bambini(a characteristic difference is the presence of a yellow spot with highlighted veins, see photo). Viola fragrant. Varieties: Charlotte (purple), Red Charm(scarlet shade), Triumph(large flowers of different colors).

The latest achievement of selection was the ampelous viola. The plant is intended for growing in hanging planters, on the balcony, as it forms a voluminous ball with many colors.

The ampelous violet tolerates cold well, is unpretentious, and after planting the seeds in the ground, it begins to bloom in 14-15 weeks. Growing this species is practically no different from propagating the Wittrock flower. Ampel violet is suitable for decorating flower beds, alpine slides, flowerpots and hanging pots (see photo).

What soil to prepare for seedlings

Wittrock's violet loves loamy soil, well fed and constantly moist. The plant does not tolerate:

stagnation of moisture; lack of sun; fresh organic fertilizer.

A substrate made of loamy soils with the addition of mature humus is suitable for the flower. The soil for planting is drained, loosened, without adding humus, fertilized with ammonium nitrate or superphosphate. The latest development of breeders is growing seedlings at home on peat tablets.

Peat is ideal for viola, as it does not retain moisture, retains heat, and contains nutrients. Growing violets in peat tablets provides high level seedling survival, drainage, nutrients and soil moisture. To grow a garden beauty in peat pots from seeds, you need to soak the tablets in water. When the peat swells, place the seeds on top and lightly cover with soil. (see video)

At home, seed germination is carried out in a dark place, covered with polyethylene to create a greenhouse effect.

How to plant viola seeds

Cultivation of delicate violets begins in January-February, depending on the variety. To grow viola from seeds, it will take several months of painstaking daily care for fragile seedlings. Seeds are harvested from August.

After flowering, small capsules are formed, which dry out as the seeds ripen. You should hurry so that the boxes do not crack. A sign of ripe seeds is that the capsule turns upward.

The collected grains are cleaned, dried and stored in the refrigerator.

Seeds are sown in the ground in February-March in a greenhouse or containers for seedlings. When is the best time to plant viola depends on the variety and its flowering time. For example, early flowering varieties should be sown in February in order to plant seedlings in open ground in April.

The grains are sown in the soil and lightly moistened with a spray bottle. Sprinkle the top with sand, peat, or light soil.

When shoots appear, the plants dive. Young shoots are planted quickly to prevent the stem from thinning and stretching. The picking distance is maintained at 20x20 cm. It is often practiced to plant seeds directly into separate pots.

With the onset of summer, pots of seedlings are placed on a balcony or flowerbed and cared for as usual.

Planting seedlings and care

In April-May, viola seedlings are planted in open ground. Flowers like partial shade, but can also be planted in sunny places. In the sun, the flowers grow large, but fade 2 times faster.

The flowers of the plant are cross-pollinated, so varieties should be planted at a distance from each other. Basic care:

daily watering; fertilizing with mineral fertilizers every 2-3 weeks; weeding; covering for the winter with sawdust and spruce branches.

The main plant diseases are:

Growing viola on the balcony and in the garden: important care rules

Viola (garden violet) is a plant that novice amateur gardeners should get to know. Viola flowers look like bright summer butterflies, with wings in red, blue, yellow, white, and black shades.

Some varieties, planted in groups, resemble funny faces from afar. If you look at such a flower up close, you can clearly see a bright yellow eye in its center, framed by cilia.

For this similarity, some violas (or, more precisely, tricolor violets and Wittrock violas) are popularly called pansies. To begin with, to grow such a miracle on your balcony or in the garden, you need to purchase seedlings or grow violas from seeds yourself. And then, so that the viola blooms and delights you all summer and autumn, you need to learn how to properly care for it. Read on for all the details about growing viola on the balcony and in the garden.

Viola character: what conditions are necessary for growth and flowering?

If you want to know how to grow viola, then pay attention to its character. Pansies are a problem-free plant that blooms profusely on balconies and flower beds. Viola is not capricious, but you also need to be able to find an approach to it. Caring for viola involves observing the following factors:

1. Lighting and temperature

Abundant flowering of viola is possible only with good lighting. She relates positively to diffused sunlight and direct rays. But! There must be moderation in everything.

