There is a legend that this plant received its name from an ancient Greek myth, which says that unusual flower given to Hercules by one of the goddesses after defeating a fierce lion. The shape of the inflorescence resembled the mouth of a lion, and the flower was called snapdragon. In warm countries and North America meet perennial species. In modern floriculture there are about 1000 types of seeds. The height of the stems can grow from 20 centimeters to 80 - 90 centimeters.
Flowers with a pleasant aroma, are large, medium, double, different color range: white, yellow, red. When the flowering period ends, a box with a large number of seeds forms in place of the flowers. Experienced summer residents The seeds are collected and stored until spring for growing seedlings or planting in the ground. In warm climates where there is no harsh winters, this plant has every chance of successfully overwintering and blooming again next summer. A flower can grow alone in a garden bed or flower bed, or together with others. Snapdragon It will look wonderful against the backdrop of green sprouts. Today among the seeds there are ampelous varieties. The flowering period of this variety of pharynx under certain conditions of courtship and watering is also from June to September. Landing ampelous seeds or seedlings are produced in soil of special designs or hanging pots.
Growing snapdragons in a summer cottage or in a city park is not as difficult a task as it seems. In the south, snapdragon seeds can be planted directly in open ground as soon as the soil warms up enough. Planting and care begin in March - April. We dig up the bed with mineral or organic fertilizers on the bayonet of a shovel, remove all weeds and lumps of earth. We level the ground with a rake and make grooves 1–2 centimeters deep and water. Let's start sowing. Take a container with snapdragon seeds and add dry fine river sand in a ratio of 1:10. This is done to make it easier to sow the small seeds of the plant. Gently sprinkle with soil. Sowing is completed. Next - watering from a watering can. To reduce the time for germination of seeds, you can cover them with film or covering material. After the first shoots, remove the film. Then care will consist of thinning the plants. After 3-4 leaves appear, remove weak, thin stems, leaving the healthiest ones at a distance of at least 20 centimeters. This depends on the growing conditions of each variety. At the same time, the crown of each plant left must be pinched. Planting in the ground has been completed and maintenance now consists of watering and timely loosening.
In the middle zone and northern regions, growing pharynx in open ground occurs only through seedlings. Planting and care begin in March. We fill wide bowls with earth. There must be drainage or drainage holes at the bottom excess moisture. Spray the soil from a spray bottle to keep it moist. Mix the seeds with sand and sow evenly. Carefully sprinkle with soil and water again from the sprayer. Cover the container with glass. Planting of seeds is completed.
Now care consists in daily airing and watering the soil. It should be noted that you cannot overwater the soil; it must remain moist and not soggy, otherwise there will be no germination from snapdragon seeds. Glass can be removed after the leaves appear. In time, it will be 12-16 days after landing. For good growing We transfer the seedlings to a sunny, warm place. Snapdragon grows very slowly. Caring for it should be daily. You should pay attention to the fact that there is enough lighting, water, and the air should not be dry. After 3-4 leaves appear, the flowers are picked: planted one at a time in individual cups. There should be a drainage or hole at the bottom of the glass to drain excess water. Fill the cup with soil, make a hole, and water it. We also water the bowl with the seedlings thoroughly so that a lump of earth remains on the root of each plant when transplanting.
Carefully lower one sprout with a lump of earth into the hole, press it, sprinkle it with earth, press it again.
If there glass veranda or a balcony, and the temperature there at night does not drop below +13-15 degrees, after a couple of days the seedlings can be taken out. This is done to harden the seedlings.After 4-5 leaves appear, the stem must be pinched so that the plant produces side shoots. In the middle zone, at the beginning of June, snapdragons are planted in open ground. It is recommended to plant snapdragons in a sunny or slightly shaded bed. If the plants are strong and hardened, they will not be afraid of slight drops in temperature at night.
Before planting, it is necessary to add humus, sand, peat to the soil, dig it thoroughly, remove weeds and large lumps of earth. We make holes and water them. Seedlings in cups also need to be watered to make it easier to remove the plant along with the soil. Plant snapdragons like this: low varieties every 20 centimeters, medium varieties every 35, high varieties no closer than 50. With proper care, if the snapdragon takes root, rapid growth begins. The flowering period is from June to September. Further care care for the flower consists of timely weeding and proper watering.
