Did you know that knowing how to grow pansies in pots is the key to maximising this perennial’s growth potential? Since pansies are not a big fan of wet feet, they grow best in well-drained soil that’s moist and rich in humus. If you live in a UK region where the growing zones are soggier than usual, it’s only natural to be curious if these plants can thrive in pots.
Another exciting thing about this plant is the literal meaning of its name. In case you’re wondering, the term “pansy” derived from the French word, pensée, which means “thoughts” or “thinking.”
What’s more, pansies are one of the few UK garden flowers that you can eat. When you add it to your dessert or salad, it can give you a mild minty flavour that you’ll surely love.
Can You Grow Pansies in a Container or a Pot?
You’ll be surprised at how these flowers’ beautiful and delicate faces flourish and shine when you plant them in containers and pots. It doesn’t matter if you choose to plant it along with the use of a statement planter or as trailing plants among taller perennials. You’ll find it easier to control the moisture, as well as the soil type if you grow pansies this way.
How Do You Start Potted Pansy Plants?
You can grow pansies from seed for about 14 to 16 weeks before planting them in late January. To make sure that your potted pansy plants get enough heat and nourishment, you make use of grow lights or place their pots in sunny areas while you keep their soil moist. A good nutrient boost from a diluted fertiliser is also a must as soon as you notice the seeds begin to sprout leaves.
How Do You Transplant Potted Pansy?
The process of transplanting potted pansy begins when the plants sprouting from the seeds start growing up to a few inches in height. Keep in mind that these plants have a preference for well-drained soil. That’s why you need to look for a suitable container that comes with some drainage holes, as well as a relatively light potting mix that would serve your pansies well.
Please add a slow-release fertiliser to your potting mix. However, you have to make sure that you follow what the fertiliser’s package instructions say before placing your plants in their new containers. When you’re popping them into their new pots, make sure that you provide them with a few inches of space between each other.
How Do You Take Care of Your Potted Pansy?
Keeping up with the care and maintenance of your potted pansies involves watering them regularly. Again, it’s important to note that the soil needs to be moist at all times instead of soggy.
Getting in direct sunlight is very important for pansies in pots. Every few weeks, you also need to add a tiny amount of fertiliser mix to your plants and keep an eye out for leggy growth to maintain the shape of your potted pansies.
Although you can leave pansies in pots outdoors throughout the winter season, it’s best to water them deeply before the coldest winter days and a hard freeze come. Be sure to keep them covered when the weather becomes exceptionally frigid.
What are the Benefits of Growing plants in a Mini Greenhouse?
Although growing and caring for your precious potted pansies takes a little planning ahead, they thrive best in controlled environments such as a mini greenhouse. Mini polytunnel gardening offers more benefits than traditional outdoor gardening in the United Kingdom. These benefits include the opportunity to provide your plants with an ideal growing environment that protects against harsh weather conditions, pests, and vermin, more savings on grocery shopping, and more.
Benefit #1: You can create an optimal growing environment
Having a mini polytunnel of your own allows you to control the internal environment of the enclosed botanical space. For instance, factors that can significantly affect your potted pansies’ growth, such as temperature and humidity, can be easily controlled with a mini greenhouse.
Moreover, since you have more control over what goes in and out of the mini greenhouse, you can keep the beneficial insects in to enhance the development of your pansies. Some of these helpful bugs include soldier bugs, praying mantis, mealybug destroyers, beneficial nematodes, aphid predators, bumblebees, lady beetles, fungus gnat predators, fly predators, spider mite predators, thrips predators, and green lacewings.
Benefit #2: It provides a layer of protection to your plants
A polytunnel can keep your plants safe and sound from the ever-changing weather conditions. In the event of harsh weather conditions, including strong winds, excessive rains, blizzards, and snow, you won’t have to make emergency preparations to ensure the safety of your potted pansies. Aside from this, growing your potted pansies in a mini polytunnel will also keep those destructive pests and animals at bay.
Benefit #3: You’ll spend less on grocery shopping.
Having a mini polytunnel of your own allows you to grow your favourite fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers under one roof. Growing in safe conditions translates to more savings because you’ll spend less on grocery shopping in the UK. You can finally say goodbye to price fluctuations and hello to a consistent supply of fresh and delicious produce straight from your backyard British greenhouse!
Learn How to Grow Pansies in Pots Today!
What’s stopping you from learning how to grow pansies in pots today? Before you do so, why don’t you get yourself a mini polytunnel that you can experience its incredible benefits?