Pansy Matrix 'Blotched Mix'

Professional Grower Plugs:
Pot your plugs on as soon as possible after arrival, ideally within 3 days. If you can't pot them on straight away, keep them moist in a bright, sheltered position.

Before potting, check that the compost is moist. If the plugs feel dry, stand the tray in shallow water for a short time to allow them to take up moisture from below.

Fill 9cm pots with good-quality multipurpose or potting compost. Make a planting hole with a pencil or narrow dibber, carefully ease each plug from its tray and plant at the same depth it was growing in the tray. Gently firm the compost around the plug to ensure good contact with the roots, but avoid pressing it down too firmly as this can reduce drainage and the air spaces roots need. Water thoroughly using a watering can fitted with a fine rose.

Grow the plants on in a bright, sheltered position such as a greenhouse or cold frame, keeping the compost moist but not waterlogged. Allow around 3–4 weeks for the plants to establish, although they may take longer in cooler conditions. Once they're putting on healthy new growth and the roots have filled the 9cm pot without becoming congested, they're ready to be hardened off.

Gradually acclimatise them to outdoor conditions over 7–10 days, initially placing them outside in a sheltered position during the day and bringing them back under cover at night. Once hardened off, plant into their final position in pots, hanging baskets, beds or borders.

Garden Ready Plants:
Garden Ready Plants can be planted straight into their final position. If you can't plant them immediately, keep them in a bright, sheltered spot and make sure they don't dry out.

Plant in fertile, moist but well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade. Water the plants before planting if the rootballs feel dry, position them at the same depth they were growing in their tray, gently firm the soil or compost around the roots and water thoroughly.

Pots and containers:
Choose a container with good drainage holes and fill with good-quality multipurpose compost. Gently firm the compost rather than packing it down tightly, and leave around 2–3cm below the rim to make watering easier.

For a full display, plant around 6–8 Pansy Matrix plants in a 30cm (12in) pot. Space them evenly so they have room to fill out as they establish. If you're combining them with other bedding plants, use fewer pansies to avoid overcrowding.

Hanging baskets:
For a 30cm (12in) hanging basket, use around 8–10 plants for a full display. Space them evenly across the basket, positioning some towards the edge so the flowers can be enjoyed from all sides.

Water thoroughly after planting and check containers regularly, particularly during mild, dry or windy weather. Keep the compost moist but not waterlogged.

Top tip:
Don't be tempted to squeeze in extra plants for instant impact. Giving each plant enough room to establish will help create a fuller, healthier display as it grows.

Pansy 'Matrix Blotched Mix' works beautifully with other autumn and spring bedding plants, making it easy to create colourful displays that change with the seasons.

Plant with primroses and bellis for contrasting flower shapes and layers of colour, or combine with wallflowers to add extra height and fragrance to larger pots and borders.

Spring-flowering bulbs such as daffodils and tulips also make excellent partners. Plant the bulbs beneath or between your pansies in autumn and they'll grow up through the display in spring, adding height and extending the season of colour.

Top tip:
When creating a mixed container, position taller plants towards the centre or back and use pansies around the front and edges. This gives every plant room to grow while creating a fuller, layered display.

Keep pansies well watered during dry spells, especially those growing in pots and hanging baskets, but avoid leaving the compost waterlogged.

As flowers fade, pinch or snip off the whole flower stem just above the leaves, rather than removing only the petals. This also removes the developing seed pod and encourages the plant to put its energy into producing more flowers.

Flowering may slow or pause during particularly cold winter weather. This is perfectly normal – keep caring for the plants and they'll start putting on fresh growth and flowers again as conditions improve.

Once plants are actively growing again in spring, container-grown pansies can be given a suitable liquid feed to support another strong flush of flowers.

Top tip:
Check pots and hanging baskets even after it rains. Dense foliage can prevent rain from reaching the compost, while containers positioned against walls or beneath roof overhangs may receive very little water at all.

Professional Grower Plugs:
Supplied in trays of 20 or 60, Professional Grower Plugs offer excellent value and are ideal for gardeners who enjoy growing plants on themselves. These young plants arrive ready to be potted into 9cm pots and grown on in a bright, sheltered position before being hardened off and planted into their final position.

Garden Ready Plants:
Supplied in trays of 12, Garden Ready Plants are our largest plug plants and a great choice if you want quicker results. Carefully grown on before dispatch, they're ready to plant straight into beds, borders, pots or hanging baskets.