Snapdragon requires watering in the morning. You should ensure that the soil does not turn into crust after watering; be sure to loosen it and remove weeds. Tall varieties must be tied to a support. Remove wilted flowers, then new flowers will appear. If you have a goal to grow from a bush perennial, after flowering, in the fall, it is necessary to trim the plant, leaving no more than 10 centimeters of the stem.
Cover with mulch - sawdust, dry leaves, spruce branches - this will help survive the winter.Before cutting the plant, you should collect snapdragon seeds. They are collected unripe, placed in a paper bag and stored in a dry, warm place until the boxes ripen and the seeds spill out. Then the seeds are stored in a paper bag in a dry place at a temperature no higher than +5 degrees.
Planting and care will not be difficult if you follow certain rules.
Nowadays everything more people show a passion for nature, working with the soil, planting and caring for plants. First of all, every person strives to surround himself with fresh flowers. They bring comfort, warmth and tranquility into our lives. Each housewife determines the choice of certain types of plants for herself, depending on her tastes and preferences. Undoubtedly, this will not go unnoticed among amateur flower growers. amazing flower, like antirrhinum (snapdragon). It will worthily take its place among such annual flowers as petunias, marigolds, nasturtiums, calendulas, zinnias and others.
Snapdragon (antirrhinum) - description
Snapdragon is a plant of the plantain family; we grow it as an annual, but, in fact, it is a perennial flower. Today there are over 1000 varieties and varieties of this plant in the world. By their nature, Antirrinum flowers are large, new-like, bright, saturated and even combined colors. They begin to bloom in the first year, forming a gorgeous bush with powerful roots. Since the flowers are unpretentious in care, they are grown in flowerbeds on summer cottages, and on balconies in large cities.
Growing snapdragon seedlings
Sowing snapdragon for seedlings
Most flower growers choose a seedling method of growing snapdragons. This process does not take much time and effort, and the result is pleasing already in the first half of summer. Sow seeds from early March to April in any container with drainage holes, at least 10-12 cm deep. The ideal soil is compost and sand in equal proportions. After sowing the antirrinum seeds, the soil is abundantly moistened and covered with film or glass. Optimal temperature for seed germination it is 23-250 C. Seeds love warmth, abundant humidity, regular ventilation and watering. Overdrying of the soil is not allowed.
Care of snapdragon seedlings
Grow snapdragon sprouts in almost the same way as all annuals. They do not require special care. After sprouts appear, seedlings need good lighting, otherwise the plants will begin to stretch. Watering during this period is limited, there is a risk of blackleg appearing. In this case, the soil must be immediately treated with crushed coal or ash.
Antirrinum has a very strong root system, so the seedlings must be picked at the stage of appearance of several leaves into deeper containers; plastic glasses or containers are an excellent option. Plants quickly take root in a new place, practically without any complications or diseases. After the appearance of 5 leaves, pinching is done to obtain voluminous inflorescences.
Transplanting snapdragons into open ground
In early June, antirrinum seedlings are planted in open ground, the composition of which contains sand, peat and compost in equal proportions. The area should be protected from the wind and well lit. Depending on the variety of snapdragon, they are planted at a distance of 20-50 cm. After planting, the plants are regularly watered and loosened.
Growing snapdragons in the garden
Snapdragon care
Snapdragons do not require special care. All that is necessary is to moisten and loosen the soil, and, of course, periodically feed the plants at intervals of 2-3 weeks with any complex organic fertilizer, intended for blooming annual plants. They also make sure that there are no weeds and faded flowers, which are removed so that the plant does not lose its appearance and did not waste her energy on them.
Protecting snapdragons from diseases
Like any living organism, snapdragons can be affected by all kinds of pests and diseases (blackleg, gray rot, septoria, caterpillar butterfly larvae, etc.). Treatment begins with the removal of flowers that have already become infected, then the entire soil is treated with special antifungal drugs, which are now sold in any specialized store. Experienced flower growers prevent the development of the disease by taking preventive measures to combat pathogens: timely removal of infected inflorescences, moderate watering of the antirrinum at the root, and not on the plant itself, removal of settled insects in flowers.