If the summer in your region is hot, then the viola will fade in the midday sun. The viola treats the spring midday rays favorably, but the summer ones are too hot for it. Therefore, if a hot summer is predicted, do not plant viola in open sunny areas.

Southern balconies are also not suitable. Or rather, the viola will grow and even bloom, but only until the heat sets in, on average until July.

Later, you will have to get rid of the bushes, since their decorative value will disappear (there will be no flowering, the leaves will turn yellow and dry out). The best place for pansies is sunny areas, but with shading during the midday hours. Morning or evening direct sunlight will only benefit the viola.

That is, ideally, violas need partial shade, with a lot of diffused light. In this case, the leaves remain juicy, green, and do not fade until autumn. The flowers do not shrink (this often happens when viola is grown in the shade, without direct sunlight).

You will get a win-win growing result by planting viola in openwork shade young tree. Or near any screen (fence, bush, flower planting), casting a shadow on the viola at midday.

Western and eastern balconies are also suitable. Viola develops well in cool conditions. Ideal temperatures for it are 10-25°C. It can withstand, without loss of decorativeness, short-term cold down to 3-5°C.

But heat has a bad effect on viola, so often in hot summers (especially when grown in sunny areas) there is a break in flowering. A second wave of flowering is possible in this case, but only in the fall.

2. Watering

Viola does not tolerate prolonged drying. Therefore, you need to water it often, without waiting until the soil near the roots turns to stone. But you shouldn’t create swamps either! Viola is very picky about the amount of moisture consumed.

If there is too much of it, the roots of the plant begin to rot and rot, and the viola dies.

3. Feeding

In order for the viola to bloom all summer, it needs regular feeding. When growing viola on a balcony, that is, in closed ground, it is necessary to fertilize the soil every week. If flowers grow in open ground (on a plot), the frequency of fertilizing can be reduced to once every 3-4 weeks.

Viola: planting and care at home

Viola at home develops best on open, sunny balconies. It’s worse on glazed balconies and loggias. Some gardeners manage to grow violas even on window sills, but in this case the window must be constantly open.

Availability large quantity light and fresh air- an essential component for growing any garden plant. Viola develops well in closed ground in the presence of fresh air and plenty of light. Viola is planted at home in flower pots and balcony boxes. Ampel forms - in hanging baskets, flowerpots, tall flowerpots on a leg.

Any chosen container must have drainage holes. Hanging varieties of viola look impressive in hanging baskets. Since the roots of violas are prone to rotting, when planting, special attention should be paid to a good drainage layer. To do this, pour a layer of drainage material (expanded clay, brick shards, polystyrene) at least 2-3 cm thick onto the bottom of the selected container.

Soil is poured on top - it must be loose, moisture-permeable and breathable. Maintain a distance of 10-15 cm between the violas, otherwise strong specimens will oppress the weak and push them out of the composition. Viola seedlings are planted at a distance of 10-15 cm from each other, while on Each plant specimen must be allocated at least 1-2 liters of soil. When growing violas indoors, you need to ensure regular watering. On hot summer days, watering should be done 2 times a day - in the morning and in the evening. The first fertilizing is applied 2 weeks after transplanting into the ground.

Next, you need to fertilize the violas at home every week. Any mineral complex fertilizer for flowering plants is suitable for fertilization. During hot days, a viola in a pot may lose its decorative look.

Most often, the stems turn yellow and dry, the bush falls apart, flowering becomes less abundant, the flowers fade and decrease in size. Then the viola needs to be pruned. Usually it is shortened by half the length of the stems.

But if the bush has already lost all decorative value, pruning can be done radically, leaving 5-6 cm from the branches (leaves must remain on them!). In just 2-2.5 weeks, the viola bush will grow with young shoots and bloom. Pruning violas and subsequent flowering: “before and after” photos

Pansies: care in open ground

Therefore, it is better not to take risks and time the planting of seedlings to coincide with warm and sunny spring days. The distance between viola bushes is 10-15 cm. It is useful to throw a handful of baking powder (vermiculite, perlite, sand) into each hole dug under the plant, especially if the soil on the site is dense .Feeding for violas growing in the garden can be applied once every 1-4 weeks.

