Pansies and Viola

[obsessed]

OK so this is for all those who do seeds rather than stop and nursery. I am on my 4th packet of seeds. The last packet I was able to get to germinate with big thanks to Ron and Joe and everybody else. But out of that packet, I have like six plants that barely have like 4 leaves. I transplanted them in to a miracle grow potting mix when they developed their first true leaves. That is how I ended up with only six . Big fat hands are no good for transplanting.

So when are they going to grow and look like more than just sprouts? I planted these in early October. I just planted more to see if I can get enough to put around the mail box before the hot season arrives. Ok thanks.....

 

[injunjoe]

Hey O good to hear you have success with sprouting.

The seedlings are going to grow slow at this time of the year. You can fool them with light timing and heat but they still all seem to know it is winter.

Come Spring you are ready this year! You have good starts now and a few weeks before last frost I am sure you willstart many more!

Much luck my friend!

Joe

 

[digitS']

Obsessed, I'm not anywhere near you (since you decided to move away from this fair corner of the world ), but I've started pansies and violas in late January and set them out with the spring. I gotta say that they were neither large plants nor terribly floriferous the 1st year. And, not a whole lot of 'em survived the winter to bloom like mad the 2nd year but they were nice by then. So, I think up here I'd really have to push them along with supplemental lights from the get-go.

They aren't the best choice for my little growing operation but . . . .

No, large hands aren't so great for transplanting tiny seedlings. The handle of a plastic spoon really helps. Rest your arm on the bench; hold the seedling very gently by a leaf or 2; pluck the roots and a good lot of soil out with the spoon handle; transport to its new container.

Steve

edited to say: It was pointed out to me years ago that a plant usually has only 1 stem but it grows many leaves. A damaged leaf (from transplanting) is better than a damaged stem . . .

 

[obsessed]

Steve - I am confused! I thought panises were annuals. So are big flowering plants that are in the nursury second year plants?

As for transplanting I will continue. I have a ton of seeds and some seed starting mix, I will continue!

 

[injunjoe]

Here is a link that tells about them. They are a short lived and often grown as an annual.

http://gardening.about.com/od/plantprofiles/p/Pansies.htm

Joe

 

[Lavender2]

YAY! You're having some success! Yeah!... Keep going... you WILL get it! :happy_flower

I have not started pansies from seed, but have been doing some research. I may be having a wedding in my yard in June (YIKES!) ... and need some annuals I can get in early. I would probably have to start them in Dec or Jan., I think...

With these 'slow growers' (like petunias - they are little green specks forever!) ... I like to sow the seeds directly in the seedling pots they will grow in rather than transplanting. They seem to have a low germination rate, so I will sow 2-3 seeds per cell in the four pack trays. Then I carefully pluck out any extras when they have 4 leaves and transplant those.

I don't normally use fertilizer on my seedlings unless they look like they need it, but pansies seem to be heavy feeders... seedlings may benefit from half strength fertilizer every other watering.

I found this interesting... Glenns Garden

In the North, we grow them as early annuals, but some cool summers they do well all season, may reseed (but not true), and a few plants may even make it through winter, with heavy snow cover and a mild winter (rarely happens here!). The second year survivors have not shown well, they look old and straggly and don't produce as well, at least for me....

 

[digitS']

. . . I will continue!

That's the spirit! I wish I could grow some of the things that I cannot because of pressing up against the limits of a fairly severe winter. Wouldn't you have pansies blooming all winter there, Obsessed?

Altho' I have very little experience, pansies might better be thought of as biennials here - don't know but maybe I should try starting them fairly late in the spring. Purchased plants just aren't going to be winter hardy after a season of bloom but DW often buys a few - don't we all enjoy the "happy faces" looking up at us?

The pansy I grew from seed was Padparadja. I thought the color went well with the cedar buildings (greenhouse north wall & the "bird house" now just, chicken house) in my backyard. Also, thought they might be hardier since they were F2 hybrids rather than F1 (?). There were only 1 or 2 blooms the first year - only a few plants the second year - gone the 3rd year :/.

I have also grown Viola cornuta and here's one that is really tempting from Park Seed. But, they had about the same performance and lifespan.

Of course, the Johnny-jump-ups are here each year .

Steve

 

[obsessed]

Thanks guys.

Yes, they should grow all winter long. Everybody's annuals beds are filled with them and the nuseries all have them on sale now. But I wanted to be cheap and start me own. I waited for October to start them because that is when it got cool here. I guess I will have to stat them sooner so I can have them for winter if they are this slow.

Thanks for the help and when they start to bloom I will post a pic. I almost feel pregnant of expecting with Pansies.