Snapdragon (antirrhinum) is a flower that is perennial, but in our climatic conditions it is grown as an annual flower, that is, only in the warm period of the year. Its variety of varieties is simply amazing. It can be either border, up to 20 centimeters high, or gigantic, up to 1 meter or more. Antirrinum has gained particular popularity among flower growers due to the fact that its planting and further care do not cause any difficulties, because it's really very unpretentious plant. It is recommended to grow by seedlings and propagate by seeds.
Varieties of antirrinum (snapdragon)
The most popular classification of snapdragon varieties is its division depending on the height of the bush:
By the way! The flowers of snapdragons are simple and double. Double inflorescences look especially good when making bouquets.
How and when is it better to plant snapdragon seeds for seedlings?
Planting time for seedlings
Growing snapdragons through seedlings is explained quite simply: the flower has a fairly long period of development from the moment of the first shoots to the beginning of flowering.
The time and timing of sowing snapdragon seeds for seedlings naturally primarily depends on the climatic conditions of the growing region. So, antirrinum begins to be sown from the end of February to mid-April.
According to the lunar calendar
This can help you choose the optimal date for sowing seeds. Moon calendar.
Snapdragon, as a rule, is grown as an annual plant, which has its own dates according to the lunar calendar.
So favorable days for sowing snapdragons in 2019 according to the Lunar calendar are:
- in February – 6-8, 11-17, 21-25;
- in March – 12-17, 19-20;
- in April – 6-8, 11-13, 15-17; 29-30;
- in May - 8-17, 21-23, 26-28;
- in June - 1, 2, 5, 6, 9-13, 16-20.
Unfavorable days according to the lunar calendar for 2019 for sowing snapdragons (as well as all plants) the following dates are:
- in February - 4, 5, 19;
- in March - 6, 7, 21;
- in April - 5, 19;
- in May - 5, 19;
- in June - 3, 4, 17.
According to lunar calendar from the magazine “1000 tips for a summer resident.”
Container and soil
Any purchased or homemade containers are suitable for growing snapdragon seedlings. It all depends on how much you are going to grow the plant.
Soil can be purchased at finished form in a garden store or prepare it yourself at home.
Due to the fact that the size of the seeds of antirrinum is small, they can even be said to be tiny; after preparing the soil mixture, it will need to be sifted, the same applies to purchased land.
To prepare the soil mixture for snapdragon seedlings you will need:
- 1/7 washed sand;
- 2/7 garden land;
- 4/7 peat.
Now the earth needs to be mixed well and then sifted. Next, in order to protect future seedlings from blackleg and excess weed shoots, the soil must be steamed in a double boiler or heated in the oven for 60 minutes.
By the way! Mix an additional 4 tbsp into the soil. spoons of ash and 2 tbsp. spoons dolomite ash, snapdragon germinates well and grows in slightly alkaline soil.
Video: the intricacies of growing snapdragon seedlings
Direct landing
When sowing snapdragons for seedlings, be guided by the following step by step instructions:
Video: sowing snapdragons for seedlings in February
Caring for antirrinum seedlings after planting
As a rule, seedlings appear on average after 2 weeks, although it may take longer. It all depends on what temperature conditions There will be a landing container with antirrinum.
As soon as the seedlings emerge, it is necessary to lower the temperature to 18-20 degrees. Also, to prevent young seedlings from starting to stretch, good lighting is necessary. As always, you can use phytolamps or more economical LED lamps.
At the beginning of their journey, seedlings grow and develop somewhat slowly. Watering should be neat, frequent airing. After 7 days after the emergence of shoots, the shelter must be removed completely. However, at first it is recommended that direct rays of the sun do not fall on the plant.
Periodic loosening of the soil as one of the elements of growing seedlings will help avoid the appearance of blackleg.
Picking
Upon reaching 2 true leaves in development, it is necessary to pick the snapdragon, which it tolerates quite cheerfully, and then easily takes root.
For replanting, you should use the same composition of soil as for seedlings, but this time it no longer needs to be sifted. There is nothing to worry about if this time there are large fractions in the soil mixture. This will be a kind of hardening for the roots of a young plant.
It is better to choose cloudy weather (in the daytime) or when there is no longer sun, that is, better in the evening. The fact is that in this case we will give the plant the whole night to strengthen, and by the morning the picked seedlings will already feel normal.