On some soils, flowers require fertilization every week, on others - once a month. This depends on the initial fertility of the soil.

Viola in winter: a few nuances about wintering viola

In winter, it is advisable to cover violas growing in the garden with spruce branches or dry leaves, and in early spring– open to avoid damping out. Flowering of plants of the second year of life begins in April, at the same time as crocuses. Violas grown indoors overwinter differently.

Usually they life cycle ends in autumn, with the onset of frost. However, if you want to save the plant for next year, then why not?

You can proceed in one of two ways: Option #1. Violas are dug out of pots and planted in the ground in August-September. Before frost, the plant will have time to take root and acclimatize.

2-3 weeks before the expected frost, it is advisable not to allow such violas to bloom, so as not to weaken them. For the winter, you should cover the plants with spruce branches or leaves. Option number 2. Bring the pot of viola into a cool, bright room.

For example, on an insulated balcony or veranda. Optimal temperature wintering 5-15°C. In the spring, the remaining mother bushes are cut and new young plants are grown.

Growing viola seedlings

Viola, better known as pansy, is hardy and completely easy to care for. Its bright color will decorate any flower garden, so flower growers are very willing to plant this flower.

In sunny areas, viola blooms profusely; in partial shade its flowers become somewhat smaller. However, buy ready seedlings Every spring it is quite expensive, so many people grow viola seedlings on their own. It should be taken into account that this plant is biennial and, when sown with seeds, will bloom only in the second year.

When to plant viola seedlings

Having bought several bags of bright viola, pay attention to the fact that this flower is sown in the summer. Many inexperienced gardeners make the mistake of sowing viola in the spring and expect to receive lush flowering her in the summer.

This is a biennial crop, so it is important to know when to plant viola seedlings. In June-July, a place is allocated in the flower garden for sowing pansy seeds. The seeds are pre-treated with a growth accelerator. The seeds are buried 0.5 cm into the groove, sprinkled with earth without lumps.

The soil is carefully spilled with water, trying not to wash away the sowing area. It is useful to mulch the sowing area with fine sawdust, which will retain moisture in the soil. After 2 weeks, seedlings will appear; they must be shaded from the sun with a dark film, which is removed after two weeks.

By August, the seedlings will have grown and can be transplanted to a permanent location. From such planting material The result is plants with lush and long-lasting flowering, which is impossible to achieve from viola grown from seeds in seedlings. Caring for viola seedlings grown in open ground involves insulating them with straw or spruce branches before winter.

This “cover” will protect the plant’s root system from freezing. In the spring, young plants are fed with a solution of complex fertilizer twice - before the formation of buds and at the beginning of flowering. The use of fresh manure is unacceptable, as this provokes the disease “black leg”.

Growing viola seedlings from seeds

In regions with harsh climates, planting viola seedlings from seeds becomes the only way to grow this flower. The complexity of this method of growing viola lies in the need to create a number of conditions:

Additional lighting; Compliance temperature regime;Selection of optimal soil.

At the end of February - beginning of March, you can sow viola for seedlings at home. The seeds must first be soaked in a solution of Zircon, Epin or EM-1. this will speed up seed germination and make the seedlings more resistant to pathogens. The optimal substrate for growing viola is made from peat, the pH of which is 5.5-5.8.

There is no need to add fertilizers to such soil; viola seedlings need to be fed in the phase of formation of two true leaves. To obtain good seedlings an important condition is to create drainage in the container. Sow viola seeds for seedlings on top of a moistened substrate, sprinkling them with a thin layer of vermiculite.

Cover the container before emergence plastic film or a piece of glass. This will speed up seed germination. Periodically, the cover must be removed for ventilation, which will avoid the formation of fungus in the soil.

If you use cups for growing, you need to sow 3-4 seeds in each of them. After germination, the strongest and most well-developed sprout is left in the glass, removing the rest. When growing in containers, viola seedlings are planted twice.

The plants are planted for the first time when two true leaves have formed. The second picking is carried out at 5 weeks of age. For this, separate pots are used, the diameter of which does not exceed 10 cm.

