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Pansy

Its bold shape of the flowers is very similar to the violet. The majority of gardeners grow this plant as a biennial culture. Pansies are particularly prized for abundant flowering in early spring, when a carpet of velvet petals of different fancy colors pleasing to the eye.

With this flower in different Nations associated signs and legends. Pansy was considered almost a love potion – is just to sprinkle them with the juice forever sleeping, and he will love whom the first sees upon waking. In France and in Poland, these flowers give before a long separation. The British declare their love by sending his beloved Pansy.

For early and profuse flowering this crop is planted in two terms, substituting the later annuals. Flowers grow equally well in North and South regions can be grown and bloom in two shifts – in the spring and autumn. Modern breeders growers have created exclusively for ornamental varieties and hybrids with exotic color, different from the traditional yellow and purple colors.

The content of the article:


What sort of pansies to choose?

Professionals distinguish 2 categories of varieties of this plant:

  • Grandiflora, with large flower diameter up to 10 cm;
  • Small-flowered with many colors of small diameter up to 6 cm.

Typically, the growers seek to acquire and grow the large-flowered pansies. But from experience it appears that most are strong and hardy varieties with small flowers. They seem to tolerate the rainy season and changes in temperature. The abundance of small flowers on a single plant gives no less striking effect than the single large flowers.

In regions with cold climate is preferable to grow varieties of Pansy with small flowers, although I must give credit to the large-flowered species in the South they have recently in the lead. It is not always justified, asin the southern regions in hot weather blossoms large-flowered varieties are shrinking. However, there is the risk of planting small-flowered variety, and to receive from him by the end of season shrub with tiny buds. Given this feature pansies for decorating flower beds urban landscapers choose plants with large flowers. They look more ornamental in containers and hanging pots.


Varieties of pansies

Under the name "Pansy" mean garden variety of this plant, or violet Pansy. The basis of its origin are species such as viola tricolor, violet Altai and violet yellow. Breeding work allowed to create from this the genetic material of many varieties and serogroup.

Small-flowered varieties

  • The snow maiden – is a variety with white flowers with a diameter of 3-4 cm;

  • Little red riding hood – a variety with bright red flowers with a diameter of 3.5-4 cm;

  • Blue boy – blue variety with blue flowers with a diameter of 3-4 cm.

Large-flowered varieties

  • Winter sun – Bush height of 20 cm, variety with bright yellow flowers that have a velvety dark brown spot on the lower 3 petals. Flower diameter – 5 cm, leg length – 8-10 cm

  • Ice king is a variety with white flowers with a greenish tinge, with 3 lower petals purple spots, on a long stalk, 5 cm in diameter, Bush height – 20 cm

  • Queen of heaven – a variety with pure blue color flowers with a diameter of 5 cm, with smooth edges, on the long leg to 11 see Bush Height – 20 cm

  • Magic Mar – is a variety with dark purple, almost black flowers to 5.5 cm in diameter, with velvety petals, peduncle up to 11 cm.

  • Jupiter – a variety with purple-violet at the base and white on top petals, on short pedicels to 8 cm

  • The evening heat is a variety with a brownish-red flowers and wavy edges of petals, up to 5.5 cm long, on a long peduncle to 10 cm Bush Height – 10-15 cm

    • Giant varieties

    • White is a cultivar with white flowers with a yellow-greenish tint up to 7 cm in diameter, with wavy edged petals, on long peduncle to 10 cm.

    • Blue – variety with violet-blue flowers, smooth edges of the flower with a diameter up to 7 cm, with long peduncle up to 11 cm the height of the Bush, 25 cm.

    • Golden-yellow – grade solid Golden yellow flowers with a diameter up to 7cm, peduncle up to 12 cm, Height of the shrub 20 cm


    When to plant Pansy?

    After you have selected the best, most decorative sort, you need to do the planting of seeds. For those who want to save time and effort, on the plot is best planted ready seedlings. But much more interesting to grow flowers on their own, watching their growth and development.