Step by step process snapdragon picks:
Video: picking snapdragon seedlings
Seedling care after picking
Feeding snapdragon seedlings should be done on the 5-7th day after picking. It is best to feed with nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium complex fertilizers containing equal parts of elements, such as nitroammophosphate. You can water both at the root and at the leaf, which will have a positive effect on the development of the plant itself and will produce more abundant flowering.
When the plant reaches 4-5 pairs of true leaves, it is necessary to carry out topping which stimulates active growth side shoots. When the side shoots reach 3 pairs of true leaves, you will need to pinch the side shoots in a circle. This will trigger the development of additional shoots, which will subsequently lead to even more flowering of the plant. In this way, it will be possible to grow a real round ball with hundreds of beautiful flowers at the same time.
Video: pinching rules adult seedlings snapdragon
When and how to plant snapdragons in open ground
A couple of weeks before planting in the garden, begin to gradually move the seedlings, first just onto the balcony, and then onto open air. Antirrinum seedlings hardened in this way will easily take root in a new place and will not suffer in the event of return frosts.
As a rule, snapdragon seedlings can be planted in open ground as early as May. Such early date due to the exceptional frost resistance of the plant.
Snapdragon is a light-loving plant, but it also tolerates light partial shade, so choose an appropriate place for planting seedlings. However, it is worth knowing that in partial shade, antirrinum will bloom noticeably more modestly.
As you already understood, antirrinum loves loose and slightly alkaline soils. If the soil is too heavy and clayey, the roots of the plant will not be able to develop normally. Therefore, in order to make such (heavy and clayey) soil more suitable for planting, you should add dolomite flour or wood ash, as well as some sand.
Plant the seedlings in pre-prepared planting holes along with a lump of earth. The landing pattern for each variety is different. For example, it is optimal to plant dwarf and short varieties at a distance of about 20 centimeters, medium-sized ones - 25-30 centimeters, and tall ones - 45 centimeters.
As soon as you land, you can water abundantly and, if desired, mulch with peat.
Video: planting a snapdragon in open ground
Caring for antirrinum in open ground
Further care for antirrinum consists of regular watering, rare fertilizing, weeding and regular loosening of the soil.
Feeding, as when growing seedlings, is recommended for complex snapdragons mineral fertilizer, such as nitroammophoska (it is also possible to use ammophoska and nitrophoska).
Snapdragon is very demanding of moisture, but in case of excessive drought, it quickly recovers after abundant watering. However, if you forget about regular watering, the plant will not open well, and blooming flowers may fall off. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you do not allow drying out. The best time for watering is in the morning.
Watering snapdragons is desirable to carry out directly under the root. If you do this superficially, the flowers will fill with water and gradually droop. Some may even fall, you hardly want to admit it. 
The antirrinum blooms in waves, that is, periods lush flowering are replaced by some fading, when all the flowers have faded. Do not worry, this means that the next wave of flowering is on the way. Such waves can continue until frost, in other words, until late autumn.
Thus, if you use approximately the same scheme for sowing seedlings and the recommended agricultural technology for growing snapdragons, then it will bloom all summer and delight you with its lush and abundant flowering until the end of autumn.
Video: how to sow snapdragons and properly care
In contact with
The snapdragon plant is popularly called "dogs". Everyone has seen this flower. Found in summer cottages and urban flower beds. Snapdragon is not in vain so popular. Besides what it is beautiful flower He is also not fussy about caring for him. It comes in a variety of colors: white, purple, yellow, red, there are even two-color and three-color. Blooms from mid-June until the first frost.
Antirrinum is well suited for decorating ridges and flower beds
Antirrinum is a perennial plant. It begins to bloom and produce seeds in the first year of planting, so it is usually grown as an annual. Today, breeders have developed hundreds of varieties of snapdragon:
- Tall.
- Medium height.
- Short.
- Dwarf.
- Ampelous.
Snapdragon will decorate any terrace, balcony, flower bed and is also used as a border plant. Ampelous forms are grown in hanging pots.
To grow snapdragons yourself you will need:
- Antirrhinum seeds;
- container for planting (container, cups, wooden boxes and etc.);
- cover, glass or film;
- substrate;
- spray.
Snapdragon seeds are sown in early March. The plant does not like peat soil. Mix one to one ground out compost heap with river sand is the best substrate for seed germination.