If plants are planted in large seedling boxes, it is important to maintain a distance between plants of about 6 cm. Unheated greenhouses in a summer cottage are suitable for growing seedlings. Since viola seedlings are sown in peat soil without fertilizers, the first fertilizing is done after three weeks. For this, use any mineral fertilizers, pouring the solution under the root.

Then fertilizing is repeated every month. You also need to be careful with watering. Water should be directed right to the root, avoiding drops falling on the leaves. Grown viola seedlings are planted in open ground in mid-May, when return frosts are not expected. When transplanting to the bottom of a hole 5 cm deep, you need to pour a handful of sand as drainage and plant pansy seedlings with a lump of earth.

The distance between plantings should be about 10-15 cm. For larger plants with big flowers the distance between the bushes is 20 cm. The seedlings are watered abundantly at the root and lightly shaded for several days.

Sand will allow water to quickly go deep into the soil without forming stagnation. This reduces the risk of viola disease with blackleg. This is the basic scheme for growing pansies. But how to grow healthy viola seedlings so that they don’t stretch out in a container on the windowsill?

Since sowing is carried out in the early stages, the seedlings need to be illuminated, for which they use ordinary fluorescent lamps or phytolamps, which are classified as special lighting fixtures. Viola requires at least 14-16 hours of daylight.

The growth regulator Alar somewhat limits the growth of seedlings, but subject to the use of additional lighting. As for the temperature regime, 18-30 degrees Celsius is required for seed germination. Deviation in any direction negatively affects the germination of viola seeds. Even an increase in temperature to 23 degrees causes viola seedlings to be delayed for up to one month.

By variety and richness color range this culture has no equal. Pansies - growing seedlings - these are the main stages of work, not always easy for beginning gardeners. Despite their fragile appearance and touching name, pansies (violas) cannot be classified as sissies and prudes. They are suitable for cultivation throughout Russia. Violas are planted in gardens and front gardens, and they decorate parks and city streets. All this makes them a real hit in spring flower beds.

Their appearance distinguished by exquisite panache, especially in early spring, when they decorate the garden with rich strokes. Another name for these flowers is viola.

The richness of colors, winter hardiness, compactness - this is what makes this crop so attractive. It is not without reason that 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 and look great on their own in containers, hanging flowerpots, and baskets. Winter-hardy ones have been bred hybrid varieties that tolerate hot and cold weather. So viola can be planted in spring, summer, and autumn. But what is especially pleasant is that this culture is extremely unpretentious.

White perfection - Weiss variety, photo

Thanks to the tireless work of breeders, flowers become more diverse every year. Don't believe me? Visit your local seed store or order from a catalog online. Along with the classic purple, white, and yellow ones, you will find new varieties of violas in different tones - pink, orange, pastel shades. Most of them are still decorated with the characteristic spots that give them their "pansy" appearance. unique charm, but there are monochromatic ones, so to speak, with “clean faces”.

In addition, varieties have been bred with upward-facing flowers on a short stem. Such violas are much more noticeable in a flowerbed than those looking down. It is also important that they can withstand bad weather better.

Which type of pansy to choose

Seed breeders and sellers divide them into two categories:

varieties with large flowers are large-flowered;
varieties with small flowers are multi-flowered.

The largest flowers reach a diameter of 10 cm, the small ones - about 6 cm, and the rest - somewhere in between.

They sprout on their own, minimal care - self-seeding, photo

When choosing a variety of pansies, you should not think that what more flower, all the better. Experience shows that the hardiest, strongest plants have small flowers. In addition, small multi-flowered varieties are better adapted to rainy weather and temperature changes. Although their flowers are small, there are many of them. So the overall effect is brighter than from the same number of bushes with large flowers.

Experience shows that where the climate is colder, small-flowered varieties win. But small-flowered violas also became leaders in the south. In fairness, it should be admitted that in the south the large-flowered plants have one interesting feature: The hotter the weather, the smaller the pansies become. Thus, by planting small-flowered varieties in the spring, by the end of the season you will receive very small flowers. That's why large-flowered violas traditionally predominate in 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 has been chosen. You can follow the line of least resistance, and at the same time save a lot of time - buy seedlings, bring them home, plant them in your dacha or plot.

