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Every year, pansies enchant gardens, terraces and balconies with their large flowers in a wide variety of colors. With proper care, a lush bloom appears from early spring to autumn. They are also known as esthete or field violets and are usually grown as biennial plants. As a rule, the pansies, which are among the first flowers of the year, are hardy. However, a few things should be considered.
Are pansies hardy?
Pansies or Viola belong to the violet family (Violaceae). The native herbaceous plant can reach a height of between 15 and 35 cm and a flower diameter of up to 6 cm. There are many varieties and colors, even sweet-smelling pansies. The first flowers appear at the end of March, sometimes well into October. The care is not even very complex. You just have to make sure that the plants don't dry up. They should also be fertilized every few weeks and cut back after the first flowering. In mild winters they even produce occasional flowers.
Breeding has resulted in a wide variety of colors, including flowers with patterns and fringed edges. However, these breeds are only one-but mostly biennial varieties. In the year of sowing, only the first green leaves appear, which also retain their color in winter. The impressive flowers only appear in the second year after sowing.
tip: The flowers of the pansy are edible. They are not only used to decorate food and drinks, but also in salads and desserts.
Violets tolerate frost
Pansies are naturally perennial and hardy. The garden pansy (Viola x wittrockiana) originated from a cross between the wild pansy (Viola tricolor), the Altai pansy (Viola altaica) and the Sudeten pansy (Viola lutea). All three species defy very low temperatures in winter. They are also perennial, which normally also applies to Viola x wittrockiana. However, the growth form of the cultivated form becomes quite unsightly after two years.
The wild pansy can be found in meadows, fallow land and roadsides throughout Central Europe. It tolerates temperatures down to -30 °C. The resulting cultivated form is not damaged even at -23 °C. All the values mentioned refer to normal, snowy winters. However, certain prerequisites are necessary for this.
tip: When buying pansies, you should always look for hardy varieties.
affect winter hardiness
The winter hardiness of the early bloomers can definitely be positively influenced. These include, among other things
- the site
- soil condition
- appropriate care
Choose location carefully
The garden pansy is quite flexible in its choice of location. Varieties planted in spring prefer a semi-shady place in the garden or in a bucket on the terrace. On the other hand, autumn plantings prefer a sunny location. Biennial and frost-resistant varieties tolerate a sunny and partially shaded place. Planting under deciduous hedges and shrubs is also possible.
tip: In a favorable location, the early bloomers will usually self-seed to naturalize themselves.
soil condition
Viola love a soil that can absorb moisture well. The substrate must not be too wet, but must always be moist.
Waterlogging is not tolerated. This can quickly lead to root rot and leaf spot disease. A pH value of the soil between 6.5 and 8 is advantageous here. Freshly moist soil can have a positive effect on the winter hardiness of the violets.
Cultures in tubs or pots should always be placed in places that are protected from the rain.
proper care
Appropriate care of the plants guarantees that the pansies are also correspondingly hardy. In addition, of course, the nutrient supply is very important for resistance, especially in frost. The addition of compost or horn shavings leads to a long-term supply of nutrients. Furthermore, the withered inflorescences should be removed constantly. This measure not only stimulates new flowering, but also prevents the plant from wasting energy unnecessarily. Ultimately, this only increases winter hardiness even further.
In a humus-rich and moist place, the violets can safely be left in place in the garden. They are sufficiently hardy here and no additional precautions are necessary.
tip: During severe frosts, the plants curl up the leaves and the flowers close. They smooth out again and the flowers open when the weather is milder.
Beware of frosts
During the winter, the violets enjoy a blanket of snow. This has an insulating effect and thus offers protection against frost. Frostbite without snow cover but freezing cold can cause damage to the early bloomers. These can be avoided by taking a few precautions:
- Covering with a layer of leaves, straw, needle brushwood or bark mulch
- alternatively use of breathable garden fleece
- Drawn-in leaves of the plants provide additional protection
- Cut back the plants close to the ground in October
The winter protection should only be removed when the temperatures are permanently above zero degrees, which is usually at the end of February or beginning of March. Otherwise, at higher temperatures, condensation can quickly form under the cover. As a result, mold and rot can spread.
tip: In any case, do not use film as a cover. This is airtight and the oxygen supply is interrupted. When exposed to sunlight, a warm, humid microclimate forms, which has a positive effect on the growth of fungal and mold spores.
Don't forget to water
Watering the pansies is essential, especially when there is a frost, even if they are considered hardy. A blanket of snow not only protects the plants down to -20 °C, but also provides sufficient moisture. Especially when there is frost without snow cover, the violets can suffer from drought stress:
- Roots cannot absorb moisture when the ground is frozen
- Plants would wither
- This can be remedied by watering bedding and potted plants on mild days
- the root ball of potted plants must not dry out
- no fertilization between September and March
Hibernation in bucket
Pansies in balcony boxes and tubs require special measures for overwintering. The root ball requires special protection, since frost damage can quickly occur due to the thin vessel walls. It must never dry out completely. Preventive measures can help:
- Cover the tubs with bubble wrap, newspaper or fleece
- Place the bucket on an insulating base (wood, styrofoam)
- Cover the tub with leaves, straw, wood shavings, sawdust or pine twigs
- if possible place buckets on the protective south wall of the house
However, buckets with a diameter of less than 30 cm can still suffer frost damage. The only thing that helps here is accommodation in a frost-free but cold winter quarters, below 10 degrees. The plants should be cut back to the ground beforehand. This prevents disease and pest infestation.
tip: To increase the winter hardiness of the pansies, a potassium-rich fertilization should be applied from July, for example with comfrey manure. The potassium improves photosynthesis, strengthens tissue cells and lowers the freezing point.
If the plants are sufficiently hardy, they can easily withstand the change between thaw and frost.
Homegrown plants tolerate more frost
Plants bought in autumn are particularly cold-resistant. On the other hand, violets sold in stores in spring tend to be very sensitive to cold. An alternative to this are self-grown plants. These are sown in summer, in May to June, for flowering in spring. These plants are special
- robust
- persistent with a lush bloom
- extremely hardy
tip: When buying seeds, you should make sure that they are of a sufficiently hardy variety. The color should be more in the background.