At what distance to plant snapdragons? Snapdragon: growing the best types and varieties of seedlings from seeds

Annual flowering crops are the easiest and cheapest way to decorate your garden. personal plot. Snapdragon (Antirrhinum) is essentially a perennial plant, but due to its lack of frost resistance, it is grown in most regions of our country as an annual. Of great importance in cultivation snapdragon from seeds depends on when to plant seedlings - the sooner this is done, the more magnificent flowering the summer plant will please. But it's not that simple. Sowing too early leads to the exact opposite result. In this article we will figure out when to plant snapdragons in 2018 when grown from seeds using seedlings. simple rules will tell you how to care for seedlings and adults flowering plants.

The material contains advice from experienced gardeners. All agricultural techniques for growing snapdragons from seeds are also presented so that the antirrinum will delight with lush flowering all summer and until frost. Special attention Please note the boarding dates lunar calendar– these days, carrying out recommended agrotechnical operations gives maximum effect. Do not forget that caring for seedlings and adult plants in the garden should be regular and carried out according to all recommendations. Only in this case can you grow a beautiful flower garden, which will be a source of pride for the owner of a house or summer cottage.

Look at the photo of snapdragons grown from seeds by seedlings - these are the flowering specimens you should get if you follow all our tips:

Growing snapdragons from seedlings produces magnificent flowers

Botanical characteristics

The presented botanical characteristics of snapdragon will be brief - solely for reference or to provide a general idea of the culture. It belongs to the herbaceous perennials, is a relative of the plantain, but with less resistance to frost in winter.

First time as cultivated plant selection began in what is now Germany at the beginning of the 19th century. Before this, the flower grew wild for at least 5 centuries. But only after the work of breeders began, more than 50 new species appeared. They are available for sale in 150 varieties of seeds.

Antirrinum seeds are very small, more like dust. Therefore, sowing them is very difficult for beginning gardeners. We will reveal the secret of simple and easy planting. If you follow this method, the seedlings will delight you with their activity.

The inflorescences are collected in a panicle and are presented in a huge number of shades. So far, only blue, violet and dark blue buds have not been released. Stems can be tall, medium-sized or miniature (dwarf). Depending on this botanical characteristic, snapdragon can be used for bouquet arrangements (for cutting), flower beds or border groups. Hanging varieties perfectly decorate balconies, gazebos, hanging planters on the terraces.

Varieties and species groups of antirrinum

Existing species groups of antirrinum make it possible to form plantings in accordance with the assigned tasks. They are divided according to the type of bud structure, plant height, color, flowering period, etc. The most popular types of buds are bell-shaped and two-lipped - they create the effect of lush flowering. But the nonmesioid and penstemonoid forms have restrained sophistication and severity of outline. The terry or azalea-shaped form of snapdragon inflorescence can be represented by numerous varieties, including those with two-color colors.

Low-growing (dwarf, miniature, border) varieties

Miniature varieties have a stem height of 10–25 cm. Low-growing bushes are used as casings for decorating paths in the garden, fencing flower beds and creating borders. Dwarf snapdragons come in many varieties. It is necessary to pinch the main stem during the phase of growing seedlings from seeds. This will allow you to get active branching in internodes of the third, fourth and even fifth order.

The most popular border varieties of antirrinum are the following:

suitable for hanging compositions “Candy Showers” - grows in cascading waves;
"Tom Thumb" with erect stems and varied bud colors;
“Lampion” is another interesting hybrid with an ampelous type of bush growth with graceful white, yellow and red cascading inflorescences;
“Sakura Blossom” is intended for lovers of pink vanilla, as its buds are delicately colored in white and pink tones;
"Pixie" with increased bushiness and unusual bright inflorescences orange tones;
“Magic Carpet”, “Madama Butterfly”, “Kimozu”, “Wunderteppich”, “The Hobbit” and many others.

These are not all varieties available for cultivation, the choice is in flower shops huge.