For sowing, you can use plastic containers or cups. Fill the container with soil and moisten it generously. The seeds of this plant are very small and cannot be seen when sown. To fix this, place a little snow on top of the substrate or mix the seeds with sand, then the sowing process will become easier.
How to care for snapdragon seedlings
After you have sown the seeds, you need to sprinkle them again with a thin layer of substrate and moisten them with a spray bottle. Then cover with a lid or film. Let the crops breathe daily and water as the soil dries out. The air temperature in the room is at least 23-24 degrees. If everything is done correctly, the seeds will germinate in 14-16 days.
As soon as you see the first sprouts, move the container to a bright but not sunny place. When the sprouts begin to sprout en masse, remove the film or cover.
How to care for Antirrinum seedlings
At first, the seedlings grow slowly; during this period, it is very important to properly moisten the substrate. Water better in the morning and not abundantly. If there is excess moisture, this will lead to a “black leg”. Diseased sprouts should be removed immediately, and the area where they grew should be sprinkled with crushed coal.
How to pick seedlings
After the second pair of true leaves appears on the seedlings, they begin to pick it up. You can plant the plant in a large container, so that the seedlings feel free, or in separate cups.
You can pick several sprouts into one glass. Place the seedlings in a bright place. Three days after diving, accustom the seedlings to the temperature and conditions that await them after transplanting into open ground. In order for a beautiful, strong bush to grow, the central shoot of the seedling needs to be pinched. It happens that side shoots actively grow; they also need to be pinched.
Planting snapdragons in open ground
Grown seedlings should be planted in open ground at the end of May. Choose an area that is windless and slightly darkened. Plant the flower in well-moistened soil. Once the plant takes root, it grows quickly and becomes a beautiful flowering bush.
White Antirrinum looks just great
Antirrinum in open ground
Snapdragon is also sown in open soil. They will begin to bloom a little later at the end of July, at the beginning of August.
... and in this photo there is a red and white Antirrhinum
Sow the flower in several rows. Make a small hole and add seeds there. More seeds should be sprinkled into open ground; excess seedlings can be weeded out. “Doggies” are sown in early May. To prevent the seeds from freezing, they are covered with last year's leaves or some kind of covering material.
Antirrinum with a green tint looks very beautiful and unusual
How to care
For a flower to grow beautiful, strong and healthy, you need:
- Water.
- Feed.
- Remove weeds.
- Loosen the soil.
Snapdragon is not a demanding flower. Grows well in both shade and sun. Water only during drought. This needs to be done in the morning. After watering, in the evening, loosen the soil and remove the weeds. Tie tall varieties to a support. In order for the snapdragon to delight you with flowers for a long time, do not let it set seeds. Wilted flowers should be removed immediately so that the plant does not waste energy. In order for new shoots to appear, trim the top of the plant.
Top dressing
After transplanting into the ground, the flower is fed. They do this with nitrophos and organics. The next time the plant is fed is when the buds appear. Use:
- urea solution – 1 tbsp;
- potassium sulfate – 1 tbsp;
- superphosphate – 1 tbsp;
- water – 10 l.
The ingredients are combined and stirred thoroughly.
Snapdragon diseases
Red spots may appear on the leaves of antirrinum. In this case, treat the plant with Zircon (five drops of the drug per liter of water). It is also treated for prevention (two drops of the drug per liter of water). Snapdragons are sometimes affected by gray root rot and septoria. Remove diseased plants, and cover the area where they grew with fungicide ( antifungal drug). If you remove infected flowers in time and follow correct mode moisturizing then the snapdragon is not afraid of anything.
How to collect seeds correctly
Antirrhinum seeds are collected when they are not yet fully ripe. The best seeds are at the bottom of the flower, so cut off the top and discard. Place a paper bag on the remaining part of the peduncle, tie it below the seed pods and cut it off. Hang the bag in a dry place and wait for the seeds to ripen. Snapdragon seeds are stored at a temperature of +4 degrees. It is important that no moisture gets into the seed bag.
Antirrinum after flowering
If you are growing snapdragons as a perennial, cut them as short as possible and cover them with dry leaves or sawdust. If it’s an annual, shave it in a timely manner. wilted flowers so that seed boxes do not form. After the flower has completely bloomed, cut it off and dig up the area where it grew. The remains of the plant must be burned to destroy pests that could settle there.
