How to Grow Pansies from Seed in 11 Steps

Pansies are colorful perennial flowers that are easy to maintain. Even novice gardeners will get them to thrive. If you live in zones 6-10, you’ll get these six-inch high blooms in spring or early summer. 

These classic English flowers come from the Viola genus, which consists of over 500 species and many more varieties. What we call pansies today are Viola x wittrockiana flowers. They started as a hybrid between the violas, Johnny jump-ups, and several other species. 

Although you can easily find starters at local nurseries, I prefer to just grow them from seed. Pansies are hybrids, so you’ll want to purchase seeds from a supplier. Harvested seeds won’t be true to their parent, so there’s no guarantee what you’ll get. 

Once you have your seeds, it’s easy to grow multi-colored pansies anywhere in your landscape. Below are 11 steps to growing pansies from seed. 

Swiss Giants Blend Pansy Seeds

This Swiss heirloom is the parent to most of the pansies we see today. Early spring blossoms make a wonderful accent to your spring bulbs. Low, bushy plants are quick to grow and bloom, producing showy, large, velvety flowers. Use the edible petals to garnish soft cheese or baked goods. Reliable perennial in USDA zones 6-10, often grown as an annual.

Buy at Epic Gardening

Step 1: Buy Your Seeds

There are more than 300 varieties of pansies to choose from. Each one has a distinctive color, size, and flower shape. They also have their preferred growing conditions and hardiness zones.

Buy your seeds from a reputable supplier so you know what you’re getting. Choose a flower that’s right for your garden and has a color that will complement your other plants. Choose between varieties such as the multi-colored Swiss giants or striking one-color blooms. 

Besides their color, pansies are edible! They’re one of the most popular edible flowers used in restaurants around the world. Pick a variety that will brighten up your salads and home entrees. 

Step 2: Select the Perfect Garden Site

Pansies love growing outside and prefer an area with full to partial sun exposure. If they get too much direct sunlight in hot climates, their beautiful blooms will lose their vibrance and wilt. Too little, and they won’t bloom. Find a site under a tree that blocks the afternoon sun, especially if you live on the higher end of its zonal hardiness. 

Next, you’ll need to find an area with well-draining soil. Avoid planting them in areas that become saturated. This will cause root rot and likely drown your plants. I prefer growing them on a slight slope full of loose, well-draining soil full of organic material. 

You can also grow these flowers indoors in containers if outside isn’t an option or if you want a colorful houseplant. Give them partial shade, plenty of balanced fertilizer, and the right container for you and them to enjoy. 

Step 3: Choose the Perfect Season

These English flowers prefer a cooler climate. Too much heat will wilt and stunt these short-lived perennials before they bloom. This is why they’re so popular for cool-climate gardeners. There is no need to start pansies from seed in a warm greenhouse. Direct sowing or unheated cell trays are suitable!

If you live in zones 6-10, you can sow your seeds in the fall or early spring. For zones 1-5, sow them in the spring. You should have colorful blooms in the fall after the summer heat subsides. 

One of the biggest mistakes with these perennials is waiting too long to sow your seeds. They should go in the soil between 8 and 12 weeks before the growing season. This gives them enough time to germinate and survive transplanting. 

Step 4: Choose the Right Soil and Container

To successfully sprout pansies from seed, you’ll need well-draining loose soil that’s high in organic matter. Organic potting mix or seed starting mix works wonderfully. You can add a little compost as well to increase the soil’s nutrients. 

Choose a container with plenty of drainage holes. You can buy containers online, including seed starting trays, or repurpose them from food containers. You can even use bowls, mugs, or cute ceramics. Whatever you choose, your flowers won’t mind as long as there are drainage holes to let the water out. 

Fill your container with potting mix. Spray it with a little water to keep it nice and moist. Wait a few minutes while the water drains out before planting. 

Step 5: Sow Your Seeds

Now that your containers are ready, it’s time to sow your seeds. Carefully sprinkle the tiny seeds on the soil surface. Even out clumps of seeds and distribute them to other containers if you can. 

After placing them on the topsoil, cover them with about ⅛” of potting soil. They have to be totally covered to germinate, as they germinate best in the dark. Spray them with water to get all the soil completely moist. 

A good trick is to keep them covered during germination. You can use any lid, as long as it’s dark. The seeds should germinate in just about two weeks to almost two months. Check on them regularly and keep the soil moist but not waterlogged. 

Step 6: Uncover Them When They Sprout

After checking on your little flowers, wait until you see several sprouts. Once the seedlings emerge, take the cover off and move them to a sunny place. Indirect bright light works the best. 

Make sure you don’t give them too much direct sunlight. They are delicate and will burn if the afternoon sun is too strong. Try finding a bright window with plenty of morning sun and shade. 

Step 7: Remove the Weaker Plants

Because the seeds are so small, you’ll inevitably have clusters of seedlings. Although they’re adorable, you’ll want to free up some space between them. 

Take disinfected tweezers or your hands and gently remove the weaker plants. Leave the strongest looking seedlings. These will give you healthier and fuller blooms to work with. 

Step 8: Harden Off Your Pansies

Once your seedlings mature, you’ll need to prepare them for the wild outdoors. As indoor seedlings, they’re not used to the temperature swings, direct sunlight, temperature swings, or wind that comes from growing outside. 

Start hardening off your flowers by moving them to a shady space during daylight. Leave them there for a few hours and bring them inside. The following day, leave them in the direct morning sun for a few hours, then the shade for a few hours, then inside. 

You’ll want to start leaving them outside for longer until they’re ready to grow outdoors. The entire process takes a few days, and you may stage it out even more gradually over a week or two. Whatever you decide, if you skip it, the elements will shock your young plants and likely kill them. Remember to keep them moist throughout the hardening-off process. 

Step 9: Plant Them in Your Garden

Once you harden off your plants, bring them to your chosen site. Dig a large hole about twice the width of the plant’s root ball. Make sure it’s as deep as the crown of your plants. 

Slide your plants out of their containers. Gently separate the root ball with your fingers to give the roots more space. Make sure not to skip this step, or your plant’s growth may be stunted. 

Carefully place each flower in the holes and cover them with soil. Give them a good amount of water and continue to water them vigorously for the next two weeks until they establish into the new soil. 

Step 10: Keep Feeding Them

After starting pansies from seed, hardening them off, and planting, you’ll need to feed them consistently to encourage full blooms. These flowers will grow in poor soil, but what’s so fun about growing weak flowers? 

The best food for your perennial flowers is organic compost or manure. Try adding worms to your compost for even richer soil. 

Besides compost, you can try using organic fertilizer. Choose a fertilizer that’s higher in potassium, the middle number in the N-P-K ratio. As always, water your plants a little before and after you feed them to avoid nutrient buildup in the soil. 

Step 11: Check For Pests and Diseases

Most pansies stay unharmed from pests. If you’re growing them in an ideal environment, there’s not much that can kill them. However, it’s good to check just in case. 

If your plants are in poor health, you may see infestations of aphids. These tiny transparent critters infect the undersides of leaves and other plant tissue. Give them a good spray or apply a diluted neem oil solution to get rid of them. 

Arguably, the most common diseases that affect pansies grown from seed or starts are powdery mildew and root rot. Both are fungal infections that usually result from too much water. Although powdery mildew might go away on its own, root rot is typically fatal. 

To avoid these pests and diseases, keep your plants healthy. Water them consistently without overwatering or watering directly overhead. Pests and diseases will target weak plants but strong pansies will survive almost anything.