Border snapdragon varieties are suitable for container culture

Medium-growing varietal group

Antirrinums, universal in their purpose, can be found among the varieties of the medium-growing group. Distinctive feature similar types - compactness, low tendency to branch and expressive, well-designed inflorescence of a pyramidal shape. Hybrids grow to a height of up to 70 cm. Suitable for decorating flower beds and flower beds. Designed for bouquet cutting. They retain their freshness in vases for a long time.

Basically, the medium-sized universal varietal group of snapdragons is represented by the following hybrids:

"Golden Monarch" - with exquisite buds of rich yellow color;
“Scarlet Monarch” - for lovers of red flowers with amazing depth of shades;
“Lipstick Silver” - decorates the flower garden with a vanilla pink cloud of blooms;
'Bizari F1' has a bushy form with many side shoots topped with bright yellow and orange inflorescences;
'Ruby' also features pink petals;
"Day and Night" is a mixture of colors for sunny areas.

“Twinnie” and other varieties are intended for bouquet arrangements and garden decoration. The choice of varieties is rich.

Medium-sized varieties of snapdragons will decorate flower beds and single plantings

Gigantic and tall varieties

Gigantic antirrinums can reach a height of up to one and a half meters. These tall varieties are intended mainly for decorating those areas of the garden where you need to create a natural curtain for an untidy wall or fence. In group plantings they can play the role of background plants. Can be used as a large cut for bouquets with stems longer than 1 meter.

The pink color of the buds is represented by the sutras “Brilliantrose”, “Anna German”, “F1 Pink XL”, “Start F1”. For lovers of red tones, the varieties “Swallowtail”, “Rubin”, “Julaiva”, “F1 Red XL”, “University of California” have been developed. “Canary” has a yellow color, “F1 Rocket Lemon” has a lemon tint, “Alaska” has a white tint, and “F1 Goshenka” has an orange tint.

Tall (giant) varieties of snapdragon can be used as a bouquet cut

Growing snapdragon seedlings from seeds (with photo)

Flower growers practice two types of propagation of this plant. One of them is not suitable for regions with cold climates. In Siberia and the Far East, in most regions of the Urals, this crop does not survive frosty winters. Therefore, it is unlikely that it will be possible to propagate antirrinums here by dividing the bush. What remains is the time-tested cultivation of snapdragon seedlings by sowing seeds and then planting them in separate containers.

Strong and healthy seedlings Snapdragon produces the maximum number of flowers lush flowering already in the first year after planting. With the correct sowing timing, budding begins already in early May. Usually in open ground seedlings are planted already in flowering form.

Snapdragon seedlings planted from seeds in early February bloom in late April. These terms are suitable for ampel and miniature varieties, used to decorate balconies, loggias, terraces and verandas. And the cultivation of snapdragon seedlings of medium-sized and tall varietal groups should begin at the end of February. The optimal planting time is early to mid-March. The seeds sprout very quickly in a friendly “brush”; with proper care, they actively develop and begin to bud 90 days after sowing.

Look at the photo of snapdragon seedlings and continue the fascinating story about how to sow, determine optimal timing for your climate zone and provide proper care:

It is possible to grow snapdragon seedlings from seeds when sowing at home

Dates for sowing snapdragon seedlings according to the lunar calendar

The answer to the question of when to sow snapdragon seedlings depends on many determining factors. The sowing dates according to the lunar calendar in 2018 are as follows:

February 21 – 27;
March 3-8 and 21 – 24;
April 15 – 20.

It is also worth understanding that the timing of when to plant snapdragon seedlings depends on the climatic zone of its cultivation in open ground conditions. The sooner it becomes possible to plant plants in the ground in a region, the earlier sowing can be done at home. But here it is necessary to understand that the duration of daylight hours in all regions of our country is the same. And if the seedlings appear in early February, they will need to be provided with lighting for 5 hours every day. Can you provide such conditions? Then get busy with your crops. And if it is not possible to illuminate the seedlings, then you can immediately throw away the packets of seeds. early sowing will not give anything good. The seedlings will stretch out, and since they are very thin, mass mortality will occur. Take your time.

