Planting Methods and Cultivation Techniques for the Pansy (with pictures)
The pansy is a common wildflower species in Europe. It is a biennial or perennial herbaceous plant in the genus Viola of the family Violaceae, also known as cat's face, butterfly flower, cat-face flower, monkey face flower, and so on. It is often cultivated in parks, and is generally best grown outdoors. It is suitable for flower beds, courtyards, and containers alike, but is not suitable for indoor growing. Let us take a look together at how to grow pansies!
Growing Habits of the Pansy
The pansy is fairly cold-tolerant, prefers cool conditions, and likes sunlight. It develops well under conditions of a daytime temperature of 15-25°C and a nighttime temperature of 3-5°C. It dislikes high temperatures and waterlogging, is cold-tolerant and frost-resistant. If the daytime temperature stays continuously above 30°C, the flower buds disappear or petals do not form. When the daytime temperature stays at 25°C, it only flowers without setting seed, and even if it sets seed, the seeds develop poorly. The root system can withstand low temperatures of -15°C, but below -5°C the leaf edges turn yellow from frost damage. Day length has a greater effect on flowering than light intensity; poor sunlight results in poor flowering. It prefers fertile, well-drained, organic-rich neutral loam or clay loam with a pH of 5.4-7.4.
Propagation Methods for the Pansy
1. Seed propagation: For sowing pansies, a fairly loose artificial medium is suitable. Bed sowing or box sowing can be used, and where conditions allow, plug-tray seedling raising can be used. The medium requires a pH of 5.5-5.8 and should be sterilized. After sowing, keep the medium temperature at 18-22°C, keep it dark and shaded, and seedlings will emerge successively in 5-7 days.
2. Cutting propagation: Cutting propagation of pansies is carried out in May-June. Cut shoots sprouting from the base of the plant and insert them into peat, keeping the air humid. They root 15-20 days after insertion, with a high survival rate.
3. Division propagation: Division propagation of pansies is usually carried out after flowering. Cut off side branches with adventitious roots or new rooted shoots sprouting from the rhizome, and they can be directly potted and placed in a semi-shaded spot to recover.
Planting Methods for the Pansy
1. Temperature: Pansies grow well within a temperature range of 12-18°C and can tolerate low temperatures of 0°C. Temperature is the limiting factor affecting pansy flowering; they develop well under conditions of a daytime temperature of 15-25°C and a nighttime temperature of 3-5°C. Seedlings must go through 28-56 days of low-temperature conditions to flower successfully. If they are planted directly into a warm environment, flowering will instead be delayed. If the daytime temperature stays continuously above 30°C, the flower buds disappear or petals do not form. If there is sudden heat with high temperatures reaching 28°C or above, every effort should be made to ensure good ventilation and lower the temperature to prevent withering and death.
2. Light: Pansies like ample sunlight, and light is an important limiting factor for flowering. Day length has a greater effect on flowering than light intensity; poor sunlight results in poor flowering. During cultivation, ensure the plants receive no less than 4 hours of direct sunlight per day. However, because their root system is sensitive to light, the young roots cannot smoothly penetrate the soil under lit conditions, so light is not needed before the radicle has grown small. When the seedlings have grown 2-3 true leaves, sunlight should be gradually increased to make them grow more robustly.
3. Watering: Pansies like a slightly moist soil environment and are not drought-tolerant. Keep the soil moist during the growing season, and on the drier side in winter. Each watering should follow the principle of watering until dry and letting dry before watering again. When the plants are flowering, maintaining sufficient moisture is necessary for both enlarging the flowers and increasing the number of blooms. In seasons with higher temperatures and strong light, pay attention to watering in time.
4. Fertilizing: Pansies are best fertilized with light, frequent applications. After two true leaves have grown, nitrogen fertilizer can be applied, with an early foliar spray of 0.1% urea. Near the flowering stage, phosphorus fertilizer can be increased. Apply a dilute compound liquid fertilizer 3 times before flowering, and add 2 applications of 0.2% monopotassium phosphate solution during the bud stage. After flowering, fertilization can be reduced. During the growing season, apply a decomposed liquid fertilizer once every 10-15 days, and topdress once every 20-30 days during the growth period. Deformed or wrinkled leaves in pansies are often caused by calcium deficiency, which can be improved by applying additional calcium nitrate. It should also be noted that at lower temperatures, ammoniacal nitrogen fertilizer will cause root rot in pansies.
Pest and Disease Control for the Pansy
1. Gray mold: Strengthen ventilation, control planting density, avoid overhead watering, and ventilate after watering. Promptly clean up withered and aging tissues and avoid wounds. Use smoke agents and alternate chemical treatments. Ventilate promptly after spraying to disperse moisture. In the early stage of the disease, spray 50% procymidone 1000x solution, or carbendazim 500-1000x solution, chlorothalonil 700-800x solution, 50% thiophanate-methyl 500-600x solution; smoke agents can also be used.
2. Anthracnose: In late autumn and early winter, collect and burn diseased plant residues in the nursery. During the growing season, promptly remove and dispose of diseased leaves and flowers when found. In the early stage of the disease, spray 80% zineb wettable powder 500-800x solution, or 75% chlorothalonil wettable powder 600-800x solution, 60% anthracnose thiram 800-1000x solution, 50% carbendazim 500-600x solution.
