Pansy ('Super Chalon Giants' mix)
Of all my winter sown seedlings, the pansies gave me the most insight about the pros and cons of my winter sowing methods. The seeds were planted back in January, and the seedlings languished far too long in their flats before being hastily plugged into a layer of bark mulch in April. (Not to mention that in between, they were accidentally baked in their trays-- twice-- which killed off about 75% of the original quantity). By all rights, these plants probably should have been healthy and blooming back in late spring, but instead, it took them until mid-August to recover.
What I learned: 1) Pansies are easy to germinate via winter sowing, and seeds can be sowed thinly, provided they're relatively fresh, 2) but the seedlings have zero tolerance for the slightest bit of direct sunlight under plastic, and 3) one-and-a-half inches of soil just isn't enough!
Hindsight aside, the germination rate on these seeds was fantastic, and they're putting on a nice show now as the hydrangeas are fading. The two varieties I planted were 'Super Chalon Giants' mix (above, and at Flickr here and here) and 'Swiss Giants' mix. Despite the hardships I put them through, my $2 investment for two sale packets of seed paid off in over $40 worth of plants-- ordinary bedding pansies may only cost $1 - $2 each, but the cost can add up, and there are many unique varieties available from seed, all easy to grow.
Next year, I'll be more careful with my seedlings, and will plan on enjoying these colorful (and edible!) blooms from spring into early winter.
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