Calmly sow snapdragon seedlings in early March and enjoy strong and healthy seedlings without much hassle. When exactly to plant snapdragon seedlings in the Urals, Siberia and in some regions Far East, depends on the approximate timing of the melting of the snow cover. Remember a simple rule: it is advisable to plant seedlings on permanent place her growth at an age not exceeding 90 days. Therefore, if such an opportunity appears only at the beginning of June, then it is better not to start planting until the beginning of March 2018.

Sowing snapdragon seeds is actually best done on toilet paper or a non-woven napkin.

How to plant seeds correctly?

Very often, inexperienced gardeners receive complaints about the low germination of sown antirrinum seeds. But it's worth knowing that correct landing snapdragon for seedlings gives almost 100% germination. These seeds, although very small, have excellent growth and survival potential even in the dark. favorable conditions external environment.

There can be two errors:

lack of what is necessary to activate growth and germination sunlight when the seeds are sprinkled with soil;
pre-soaking, leading to rotting of the thin seed coat.

Before you plant snapdragon seedlings, place the seed packet in the bottom of your refrigerator for a few weeks. No mixing with sand is required before the sowing procedure. Just pour the seeds into a dry saucer.

Take a shallow plastic container. Place a non-woven cloth with good water permeability on its bottom. You can use the most common toilet paper. Spread in several layers (3-4) and moisten the surface with a spray bottle with water to which “Epin” has been added. Spread the snapdragon seeds evenly on this napkin (or paper). Gently spray the tops with a spray bottle so that they are thoroughly wetted. Cover with tightly translucent material ( polyethylene film or glass). Place in a bright place on the windowsill.

Shoots will appear in 5-7 days. don't miss this one the most important moment. Immediately after the emergence of seedlings, it is necessary to sprinkle them with a thin layer of earth. For this it is better to use a strainer. The filling should reach the cotyledon leaves.

Picking and aftercare

Plant picking begins 3 weeks after germination. You can transplant snapdragon seedlings in bunches or one plant at a time. For picking, take peat pots with a volume of 200 - 250 ml.

Subsequent care consists of regular watering and mineral fertilizers. Spray and water with solution once a week succinic acid. This substance has stimulating properties and ensures the formation of a large number of flower buds.

Soil and suitable containers for seedlings

You can prepare the soil for growing snapdragon seedlings yourself. Doing so better in autumn when all components are publicly available. Take peat or compost, turf soil, sand and wood ash one part at a time. Mix everything, add 20 g. complex mineral fertilizer for every 5 liters of soil mixture. Before planting, pour boiling water with added manganese.

Suitable containers for growing antirrinum seedlings from seeds are wooden boxes, plastic containers, trays and peat tablets. All of them must be thoroughly sterilized before sowing.

It is better to prepare the soil for planting snapdragons in advance.

Transplantation into open ground and subsequent care

Transplanting snapdragon seedlings into open ground is possible only after the average daily temperature has established a positive range. This could be the end of May - beginning of June. Take your time, seedlings cannot withstand even a short-term drop in temperature below +5 degrees Celsius. If possible, you can transfer containers with seedlings to greenhouses or greenhouses for hardening. If this is not possible, then this procedure should be carried out gradually. First, the containers are taken out into fresh air for 30 minutes. The next day the time is increased by 30 minutes. Gradually, over 10 days, the duration of the “walk” should be increased to 8 hours. After this, you can plant snapdragon seedlings in a permanent place.

The planting scheme depends on the height of adult plants:

dwarf varieties are planted at a distance of 15–20 cm from each other;
the medium-sized group requires a distance between plantings of up to 50 cm;
Tall antirrinums should be planted at a distance of 70 cm from each other.

Subsequent care consists of regular watering, application of mineral fertilizers, and weeding. It is also important to regularly form the bush. pinch off any excess side shoots. Too much thickening of the bush leads to the fact that the flowers become small and weakly colored (pale). Plants lose their decorative properties.