3. Color-breaking disease: Color-breaking disease is mainly transmitted by aphids. To control aphids, use 50% pirimicarb wettable powder 3000x solution and 2.5% derris extract emulsifiable concentrate 800-1000x solution as sprays, alternating 3-4 times, spraying once every 7-10 days. For plants with initial infection, use 1.5% plant disease spirit emulsifiable concentrate 700x solution or 5% virus-killing water-based agent 200x solution, once every 7-10 days, for 3-4 consecutive applications, first densely then sparsely.
4. Leaf spot: Remove diseased residues and burn them in a centralized manner. Use 53.8% Kocide 2000 dry flowable 1000x solution, or 47% Kasumin wettable powder 700x solution, 30% copper oxychloride suspension concentrate 600x solution, 27% copper hydroxide suspension concentrate 600x solution, 50% thiophanate-methyl · sulfur suspension concentrate 800x solution for spray control.
5. Ring spot: Remove fallen leaves and burn them. Entering the rainy season, use 27% copper hydroxide suspension concentrate 600x solution, or 47% Kasumin wettable powder 1000x solution, kangkuning 800-1000x solution, 50% thiophanate-methyl 800x solution for spray control. In severe cases, use 50% iprodione wettable powder 1000x solution, or 75% chlorothalonil wettable powder 600x solution, 70% zineb manganese, 80% pencozeb wettable powder 500x solution for spray control, spraying once every 10 days for 2-3 consecutive applications.
6. Brown spot: When new leaves unfold, use 0.5% Bordeaux mixture plus a sticker, once every 10-15 days, or use 50% dimethirimol wettable powder 1000x solution, 40% chlorothalonil suspension concentrate 500x solution, 50% thiophanate-methyl · sulfur suspension concentrate 800x solution, 50% fungicidal king (chloroisocyanuric acid) water-soluble powder 2000x solution for spray control.
7. Scab: For scab, use 50% carbendazim suspension concentrate 1000x solution or 70% thiophanate-methyl wettable powder 1000x solution for spray control.
8. Curly top disease: When diseased plants are found, pull them out and burn them. Prevent leafhoppers and eliminate dodder.
9. Rot disease: The pathogen is Fusarium oxysporum. When diseased plants are found, dig them out and burn them, replace the soil in the diseased planting holes with new soil, or sterilize the soil with 0.1% formaldehyde. In the early stage of the disease, use 50% captan wettable powder 500x solution, or 70% thiophanate-methyl 1500x solution, 75% chlorothalonil 600x solution, 0.5% Bordeaux mixture for spray control.
Control Methods for Pansy Mosaic Disease
Because of its good weather tolerance, long flowering period, and bright flower colors, the pansy is currently one of the more popular herbaceous flowers for pot and flower bed planting. However, during its cultivation, pest and disease problems often affect quality and reduce its ornamental value. Mosaic disease is one of the main diseases causing harm.Main symptoms: It is mainly caused by cucumber mosaic virus (CMV). First a few leaves become diseased, then it spreads to the whole plant. In the early stage of infection, green patches appear between the lateral veins of the leaves, then gradually expand, with some merging to become yellow-green, but the area near the veins still retains its original green, producing a mosaic of alternating yellow and green. New leaves are normal when first emerging, but after growing for a few days they show slow growth, tightening and not growing, and mottling appears. In severe cases, the shrunken leaves curl upward, small tumor-like protrusions grow on the veins on the underside of the leaves, and the fine veins turn brown. The entire plant grows slowly. Transmission routes and disease conditions: The virus particles overwinter in diseased plants, and the following year are transmitted by piercing-sucking insects such as aphids and leafhoppers, causing plant infection. Months or years with large outbreaks of pests such as aphids or leafhoppers are also peak periods for this disease.
Control methods;
1. Keep the cultivation site clean, and clear away nearby hosts of cucumber mosaic virus (the host range includes 117 species of plants in 39 families, commonly cucurbit plants) to reduce infection.
2. Choose lines with excellent disease resistance and carefully select healthy seeds. If a few diseased plants are found during cultivation, dig them out promptly to prevent spread.
3. Prevent as early as possible before the virus occurs. You can use virus A 20% powder 500x solution or Keduling 7.5% aqueous agent 700x solution, sprayed over the whole plant, to control the occurrence of the virus.
4. To effectively control the occurrence of this disease, promptly control piercing-sucking pests such as aphids and leafhoppers. Commonly used insecticides include 40% omethoate emulsifiable concentrate 1000 to 1200x solution and 2.5% deltamethrin emulsifiable concentrate 2000x solution.
Control Methods for Pansy Tar Spot Disease
Because of its good weather tolerance, long flowering period, and bright flower colors, the pansy is currently one of the more popular herbaceous flowers for pot,flower bedplanting. However, during its cultivation, pest and disease problems often affect quality and reduce its ornamental value.
Main symptoms of pansy tar spot disease:It is also a fungal disease. The main symptom is the appearance of round to irregular brown spots on the leaves, surrounded by large yellow discolored areas, with black dots of varying size and shape scattered around. Transmission routes and disease conditions: The pathogen is a weak parasitic fungus that overwinters as mycelium and produces conidia when conditions are suitable, often invading through wounds. High humidity or continuous rainy weather favors the occurrence and spread of this disease.
Control methods:
（1）During cultivationpay attention to water management, avoid overwatering the plants, and increase ventilation and light penetration between plants to reduce the local humidity of the surrounding space.
(2) Observe closely, and promptly dig out diseased plants when found to prevent infection.
(3) Before sowing, the seedbed soil, the placement site before potting, and the potting soil should be sterilized. Formaldehyde and water can be mixed evenly at 3:1 and sprayed onto the soil, covered with plastic film for 3 days, then the film can be removed and it is ready for use.