Snapdragon, or antirrinum, is a flowering herb of the Plantain family. It is also known under popular names: Russians call flowers “dogs”, Ukrainians call flowers “mouths”, for the French it is “a wolf’s mouth”, and for the British – “biting dragon”. For flower growers, snapdragon is one of the favorite plants for decorating balconies, terraces, rock gardens, flower beds and borders. In order for the plant to please with bright flowering until late autumn, it is necessary to properly take care of it from the stage of planting seeds.
When to plant snapdragons for seedlings
Cultivation of snapdragon from seeds is possible in two ways: planting on seedlings and sowing in open ground. According to some sources, planting material can be placed directly in open ground not only in spring, but also in late autumn. But in both cases, it will not work to achieve early flowering of the plant.
Snapdragon has a long growing season, that is, development from the time of germination to the appearance of the first flowers. It is 100 days. Growing a flower through seedlings is the best way to get early flowering.
When choosing a sowing date, one should take into account the climatic features of the planting region. The optimal period from sowing seeds to planting seedlings in open ground is 50-60 days. It is recommended to plant seedlings on the site after the return frosts leave. Based on this, in regions with a warm climate, it is possible to sow seeds for seedlings from the beginning of February. In more severe climatic conditions with late spring, sowing should be postponed to March or April.
The lunar calendar will help you more accurately determine when to plant snapdragons when grown from seed.
Successful sowing dates according to the lunar calendar 2019
If for some reason it is not possible to sow seeds on favorable days according to the lunar calendar, then it is necessary to take into account the periods of the new moon and full moon. At this time, planting flower crops is undesirable.
Popular species and varieties with photos
Snapdragon is a perennial plant, but due to climatic conditions in many regions it is grown as an annual. Over the past 200 years, breeders have bred about 50 species and over 1 varieties of this crop.
There are different species classifications: by the type of bud structure, flowering period, height, color. But the most popular is the classification by plant height, it includes 5 groups:
- dwarf,
- low,
- medium-sized,
- high,
- gigantic.
Dwarfish
The varieties of this group are represented by small plants 15–20 cm high. They are used to decorate borders, carpet flower beds, rabatki, rock gardens, and are also conveniently grown in pots. The most common varieties are:
- Candy Showers;
- Sakura color;
- Magic carpet;
- Sun light.
Low
Plant heights vary from 25 to 40 cm. This type of snapdragon often decorates flower beds, borders, hanging baskets, balcony boxes and containers. Low grades include:
- Lampion;
- Tom Thumb;
- Kimosa;
- The Hobbit;
- Bell ringing;
- Wunderteppich.
Middle-aged
Snapdragons of medium-sized varieties are not very prone to branching and have a compact shape. Plants grow up to 70 cm. They look bright in flower beds and flower beds. The flowers are ideal for cut flowers. Among the varieties, the most popular are:
- Scarlet Monarch;
- Lipstick Silver;
- Rosella;
- Bizari F1;
- Apricot umbrella;
- Day and night.
High
Such varieties are also called cut-off. They look beautiful in vases and keep their freshness for 7 to 14 days. Flowers are used to decorate mixborders, group compositions. Plant height reaches 90 cm.The group of high varieties includes:
- Diamond Rose;
- California;
- Alaska;
- White bouquet;
- Anna German;
- Madame butterfly.
Gigantic
Plants of gigantic or giant varieties reach a height of 130 cm. They can be used to decorate the garden as a “natural curtain” to hide a sloppy fence or wall. They are good background plants in group plantings. There are such varieties:
- Arthur;
- F1 Red XL;
- Roman holiday;
- F1 Pink XL;
- University of California.
How to plant snapdragons for seedlings
The initial stage is the preparation of a container for seedlings, soil and the planting material itself.
Preparation of containers, soil and seeds
For snapdragon seedlings, a container with a height of about 10 cm is required. Long pots, containers or seed boxes are suitable for this. It is desirable that they have drainage holes. The bottom of the tank should be covered with a layer of expanded clay, pebble or coarse sand drainage.
Sowing soil should be light and loose. You can buy the substrate from the store or make your own.
In order to make a suitable soil at home, you will need:
- sod land;
- sand;
- peat;
- rotted humus;
- wood ash.
All components must be taken in equal parts, mix them thoroughly and sift the soil through a sieve. Then you should pour the soil into a container and pour it with a solution of potassium permanganate. This must be done two days before the landing.
You should also prepare the planting material in advance. You can buy it or collect it yourself from ripe flower cups. Snapdragon seeds are very small, but have a high germination capacity.
Problems can be associated with the following mistakes made when planting seeds:
- preliminary soaking of the planting material, which leads to rotting of the thin seed coat;
- covering the seeds with soil and, therefore, the lack of sufficient amount of sunlight, which they need to activate growth and germination.
To increase the germination of snapdragon seeds, place them in a refrigerator or cool room several weeks before planting. The air temperature should be around + 5 ° C. Stratification activates the growth of planting stock.
Snapdragon planting
After preparing the necessary material, you can proceed directly to planting:
- The soil for seedlings must be loosened and sprayed with water from a spray bottle.
- Spread the snapdragon seeds evenly over the surface of the soil.
- Spray the seeds with a spray bottle to make them stick to the ground.
- Cover the container with glass or plastic wrap. The greenhouse effect will accelerate seed germination.
- Place the container in a lighted place. The seeds are able to germinate even at 10-12 ° C, but it is desirable that the temperature is in the range of 18-22 ° C.
The first shoots of snapdragon may appear as early as 5 days after sowing. All plants sprout in 10-15 days. At this time, you need to pour a millimeter layer of soil into the container.
Care of seedlings
After the shoots appear, the film or glass can be removed. For the first 20 days, seedlings only need good lighting, warm air and moderate watering.
Plants will need a pick in 20-25 days after germination. They can be replanted with one or more seedlings.
Subsequent care for them, in addition to regular watering, should also include the introduction of mineral fertilizers. To do this, water and spray the seedlings with a solution of succinic acid once every 7 days. This promotes the active laying of flower buds.
For plants to be strong and resistant to the influence of the external environment, they need a hardening procedure. It should begin to be carried out 15-20 days before the transfer of seedlings to the territory of the site. The best option is to place containers with seedlings in a greenhouse or greenhouse. If this is not possible, then you need to take out the seedlings for some time in the open air. You should start with 20 minutes a day. For 15 days, the duration must be increased to 8 hours.
Planting seedlings in open ground
Snapdragon planting to a permanent place can be carried out when stable warm weather is established without the threat of frost. Planting of plants depends on their variety:
- the distance between the seedlings of the dwarf group should be 15-20 cm;
- low and medium-sized varieties should be planted at a distance of 50 cm from each other;
- tall plants require a 70 cm gap.
Further care for the snapdragon includes regular watering, weeding, mineral fertilization, and bush formation. So that the plant does not lose its decorative effect, and the flowers are bright and large, the lateral shoots should be pinched in time.
Snapdragon is an unpretentious plant, so both an experienced and a novice florist will be able to grow it. Knowing what conditions and care the flower prefers, you can get strong and beautiful plants that will delight with lush flowering from warm May to cold October.