With proper care, snapdragons, when grown from seeds, begin to bloom 100 days after the appearance of the first shoots. The flowering period stops only after the first frost.

Seed collection

In order to collect seeds, it is necessary to allocate in advance mother plant. You need to leave a few buds on them, which will fade on their own and set a seed basket. Wait for it to dry completely and move it to a warm and dry place for ripening. Germination of this planting material very high and persists for 5 years.

Snapdragon diseases and pests

Fungal and bacterial diseases of snapdragon mainly affect flower crops under unfavorable climatic conditions. This is high humidity at low temperature conditions. Pests often include colonies of aphids, damage by caterpillars (cutworms), thrips, miners, slugs and mites. Sparse plantings and regular weed removal help prevent pest damage. Against slugs, you must use traps and scatter metaldehyde.

Regular spraying with Zircon helps prevent the development of bacterial and fungal infections. If signs of a nematode appear, then you need to remove the damaged parts of the plant and spray the bushes with a solution of Bordeaux mixture.

Look at the video of how to plant snapdragon seedlings with seeds at home:

Categories:// by

Snapdragons are very beautiful annual flowers that decorate not only flower beds, but balconies, loggias and terraces. Flower growers love this plant for a large number of shades of flowers and leaves. You can grow a “lion cub” from seeds in the southern regions of the country, but in all other regions they use the seedling method. Growing snapdragon seedlings is a simple process that anyone can master. We will consider in detail the step-by-step execution of all work.

Which option to choose?

You might be surprised to learn that there are four groups of snapdragon varieties. We will briefly look at each of the groups so that you can decide which flowers you will grow. Plants were classified according to their height:

Dwarf size - flowers no higher than 15-20 cm. They are ideal for border plantings, carpet flower beds, alpine slide, as well as growing in pots.
Low-growing flowers have a height of 25-40 cm. They are used for borders and flower beds.
Medium-sized plants grow to a size of 40-60 cm. Flower growers most often choose varieties from this group to decorate flower beds.
Tall crops are 60-90 cm. During their growing season they form pyramid-shaped bushes. As a rule, they are used by landscape designers when creating garden color compositions. Flower growers grow them for cutting. Such a bouquet can last in a vase for a week or longer.

Now a hanging snapdragon has appeared, which can be grown in hanging containers. Flowers on a plant irregular shape. They are two-lipped and really resemble the gaping mouth of a lion. All flowers grow in racemes and are very fragrant. There are varieties with both simple and double petals. The color range of snapdragon is very wide. In addition, there are varieties with two-color and even three-color flowers.

VIDEO: Secrets of growing a flower

Stages of growing lion cub seedlings

The plant blooms from June until the first frost. Seedlings can germinate within a month. Those who want to have snapdragons in their flowerbeds begin growing seedlings from late February to early March. Different containers are suitable for this, but be sure to use drainage. The flower is not very demanding on the soil.

Soil preparation

The seedlings will do well in a nutrient mixture of soil that you buy at the store. You can opt for universal soil or for decorative flowers. It is necessary to pour drainage into the container, and soil on top, compact it a little and moisten it with a spray bottle.

To make the soil mixture you will need the following ingredients:

garden soil - 3 parts;
peat - 3 parts;
turf soil - 3 parts;
sand - 1 part.

For planting flowers and snapdragons in particular, the soil from under coniferous trees. If possible, such soil is collected from the root ring of a spruce or pine tree and mixed with the other ingredients.

Small pebbles or walnut shells can be used as drainage. Styrofoam or broken glass should not be used, as this has a detrimental effect on the roots of the plant.

Be sure to add a few tablespoons to self-prepared soil. wood ash to normalize its acidity.

How to sow seeds correctly

For ease of sowing, seeds are mixed with sand and poured onto a leaf. thick paper. Holding the leaf over a container of soil, tap its edge with your finger. In this simple way it is possible to sow evenly over the entire area of the box. The sown grains are sprinkled on top with a small amount of the same soil that is poured into the container.

