How to grow Viola (Johnny Jump Up)

Viola tricolor

🌸 Flower 🌱 Grown each year

Tiny purple-and-yellow "faces" that flower for months and pop up all over the garden. The flowers are edible — pretty on salads and cakes.

At a glance: Sow mid March to mid June.

When to sow, plant and harvest

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Sow outdoors

Flowers

Timed for a typical UK garden (last frost mid-April). The app uses your own town's frost dates.

Mid March – mid June · 4 weeks before the last spring frost
Sow Seeds Outdoors
Sow thinly where they are to flower, in a sunny spot, into raked, weed-free soil. Cover the seed lightly — it germinates in the dark.
10–21 days after “Sow Seeds Indoors” · Late March – early April
Check Germination
Seedlings should appear in 10–21 days. Keep the soil moist. If sown outdoors, thin them to 15 cm apart once they have two true leaves.
59–89 days after “Check Germination” · Late May – late June
First Flowers — Deadhead Regularly
Snip off faded flowers every few days to keep new ones coming for months. Take a photo for your journal!
Mid October – early November · around the first autumn frost
Clear or Collect Seed
When frost blackens the plants, pull them up for the compost heap. Leave a few seedheads first if you want to save seed.