However, if you prefer to germinate the seeds yourself, then know: in order to have pansies in your garden this spring, you will have to get down to business in the winter. It will take two and a half, or even three months for the germinated seed to turn into seedlings that 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 last season, when the last frost happened, count three months back from this date - and get down to business.

Dynamite Orange, photo

The most common mistake amateur gardeners make is that they start germinating seeds too late. Remember that these flowers like cool weather, because they were never tropical plants.

The ideal temperature for seed germination is relatively low: 18°C. You should not germinate them where you dried or stored gladioli bulbs. Gladioli 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 Kuban) in open ground, the seeds are lightly sprinkled with soil. 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 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 and sprinkle them with a thin layer of vermiculite or sand. Pansy seeds do not germinate in the light.

Until the shoots appear (usually this happens after about a week), moisten the soil, but not too much. If possible, water through a drip tray. To retain moisture, you can cover the box with film, just do not forget to provide ventilation, otherwise cold-loving plants will simply cook under such cover.

As soon as the seeds germinate, place the box where it is light and cool - so that the seedlings do not grow too long and skinny. A cold greenhouse or a protected bed is perfect for this purpose: 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 place. Place the box next to the light source, but no closer than 5 cm. After a month, transplant the seedlings into pots. As soon as the air temperature reaches +5°C, take the pots outside during the day.

When the plants are 10-11 weeks old, begin 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

Thanks to winter hardiness and endurance, growing modern varieties of violas is not difficult. An open area and soil with good drainage is 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 soil is dense and damp, pansies will develop root rot. To avoid this misfortune, first put them on high bed.

What to feed? Of course, compost. They do not need any other fertilizer. If you don't have compost, use any other organic fertilizer with a relatively high content of phosphorus and potassium and a small amount of nitrogen.

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 weather gets hot, 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 pods, and the flowering will continue throughout the fall.

Do you want to extend 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 the tricolor field violet and the yellow forest violet. In fact, modern garden pansies belong to perennial plants and, if covered for the winter, they live for several years, although most often we treat them as annuals and, when the heat sets in, mercilessly pull them out of the ground by the roots.
If you plant them from August 15 to September 10, then Wittrock violets will take root well and decorate your garden not only in the fall, but also next spring. After overwintering, they will bloom in early spring, blooming throughout March, April, and especially magnificently in May.
Small-flowered varieties tolerate wintering especially well. Violki classic colors(golden, purple, white and yellow with spots) winter better than the newfangled orange, red, pink and pastel ones.
If you decide to plant violas in the fall and leave them to winter in the garden, find a place protected from the wind, provide them with well-drained soil, for example, a high bed along a wall or some other shelter. Wind, earth poor drainage overwintering plants will be destroyed. 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 the 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, pine spruce branches. You should not use fallen leaves for this purpose - they absorb too much moisture, they will crush and damage the plants.
If you live in the northern regions and want to plant these flowers in the fall, even leave them for the winter, find out in advance whether the nursery has the viola seedlings you need. If there is none, germinate the seeds suitable varieties yourself. They need to be germinated in mid-summer. Prepare cool place(cellar), get to work.
You can wait until autumn, sow the seeds in a cold greenhouse or protected bed, and transplant the seedlings into open ground in early spring. In the fall you won’t see any 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 and hot, red mites appear. It is necessary to treat the plants with any insecticidal soap solution.

Video about caring for, planting and propagating pansies.

(garden violet) is a plant that novice amateur gardeners should get to know. Viola flowers look like bright summer butterflies, with wings in red, blue, yellow, white, and black shades. Some varieties, planted in groups, resemble funny faces from afar. If you look at such a flower up close, you can clearly see a bright yellow eye in its center, framed by cilia. For this similarity, some violas (or, more precisely, tricolor violets and Wittrock violas) are popularly called pansies.

To begin with, to grow such a miracle on the balcony or in the garden, you need to purchase seedlings or yourself. And then, so that the viola blooms and delights you all summer and autumn, you need to learn how to properly care for it. Read on for all the details about growing viola on the balcony and in the garden.

If you want to know how to grow a viola, then pay attention to its character.

Pansies are a problem-free plant that bloom profusely on balconies and flower beds.

Viola is not capricious, but you also need to be able to find an approach to her. Caring for viola involves observing the following factors: