PlantSowGrow
How to grow Pansy (Winter Flowering Mixed)
Viola × wittrockiana
Cheerful faces that flower through mild spells in winter and again strongly in spring — ideal for pots and window boxes.
At a glance: Sow mid June to mid July.
When to sow, plant and harvest
Timed for a typical UK garden (last frost mid-April). The app uses your own town's frost dates.
Growing Pansy (Winter Flowering Mixed): what it needs
- Light
- Part shade · 4+ hours a day
- Watering
- Keep moist while young; water in dry spells
- Soil
- Moist, well-drained soil
- Spacing
- 20 cm
- Height
- 15 cm
- In pots
- Grows well in containers
- Feeding
- A little general feed in spring
- Hardiness
- USDA zones 4–9
Step by step
- Mid June – mid July · 9 weeks after the last spring frost
Sow Seeds
Sow thinly in trays or pots of seed compost, outdoors in a shady spot or in a cold frame. Cover the seed — it germinates in darkness — and keep cool (below 20°C).
- 10–14 days after “Sow Seeds” · Late June
Check Germination
Seedlings appear in 10–14 days. Keep the compost moist.
- 14–28 days after “Check Germination” · Early July – late July
Pot On Seedlings
Move seedlings into their own 9 cm pots and grow them on through the summer.
- Early September – mid October · 6 weeks before the first autumn frost
Plant Out for Next Year
Plant into their flowering positions 20 cm apart. They make leaves this year and flower next from autumn to spring.
- 30–60 days after “Plant Out for Next Year” · Early October – early November
Flowering — Deadhead Weekly
Pick off faded flowers weekly to keep them blooming through winter and spring. Take a photo!
- 180–240 days after “Flowering — Deadhead Weekly” · Early April – early June
Clear or Let Self-Seed
After flowering, pull out spent plants — or leave a few to drop seed for next year.