Lightly trample with fingers upper layer so that when watering the grooves do not wash out and the seeds do not float out.

Watering rules

Gently water the pot with a spray bottle and cover with glass or film. The optimal temperature for germination of grains of this crop is 20-23°C. Of course, growing snapdragon seedlings at home causes certain difficulties and this mainly concerns temperature conditions. It is important that before germination the temperature does not drop below 18°C.

As condensation appears on the glass, it must be turned over. This is done to prevent excess moisture from causing mold. If mold does appear, then you need to carefully remove areas of contaminated soil. After this, water all the soil in the container with a solution of potassium permanganate.

In the case when the soil on top has dried, it must be moistened with a spray bottle. The main rule is not to overdo it with watering. After the first shoots have appeared, the glass or film is removed. The container is placed in a well-lit place, but not under direct Sun rays.

For lighting, it is best to use phyto-lamps that produce special rays simulating the solar spectrum. In the absence of such lamps, fluorescent lamps are also suitable. Be sure to maintain 10 hours of daylight so that the seedlings have time to get stronger before transshipment.

How to care for seedlings

Experienced flower growers know that before the snapdragon crop takes off, growing seedlings takes about a month. All this time you need to very carefully monitor the soil moisture. Excessive moisture can cause seedlings to develop blackleg disease. If you find “fallen” seedlings, they must be removed immediately.

It is convenient to use tweezers for this. The place where the diseased plant grew is carefully sprinkled with crushed activated carbon. The crops are treated with a solution of potassium permanganate or Fitosporin. At the same time, overdried soil can lead to the death of tender flower sprouts. After all, they still have a very small root system.

When the plants have a pair of true leaves (except for cotyledon leaves), they are picked into separate cups or boxes. If you choose the second option, then the seedlings are planted so that they are at a distance from each other and do not interfere with free development.

VIDEO: How to pick lion cub seedlings

Boxes with seedlings are placed on a well-lit windowsill. Remember that the peculiarity of snapdragon culture is that seedlings are not grown in direct sunlight. It is necessary to gradually harden off the seedlings. To do this, open the window briefly every day, but make sure that the plants are not exposed to a draft.

When the seedlings have developed 4-5 true leaves, the central shoot is pinched. This manipulation leads to the formation of beautiful bushes. After all, by pinching the main shoot, we provoke increased tillering of the flower. If you notice that the side shoots of the seedlings have begun to grow actively, then pinch them too. This way you will be able to form a beautiful plant shape.

Secrets of planting and care

Experienced gardeners believe that snapdragon cultivation in open ground should begin no earlier than the end of May. As a rule, spring frosts are no longer expected. First, choose a place to plant seedlings. It can be either a slightly shaded or sunny area, but not in a draft. In the shade, plants will not bloom as profusely.

It is very important to plant flowers in cloudy weather. In bright sunshine, it will be difficult for plants to take root in a new place. Seedlings must be planted at a distance of 20-30 cm from each other.

Young “lion cubs” require regular “feeding” complex fertilizers For flowering annuals. The first feeding is done after the plant takes root, and the subsequent ones every 2 weeks.

If you have organic matter and nitrophoska, then the first fertilizing can be done with them. Then water the fertilizer solution a second time after buds appear on the bushes. Prepare the following solution:

water - 10 liters;
potassium sulfate - 1 tbsp;
superphosphate - 1 tbsp;
urea solution - 1 tbsp.

The flower is not picky when it comes to care. It only needs to be watered during dry periods. After watering, the soil must be loosened and all weeds removed. Withered flowers should be removed regularly so that the plant does not waste its resources on them. To extend the flowering period, be sure to remove the flower shoot.

Having completed all the suggested steps, your eye will be pleased with the snapdragon. Good luck!