As you can see, growing snapdragons from seeds is easy, the main thing is to approach the process with pleasure. Flowers feel when they are loved. They will thank you for your care with their colorful blooms throughout the summer and autumn.
Snapdragon or Antirrhinum is a perennial herbaceous plant Plantain family. This flower has been in cultivation for more than 500 years. Scientists from Germany first began breeding snapdragons in the 19th century. Today, about 50 species and over 1000 varieties of antirrinum have been bred. Snapdragon currently grows in all warm corners of the Earth.
Plants vary in type, height and many other characteristics. The color range of antirrinum covers almost all colors, except blue and cyan shades.
Snapdragon in natural conditions is a perennial plant. In gardening, this flower is most often grown as an annual. To preserve a flower for the winter, it requires special conditions, good and proper care. The plant is used for group plantings on the lawn, to decorate flower beds, borders, terraces and balconies.
Types and varieties of snapdragon with a photo
Snapdragon flowers are large in shape and can have a two-sponge or nonmesiform, bell-shaped, penstemon-shaped, azalea-shaped (double) shape.
Varieties of antirrinum are divided into:
- universal,
- cutting,
- casing
Plants are versatile compact form and a large inflorescence (medium-sized varieties).
For cut plants, plants with large flowers and long legs (giant and tall varieties).
Casing varieties are distinguished by the compactness of the bush and the duration of flowering (dwarf and low-growing varieties).
There are several classifications of antirrinum, but the most common classification of antirrinum is the height classification. Varieties are divided into 5 groups according to height:
They are distinguished by increased stem formation up to shoots of the third and fourth orders. The main shoot is placed at the level or under the second order shoots.
- Candy Showers is a climbing variety of snapdragon,
- Sakura blossom is a pink and white plant with a spot,
- Magic Carpet - pink-yellow color,
- Tom Thumb, Pixie and others.
Plants are intended for decoration of rock gardens, ridges, borders, carpet flower beds and growing in pots.
Low varieties grow up to 25-40 centimeters. These varieties have many shoots with flowers of the second and third orders. The central shoot is at the same or lower level with the shoots of the first order.
- Kimozu,
- Hobbit,
- wunderteppich,
- Lampion (ampel hybrid) and others.
These flowers are used to decorate flower beds, borders, hanging baskets, containers, and balcony boxes.
Medium-sized (universal) varieties and hybrids grow up to 40-60 centimeters. The plant is highly branched. The main shoot goes slightly higher than the side shoots.
- Scarlet Monarch - red-burgundy color,
- Golden Monarch - yellow in color,
- Ruby is a bright pink flower,
- Lipstick Silver - white and pink color,
- F1 Bizari – with various colors, strokes on yellow (primary) color,
- grade Day and night, and others.
These varieties are grown in various flower beds and are suitable for cutting.
Tall (cut) varieties 60-90 centimeters high. Their central shoot rises above the secondary (lateral) shoots.
Varieties: 
- Brilliantrosa is a bright pink flower,
- Canary - bright yellow color,
- Alaska - greenish-white color,
- Anna German – tenderly Pink colour,
- F1 Rocket Lemon - soft lemon shades,
- F1 Goshenka – orange shades,
- Swallowtail is a bicolor variety of raspberry-yellow color,
- varietal terry mixture Madame Butterfly - a flower of various shades,
- Julayva is an open penstemon-shaped or gloxinia-shaped flower,
- varieties Pink, Ruby, Admiral and others.
Yellow shades have a more pronounced aroma. Plants are suitable for decorating mixborders, group compositions, and grown for cutting. Cut flowers last more than a week in a vase.
Gigantic (giant) varieties reach 90-130 centimeters in height. The bushes are narrow pyramidal. The main shoot of the flower rises strongly above the second-order shoots, and there are no third-order shoots.
Varieties: 
- F1 Red XL – bright red color,
- Arthur - with large, cherry-colored flowers, plant height 90-95 cm,
- F1 Pink XL – deep pink color, height of both 110 cm,
- University of California - mixture of shades, height 95 cm,
- Maximum Unicaulis,
- Start F1 and others.
Snapdragon is propagated by dividing the bush or using seedlings. The peculiarity of this flower is that the seeds can be stored in the ground for more than one year and then grow on their own.
