The colorful pansies from the violet family are particularly suitable for balcony planting due to their compact growth. They are also robust, easy to care for and bloom tirelessly in a wide variety of colors from April to October.
Why are pansies suitable for the balcony?
Pansies are ideal balcony plants thanks to their compact growth, robustness and variety of colors. They thrive in sunny to partially shaded locations with nutrient-rich, lime-poor soil. Regular removal of dead flowers promotes tireless flowering from April to October.
Although there are many different types of pansies, the garden pansy and the horned violet are the most commonly found bedding and balcony plants. The garden pansy is a cross between several species, including: from wild pansies (Viola tricolor) with the Altai pansies (Viola altaica) and Sudeten pansies (Viola lutea). Horned violets are also called miniature pansies because their flowers are much smaller.
Pansies as balcony plants
The garden pansies and horned violets are small plants (about 20 cm high). While the horned violets give off a faint scent, the garden pansies have no scent. The flowers of these two viola species are characterized by an extraordinary variety of colors. As the first signs of spring, the frost-hardy pansies can be planted out in balcony boxes and pots as early as February.
Create beautiful combinations with pansies
The pansies are ideal as colorful underplants for tall tulip and daffodil varieties. White pansies in particular can be wonderfully combined with tulips in strong red/pink or delicate pink. A tone-on-tone planting of horned violets, forget-me-nots and grape hyacinths in different shades of blue looks very distinctive. The yellow pansies get along well with daisies and daisies.
Take care of balcony pansies properly
The frugal pansies usually only colonize our balconies in the spring months. Then they have to make room for the summer flowers. If you have a garden, you can transplant the fully bloomed pansies there. At the right location, they provide offspring through self-sowing. With a little more care, the pansies can remain in the balcony boxes as permanent plants:
- sunny or partially shaded location,
- nutrient-rich, lime-poor soil,
- keep evenly moist, no waterlogging,
- fertilize moderately,
- Remove blooms regularly.
Tips & Tricks
The pansies can be sown yourself with little effort. To have pansies blooming in early spring, sow seeds outdoors in August/September or in a cool room in the winter months.