    To see your garden blooming pansies in spring, germination should start in about 2.5-3 months before transplanting in the ground, that is, even in the winter. This flower has a high resistance to low temperatures, so you can plan for planting seedlings in the ground 2-3 weeks before the probable date of the last frost. How to install it? To look at last year's weather archive, specify the date of the last frost, count back from her 3 months ago and start this day of the current year the germination of seeds.

    Later, the sprouting is the most common mistake Amateur gardeners. Pansies grow well in conditions of reduced temperature. Seed germination most successful carried out at a temperature of +18°C. Great danger to seedlings represent flower pests – thrips. Therefore, the room where he kept the bulbs of gladiolus, most often infected by thrips, are unsuitable for germination of seeds of pansies.

    Growers practiced podzimny sowing seeds of pansies, done in July, right in the open ground. Sprouts appear in 1-2 weeks, they need to cover from the scorching summer sun. You can plant seeds in the greenhouse in January, where they are lightly sprinkled with soil. The optimum day temperature for growth of seedlings– +16+18°C, at night– +10+15°C, and moderate soil moisture. For permanent summer, the seedlings are planted in the fall, winter and spring.


    How to plant Pansy?

    Seeds laid on moistened surface of the soil ready for flower seedlings, sprinkle the crops with a thin layer of sand or vermiculite. For a friendly germination of the seeds they need to protect from the action of daylight.

    A week later, the first shoots, up to this point the soil in the seedling container slightly moistened. Watering is best carried out through the pallet, and a box to cover the top with foil to create the required humidity. Mini-teplichku should be aired to help the plants grow.

    A container of sproutsput in a cool, well-lighted place. Better if it is a greenhouse solar heating or bed protected from the cold. The abundance of light and temperature close to +13+16°C, do not allow young plants to stretch.

    Sprouting seeds at home requires highlighting a fluorescent light and a cool location. Seedlings at the age of 30 days are transplanted into pots, which, with the temperature not below +5°C bring to the open air.

    Hardening seedlings to better adapt starting at the age of 10-11 weeks in the greenhouse. At frosts garden bed covered with straw or an additional layer has lutrasil.


    Grow and care for pansies

    Flowering plants can be obtained in spring, summer and late autumn. This Pansy is propagated by planting their seeds and cuttings from may to September-October. For flowering in early spring the plants are sown in the previous summer. In the North-West of the country, at the latitude of Murmansk and St. Petersburg, planting in mid to late July in the open ground nurseries. This technique does not allow the plants to bloom before their time, does not develop to term.

    Early sowing in late may – early June leads to the fact that seedlings bloom before the onset of winter, weaken, and die vypivaet. Delay the timing of planting is fraught with the fact that Pansy go for the winter weak and underdeveloped. Sickly plants in the spring can't get over, to bounce back after winter, long bloom.

    Although Pansy is quite hardy plants, dry and severe winter affects them is detrimental. Even worse for the plants during early spring thaws and night frosts. This files most often killed landing, located in damp places with stagnant melt water. Winter should be the snow retention in the beds with perennials.

    When sown in hotbeds sow the seeds of flowers not a lot, shoots appear after 1-2 weeks. Them watered, loosen the aisle, dive on the wintering grounds or on the bed at a distance of 20x20. In a belated swordplay plants remain stretched and weak.

    Once the plant has taken its permanent place on a decorative flowerbed, planting loosened and watered. The fertilizer is superphosphate and ammonium nitrate at a dosage of 25-40 g/m2. Fresh manure antinym eyes contraindicated. To not been getting shallower varieties and hybrids with giant flowers on dry, sandy soil, they are fed with organic matter (humus and compost) at a dosage of 5 kg/ m2.

    No less important is the lighting of plants, as in the shade they bloom not as bright and abundant as in the sun. Flowers at welllighted plants are larger than specimens grown in partial shade. Summer pansies can be removed, replacing annuals.

    For seeds of plants with desirable traits are transferred to the seed bed regularly watered. To get purebred plants, fallopian instances are isolated from each other to avoid cross pollination. Seeds are harvested when yellowing pods, to drying and cracking.

    The conduct of pansies in annual crop sow them in March in seedling containers. Followed by swordplay in greenhouse (April) and planting in the ground (may). In the summer of that year the plants bloom, but flower size and profusion of flowering will not be as pronounced as when podzimnih sowing.

    To pansies bloomed in the fall, sow them in late April – early may. Flowering occurs in 55-70 days, depending on the variety of features.


    Useful tips gardeners

    If you leave Pansy, seedlings which are planted in July, for the winter, you can count on autumn flowering and the appearance of flowers during the thaw, in early spring.

    Tips on caring for plants:

    • Careful shelter of pansies for the winter will help keep them for several years. These plants, in fact, are perennials, as happened from the field and woodland violets. Modern cultivation of pansies traditionally prescribes to destroy them with the onset of summer, as the faded annuals.
    • Pansies planted in the middle lane from mid-August to early September, will bloom from late autumn until may the following year with a break for the winter.
    • Best winter varieties tolerate with traditional color (purple, gold, yellow and white spotted) than the modern varieties of red, pink and pastel colors.
    • For successful wintering select high-drained garden bed with shelter from the cold wind. For the adaptation of roots to early frosts, the plants are planted a month before sustained cold snap.
    • To obtain the fine spring flower beds in autumn planted pansies mixed with the bulbs of daffodils and tulips.
    • With little snow in winter, plants lose their natural snow cover, so they are covered with spruce branches pine trees. Fallen leaves are not suitable for shelter, as they are non-hygroscopic and can mash the plants.
    • The inhabitants of Northern regions, in the absence of the desired seedlings in the nursery,in the middle of the summer to start growing any of the varieties. To store planting materials during the harsh winter will have in the cellar.
    • Alternative to the previous method – the sowing seed in the autumn in a cold greenhouse or sheltered garden bed in the spring and transplanting the flower seedlings in the open ground. Autumn flowering to fail, but in the early spring in the flower garden are full of plants.

    Occasionally on anythinig eyes appear pests are red mites that plague plants during the heat and dry weather. Get rid of them by applying for processing soap insecticide.

    Reproduction of pansies

    For a large number of planting material while retaining the characteristics of varieties and hybrids, use reproduction green cuttings in the open ground. For this simple and effective way in 2-3 doses cut end-green shoots with 2-3 node. Lying to collect cuttings from may to July. To grow plants from cuttings using low beds, located in a humid shaded place. The soil is tightly tamped, poured over them.

    The cuttings are planted with a high density – up to 400 pieces per m2, so that they touch the leaves. Planting depth – 0.5 cm, be sure to carry out spraying of crops. For moisturizing and better rooting cuttings is covered with paper that abundantly moistened.

    Landing daily watered, sprayed, as necessary, weed the weeds. Over 95% of the cuttings with such care rooted in 3-4 weeks. If the cuttings to be held in may-June, in the summer or autumn of the same year the plants bloom. Later cuttings gives plants that bloom in the spring of next year.

    After rooting, the cuttings are transplanted into a flower bed or on a bed for growing. If the cuttings were held later (in August), the young plants are not transplanted, leaving at the same place. In the winter they are covered over the leaf litter, and transplanting is carried out in the spring.

    One mother plant gives one time to 10 cuttings per season – 35-40 pieces. Cutting cuttings from the mother plants rejuvenates the hybrid, not allowing to grow.


    Possible problems when growing pansies

    In addition to mites, pests of pansies can be a scoop or aphids, against which effective systemic medications.

    Main diseases:

    • Powdery mildew;
    • Black leg;
    • Rootrot;
    • Stem rot;
    • Spotting.

    And the diseases and pests rarely disturb vegetation and abundant flowering of this hardy plant is grown in flowerbeds and rock gardens, in hanging pots and balcony boxes.