ACTIONPLAN
NIGEL COLBORN’S ESSENTIAL JOBS FOR YOUR GARDEN THIS WEEK
Anyone hoping to enjoy small-flowered violas or pansies over the winter should sow the seeds now.
They’re excellent for containers and will flower sporadically through winter.
Place your seeds in trays or pots, onto good quality potting compost. They’re more likely to germinate if kept cool and moist, so shade them from strong sun. you’ll need to protect the young seedlings from slugs and snails.
When the seedlings sprout, move them into the light. Prick them out as soon as they are large enough to handle. Grow the young plants in 9cm pots or in cell trays, then plant out in patio pots in early october.
Winter pansies with mixed colours include Plentifall — which has a trailing habit — and larger-flowered Mello. Both are stocked by thompson
morgan.com. Winter-flowering Fragrant are offered by suttons.
co.uk. My favourite small-flowered violas, the Sorbet series, are also available from nickys-nursery.co.uk.
The first flowers will come in autumn if the weather stays mild, and will still look colourful in november. Flowers continue during mild periods through winter, ending with a final spring flourish.
Pick over your plants and remove dead flowers regularly to encourage more buds.