When planted in heated soil, the first shoots appear after two weeks, but this method is suitable for the southern regions. In places with a cooler climate, antirrinum is planted in open ground as grown seedlings.
Sowing seeds in seedling containers or greenhouses is carried out at the end of February or beginning of March. In conditions middle zone sowing takes place in late April - early May. Snapdragons are not grown in northern latitudes.
After the seedlings have grown stronger, they can be transplanted into the ground. Flowering of snapdragon occurs 85-110 days after the appearance of the first shoots - The plant blooms in June - July and blooms until the first autumn frosts.
The first shoots appear on days 7-10. After 3-4 weeks, the plants are picked. Plants can be planted in open ground only after frosts have ended and the soil has warmed up. By this time, the snapdragon should have formed a small bush.
Snapdragon - planting and care
Sowing seeds for seedlings allows you to speed up the growing process and get earlier flowering. For planting you will need seeds of the selected varieties, a growing container, a fine and large sieve and a spatula.
For seedlings, take a planting box, container or long pot with a tray, about 10 centimeters high. The container for seedlings must have holes to remove excess water.
A drainage layer of expanded clay, perlite, vermiculite, pebbles, and coarse sand is poured onto the bottom. After which you can begin preparing the land.
Land preparation
A loose, light substrate is suitable for sowing, which can be purchased at the store or made independently. To do this, take: 1 part of turf, part of sand, part of peat, part of rotted humus and wood ash. The soil is mixed and sifted on a large and fine sieve.
Large screenings are poured on top of the drainage, and small screenings go on top. The soil is watered with a solution of potassium permanganate and left to stand indoors for 2 days.
When planting, the soil should be moist, but not wet.
Seed preparation
Seeds can be bought in the store, and the variety, height and color scheme of plants can be easily selected. When choosing, you need to take into account the storage conditions and shelf life of the seeds.
On one's own collected seeds After collecting and drying, they are placed in a plastic bag and then in the refrigerator until spring. In the refrigerator, the seeds undergo stratification and this improves their germination. Before sowing, the seeds are disinfected in a pink solution of potassium permanganate. Remove and dry on a napkin. After which you can start sowing.
Sowing seedlings
For even distribution, seeds must be mixed with dry sand. Seeds are sown in even paths with an interval of 2-3 centimeters. For convenient distribution, you can use a paper envelope with a corner cut off.
In this case, sand and seeds are poured out in a neat path. The sand paths need to be pressed slightly with your palms to make the seeds fit more tightly. A thin layer of soil mixture is poured on top using a sieve.
Then the soil is sprayed with a spray bottle.
The seating container is covered with glass, transparent film and placed in a room with a temperature above 18 degrees Celsius. The film cover is removed every day (for ventilation). The soil, when dried, is sprayed with a spray gun.
Shoots appear after 10 days.
A container with seedlings is placed in a bright place (a window without direct sun rays). A week after the seeds germinate, the film (glass) is removed from the box. It is not recommended to remove the glass immediately. This should be done gradually, starting from 20 minutes onwards.
After 3-4 weeks, the first true leaves will form on the plants. When 2-3 sheets appear, the seedlings need to be picked out.
For picking, cassettes, peat pots or cups with a diameter of 8-10 centimeters are used. When planting in large containers, maintain a gap of 5 by 5 centimeters between plants. The first 2-3 days the seedlings are covered from the sun's rays.
When planting in a box, after the plants have grown, another planting is done in larger pots with a gap between plants of 10 by 10 centimeters.
Intermediate transplantation allows you to increase the bushiness of the flower. For better branching and flowering, the upper part of the grown plants is pinched.
Seedlings are grown at 23 degrees Celsius. Plants are provided with good lighting and regular watering. Excess moisture can lead to diseases of the sprouts and watering should be done only after the soil surface has dried.
When any type of rot appears, the seedlings are treated with Fitosporin (10 drops of the drug are taken per 1 liter of water), crushed charcoal is scattered over the soil.
Snapdragons are planted in the ground after the end of frost. Depending on the region, this is done from early May to mid-June.
The best soil for planting is considered to be loam, sandy soil with good air and water permeability. Flowers are not picky about soil.
