Winter Pansies - Best Time to Plant, Gardening Tips and More

As we head into the colder months, flower beds can often start to look a little stark. Luckily, winter flowering pansies are a simple and reliable way to brighten up your garden on those darker days.

Here’s everything you need to know about winter pansies, including the best time to plant them, how long they last, how often you need to water them and everything in-between.

When should you plant winter pansies?

Ideally, plant your pansy plants in borders or pots during September and early October – this will give them a better chance to grow sturdy roots and flowers. The lingering warmth in the soil during this pre-winter period helps to support faster growth and will prepare your pansies for producing more flowers over winter.

How to sow winter pansies

1. To give your seeds the best possible chance of germinating, it’s best to start them off indoors from June to July. Simply fill a seed tray, or small pot, with seed compost and tamp down the soil to create a level surface.
2. Next, thinly sow the seed across the soil surface. Try to keep sown seeds spaced, as this will make it easier for you when you prick out the seedlings.
3. Once sown, thinly cover over the seeds with either soil or vermiculite, and place pot into a tray of water, allowing it to soak from the bottom up for about twenty minutes. This watering method prevents seed disturbance, compared with watering from above with a watering can.
4. Once watered, place seed tray, or pot, in a warm greenhouse or on a sunny windowsill. Germination should occur within 14-21 days.
5. When seedlings are big enough to handle, carefully prick them out into individual pots to grow on.