How to Grow Pansy
Pansy At a Glance
Difficulty
Easy
Category
Flower
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial Shade
Frost Tolerance
Frost Hardy
Cold Hardiness
Survives to -12°C
Plant Family
Violaceae
Growing Season
Cool Season
Plant Lifecycle
Annual
How to Start It
★ Recommended for beginners
Pansies love cool weather and handle frost, so sow them about 4 weeks before your last spring frost for summer flowers, or in late summer for fall flowers that often come back in spring. Sow seeds 0.5 cm deep, 15 cm apart, and cover them well, since they sprout best in the dark. Keep the soil damp and cool: they take 14 to 21 days to sprout.
Pansies are tough little flowers that bloom best in the cool of spring and fall and slow down in summer heat. In many parts of Canada, plants set out in late summer survive the winter under snow and flower again early in spring. The flowers are edible and pretty on salads and cakes.
When To Start
First chance to plant
30 Days Before Last Frost
Last chance to plant
30 Days Before First Frost
When should you plant Pansy?
Your planting dates depend on your local climate. Sign up and add your location to unlock personalized dates.
Your Pansy Planting Window
Start planting
May 15, 2026
Last chance
Sep 10, 2026
Your Pansy Calendar
Set your location to turn these into exact dates and reminders.
Sow pansy seeds outdoors now and cover them, they sprout in the dark
30 days before your last frost· every year
Optional: plant pansy seedlings out, they handle light frost
2 weeks before your last frost· every year· optional
Pick pansy flowers and pinch off faded ones
2 weeks after your last frost· every year· optional
Did you water your pansy seedlings today? Keep the top of the soil damp until they are up and growing.
About 1 days after you plant it
Time to thin the pansy seedlings: snip the extras at soil level so each one has room to grow.
About 31 days after you plant it
Your pansies are growing! Keep the soil damp and give them a spot that stays cool.
About 41 days after you plant it
Bloom time! Pick off faded flowers to keep new ones coming.
About 61 days after you plant it
Picking time may be here: check your pansy.
About 60 days after you plant it
The Journey Ahead
Pansy's Lifecycle
Seedling
Mature Plant
Seed Production
Step 1
Prepare Your Space
0.5 cm
Seeding Depth
15 cm
Plant Spacing
30 cm
Row Spacing
4
Plants / Sq Ft
Vertical Growing
Yes: Hanging.
Method: Hanging.
Succession Planting
Yes.
Good Companions
Bad Companions
Step 2
Planting & Sprouting
Expect sprouts in 14–21 days
Growing Tips
- 1Grow pansies where they get morning sun, at least 4 to 6 hours a day, and some afternoon shade in summer.
- 2Mix compost into the soil, or use a rich potting mix in pots and window boxes.
- 3Keep the soil evenly moist, since pansies wilt fast when they dry out.
- 4Feed with compost tea every 2 to 3 weeks to keep the flowers coming.
- 5Pinch off faded flowers every few days, before they form seed pods, so the plant keeps blooming.
- 6Pick slugs off by hand in the evening, and knock aphids off with a spray of water.
Seedling Phase
Step 3
Growth & Maturity
~60
Days to Maturity
20 cm
Mature Height
25 cm
Mature Width
Pests to Watch For
Diseases to Watch For
Mature Plant
Step 4
Harvesting
Harvest Window
30 days
When to Pick
Harvest blooms when fully open
How to Harvest
- 1Pick pansy flowers in the morning when they are fully open, for salads, cakes or drinks.
- 2Pinch or snip each flower off with its short stem, just above the leaves.
- 3The more flowers you pick, the more the plant makes, so pick or pinch off faded ones every few days.
- 4Use the flowers the same day, or keep them in the fridge for 2 to 3 days in a sealed container lined with damp paper towel.
- 5When plants get long and floppy in midsummer, cut them back by half and they often bloom again when it cools down.
Step 5
Saving Seeds
How to Save Seeds
Most pansies sold today are hybrid F1 varieties, and their seeds will not grow true, so save only from a variety that is not a hybrid, and expect mixed colours if several kinds grow together, since bees cross them. Leave a few faded flowers on the plant until the seed pod behind each one turns pale tan and points upward. Pick the pods then, before they split and fling the seeds away, and let them finish drying in a paper bag. Shake out the tiny seeds and store them labelled in a cool, dark, dry place, where they keep about 2 years.
Seed Production
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