But for more lush and long-lasting flowering, you need to add
- wood ash (1 cup per square meter),
- nitrophoska or complex fertilizer for flowers (a tablespoon per meter)
- a small amount of humus (3-4 kilograms of humus)
- peat (1 kilogram per meter).
The earth is dug up and loosened. The place should be light; a dark area is not suitable for planting. Plants in the shade practically do not bloom; in partial shade the flowering is less lush.
The transplant should be carried out in cloudy weather or in the evening. Planting interval:
- dwarf varieties should be 15 by 15 centimeters,
- low varieties 20 by 20 centimeters,
- between the middle ones - 30 by 30 centimeters,
- between high from 40 centimeters.
The seedlings from the pot are lowered into the prepared holes along with a lump of earth. The plant is buried down to the cotyledon leaves. The soil around the plants is pressed a little with your palms and watered.
On close landing different varieties Cross-pollination may occur and new plants the following year may differ from the parent varieties.
For better flowering and preservation of moisture in the ground, the bushes need to be mulched with sand, sawdust, and straw.
A month after transplantation, when the snapdragon has taken root, the first feeding is done complex fertilizer for garden annual flowers or nitrophoska. The following feedings are carried out every 2-3 weeks throughout the summer.
For heavy soil good growth bushes, you need to carry out regular feeding, loosening, tying up high varieties. Loosening protects the root system from leaching and disease. Without tying, tall plants can break off and die in windy weather.
Snapdragon does not like drought, but it also begins to hurt when there is excess moisture. Based on this, watering should be regular but moderate.
Pinching the main and side shoots to the 2nd order increases the splendor of the bush.
For long-term flowering, buds that have already bloomed are removed. Flowering lasts 3-3.5 months.
Pests and diseases
Snapdragon has low resistance to cutworms, leaf miners, aphids, mites, miners, thrips, slugs, and butterflies.
Pests appear when flowers are overgrown with weeds or bushes are planted close to each other. Timely weeding protects plants from insects.
Stem cutworms (caterpillars) settle in the lower part of the stem. They gnaw longitudinal passages in the stems and they wither. When a pest appears, it is necessary to make low cuttings of damaged bushes. Cut stems are burned.
All weeds around are removed. Healthy plants are sprayed with chlorophos. Preventative spraying is carried out from the time of planting until autumn.
When flowers are damaged by any pests, special chemicals are used.
Most often when improper care snapdragon is affected root-knot nematode root system and fungal diseases. Excess moisture leads to the appearance of septoria, rust, verticillium, fusarium, false powdery mildew, black leg.
Mosaic causes mottling (spotting) leaves without necrosis. The flowers become smaller and become variegated. When the disease appears, all plantings are removed and burned.
Rust affects a fully formed plant. Dusty pustules appear from the bottom of the leaves, on the seed pods and sepals Brown. Spots appear on the top of the leaves and they wilt.
When signs of disease appear, the bushes and root circle are treated with a solution of Bordeaux mixture, copper oxychloride and Zineb solution. The treatment is repeated after a week.
To prevent diseases, you can use Zircon (5 drops of the drug per liter of water). Fungicides are used to control these diseases.
The seed capsule holds about 8 thousand seeds. Ripe seeds are shiny, black, similar to poppy seeds. For seeds, the most suitable ones are selected beautiful plants with large flowers. The inflorescences need to be shortened by one third.
After which, large seed pods form in place of the flowers. There is no need to wait for the lower seed pods to turn yellow; for ripening, the inflorescences need to be cut off and dried indoors.
The seeds from the opened boxes should be shaken out into a paper bag. Then dry it on a saucer and put it in plastic bag until spring.
Collected seeds remain viable for 4-6 years.
Snapdragon is a perennial plant and, if desired, even in the middle zone, the flowers can be preserved and left to overwinter in open ground. In autumn, all shoots are cut off, and the roots are covered with peat, grass, and dry leaves.
In spring, the plant grows and can be transplanted into shoots or left in place as a lush bush. Flowering next year is more luxuriant.
Snapdragon. How best to sow, how to properly care: video
Many gardeners are afraid to grow snapdragon due to many factors, for example, poor germination, the need for preventive and protective work against diseases, pests and other problems. But with the right approach, all these problems are solved quite quickly and the flowers delight with their beauty and unusualness.
