How to Grow Pansy
Viola x wittrockiana
Pansies are cheerful cool-season flowers that bloom prolifically in spring and autumn, tolerating light frosts. Sow in late summer for winter and spring colour, or in late winter for early summer display. They prefer fertile, moisture-retentive soil in a sunny or lightly shaded spot. Deadhead regularly to keep flowers coming, and expect them to fade once summer heat arrives.
In your Leaftide garden 
- Hardiness
- Hardy
- Season
- Cool Season
- Harvest
- Continuous Harvest
- Spacing
- 15 cm
- Height
- 20 cm
- Sow depth
- 0.5 cm
- Min. soil temperature
- 5°C+
- Start from
- Seed
- Light
- Full sun to part shade
- Water
- Moderate
When to Start
Direct sow outdoors as soon as soil reaches 5°C — typically early to mid spring. Can also be started indoors 6 weeks earlier for a head start.
Don't know your frost date? Find it here →
Growth Stages
Approximate days from start
Care Essentials
- Feed every two weeks with a balanced liquid fertiliser from planting through to the end of the flowering period. A high-potash feed encourages prolific flowering over a long season.
- Deadhead pansies regularly to prolong flowering and prevent leggy growth. Sow in late summer for winter and spring flowering, or in late winter for summer colour. They prefer cool conditions and will flag in heat.
Growing Conditions
- Min. soil temperature
- 5°C+
- Germination temperature
- 15–18°C
Spacing & Planting
| Plant spacing | 15 cm |
| Row spacing | 20 cm |
| Sow depth | 0.5 cm |
| Mature height | 20 cm |
| Mature spread | 25 cm |
Pests & Diseases
Pest Aphids
Identification: Small soft-bodied insects that cluster on new growth and flower stems, causing distortion and sticky honeydew residue. Most problematic in warm, sheltered conditions.
- Dislodge with a strong jet of water or apply an insecticidal soap spray
- Encourage natural predators such as ladybirds by avoiding broad-spectrum pesticides
Pest Slugs
Identification: Feed on seedlings and young plants overnight, leaving ragged holes in leaves and silvery slime trails. Most damaging in wet weather and on recently planted specimens.
- Use copper tape around containers, apply organic slug pellets (ferric phosphate) around plants, or set beer traps
- Water in the morning so soil is drier at night
Pest Violet gall midge
Identification: Tiny orange larvae feed inside rolled or cupped leaf tips, causing distorted, thickened growing points that fail to develop normally.
- Remove and destroy affected shoot tips promptly
- There is no chemical control available to home gardeners; good hygiene is the main management tool
Disease Powdery mildew Erysiphe spp.
Symptoms: White powdery coating on leaves and stems, especially during dry spells with fluctuating temperatures. Weakens the plant and reduces flower production.
Treatment: Improve air circulation by spacing plants adequately. Avoid wetting foliage. Remove badly affected leaves. Apply a fungicide labelled for ornamental powdery mildew if the problem persists.
Prevention: Space plants well, water at the base in the morning, and avoid letting plants dry out completely between waterings
Disease Pansy downy mildew Peronospora violae
Symptoms: Yellow patches on the upper leaf surface with a grey-white downy growth on the underside. Spreads rapidly in cool, wet conditions and can defoliate plants quickly.
Treatment: Remove and destroy affected foliage immediately. Improve air circulation and avoid overhead watering. In severe cases, apply a copper-based fungicide and consider replacing plants if infection is widespread.
Prevention: Plant in open, well-drained spots, avoid overhead watering, clear fallen debris, and do not replant pansies in the same bed after an outbreak
Growing Conditions
| Min. soil temperature | 5°C |
| Germination temperature | 15–18°C |
| Base growth temperature | 4°C |
| Min. daylength to start | 8h |
| Photoperiod sensitivity | day neutral |
Frequently Asked Questions
- How far apart should I plant Pansy?
- Plant Pansy 15cm apart with 20cm between rows.
- Is Pansy frost hardy?
- Pansy is classified as Hardy.