Violas dying?

Gers

As a newbie to gardening I took a great deal of delight in planting out six large pots the other week - bulbs in the bottom and either pansies or little violas on top.

Pansies are blooming away happily whilst all the viola flowers are gone. Greenery seems to be OK so far. Will more flowers form or are they a lost cause? I suppose I have time to get more pansies to replace them with but am not at all sure.

I'd appreciate some advice please.

Mojisola

Gers wrote: »

Pansies are blooming away happily whilst all the viola flowers are gone. Greenery seems to be OK so far. Will more flowers form or are they a lost cause?

The plants aren't dying if the greenery is OK.

They should repeat flower all through the winter, depending on the weather/temperature.

The flowers that are on your pansies aren't going to stay there forever - they, too, will die off and more will grow.

I_have_spoken

Yep, plants are 'brought on' to flower in the garden centre then they go over when you get them home.

However, just dead-head and another flush will come through.

Gers

Thanks. Will be patient!

I deadhead the flowers but all the violas 'went'. Now reassured that they will return. Looking at the pansies they seems to have leaves which have been nibbled...wonder if the chicks are at them? One hen has fifteen of them and they visit me every day.

Again, thanks

Ectophile

There's always the possibility that slugs and snails are eating the flowers as fast as they are opening. That happened to mine last year. The plants did fine, it was just the flowers that got eaten.

Gers

Thanks - they're in pots which are about 12 inches high, and are on a large-stoned gravel pathway. Hopefully too difficult for slugs and/or snails.

Wonder if birds peck at leaves?????

Gers

Found the culprits - not exactly what I thought!

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That's the pot of surviving pansies.

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And these are the ex-violas. Some little flowers appeared after my first post and they are being pecked. Even found the mother hen in the pot. Have now raised them up but am sure that they can still get in.

Not sure whether I want to :eek: or :rotfl:

Lavendyr

Ah, bless 'em!

so_very_confused

Gers wrote: »

Found the culprits - not exactly what I thought!

[IMG][/img]

That's the pot of surviving pansies.

[IMG][/img]

And these are the ex-violas. Some little flowers appeared after my first post and they are being pecked. Even found the mother hen in the pot. Have now raised them up but am sure that they can still get in.

Not sure whether I want to :eek: or :rotfl:

A nuisance but so lovely:) how about hanging baskets:rotfl:

Gers

Can't have hanging baskets as the building is listed... just have to hope they grow out of the habit. At least it's not my pathetic gardening skills which are killing off the flowers.

Fifteen chicks with thirteen cockerels so I suspect they will be gone soon.

lostinrates

Gers wrote: »

Can't have hanging baskets as the building is listed... just have to hope they grow out of the habit. At least it's not my pathetic gardening skills which are killing off the flowers.

Fifteen chicks with thirteen cockerels so I suspect they will be gone soon.

They are very unlikely to I'm afraid. We keep a few lawn birds around the house separate from our flock and they love anything they can eat in pots, roses ( will leap high into the air for the prettiest blooms). And anything else they fancy from the beds.


Otoh, they also adore ground elder, and they pay off ATM is worth while for me .