VIDEO: Snapdragon. How best to sow, how to properly care

This flower belongs to the plantain family; in total there are more than 50 species of antirrhinum (or snapdragon). Among them there are climbing and erect species. They are most often found in warm regions, but most varieties of antirrinum grow in North America.

Snapdragon belongs to the plantain family.

This flowering perennial has many names: dogs, biting dragon, cleft mouth, mouth. And all of them were given to the plant because flowers grow in inflorescences that look like an opening mouth.

This flowering plant appeared in flower beds at least 5 centuries ago., and breeders began to develop new varieties of snapdragon almost two centuries ago. Since then, a large number of new varieties of snapdragon have appeared - more than 1000. And Antirrinum major was taken as the basis for the development of all these varieties.

What does the snapdragon flower look like?

Snapdragons are erect subshrubs or herbaceous perennials. Their shoots are straight, tall (from 0.15 m to 1.0 m), strong, well branched, finely grooved green in color. The shoots form pyramidal bushes. The upper foliage is alternate, the lower foliage is opposite. Its shape is oval, slightly elongated, its color varies from light emerald to dark, the veins are light red.

The flowers are medium in size, irregular in shape, and have two lips. Varieties have been bred with simple and double flowers, which are collected in spike-shaped inflorescences. Their colors are white, yellow, pink, light fawn, and all shades of red are also found. But Breeders have developed new varieties with two- or three-color flowers.

The fruit is a capsule consisting of two nests, which contains a large number of small seeds (one gram can contain up to 1000 pieces).

The flowering of this herbaceous plant begins in the first ten days of June and ends with the onset of cold weather.

Flowering of snapdragon begins in the first ten days of June and ends with the onset of cold weather

Types and varieties of snapdragon

There are several types of classifications for this garden flower. The most common of them is based on plant height. There are the following groups of snapdragons:

high (used for cutting) – above 0.7 m;
universal (medium height) – 0.4-0.6 m;
low – 0.25-0.4 m;
dwarf - 0.15-0.2 m.

Among the tall species, the most popular are the following new varieties: F1 Red XL, F1 Pink XL. The shape of these bushes is narrow pyramidal, and the inflorescences are rich and bright in color. But older varieties are also popular among gardeners:

Alaska - blooms in mid-summer, flowers are white with a green tint;
Canary - with yellow buds;
Anna German – soft pink;
Ruby;
Pink, etc.

Snapdragons are most often found in warm regions

Tall flowers are used for cutting, and also as a vertical decoration in group plantings in a flower bed, as well as in mixborders.

Universal medium-sized varieties are distinguished by the fact that the main stem of the plant grows longer than the lateral ones. The most popular varieties:

White Monarch - the color of the buds is white;
Golden Monarch – yellow;
Ruby – deep pink;
Bizari hybrid - dots and spots are scattered across a yellow background.

Low and dwarf hybrids and varieties are represented by the following varieties:

Flower shower;
Chimes;
Magic carpet;
Finger;
Tip-top;
The Hobbit.

These varieties are grown to decorate ridges, borders, rock gardens, as well as to decorate balconies and loggias. The inflorescences of these snapdragon species are slightly flattened and quite loose. But low-growing varieties bloom less actively than dwarf varieties.

How to grow snapdragons (video)

Features of ampelous snapdragon

The ampelous snapdragon was created by breeders specifically to grow these flowers in pots. Due to the fact that such varieties are too tender and do not tolerate low temperatures, ampelous varieties cannot be grown in open ground in the Moscow region and other regions with similar climatic conditions.

These varieties have stems hanging down, up to 0.8-1.0 m in size, and their buds are collected in racemose inflorescences. They bloom from the third decade of June until frost. The most popular variety is the hanging “Lampion”, the length of the stems can reach 0.8-1.0 m.

The ampelous snapdragon was created by breeders specifically to grow these flowers in pots

Technology for growing snapdragons from seeds at home

In nature, snapdragon is a perennial plant, but garden plots it is often grown as an annual. Therefore, flower growers growing these flowers in the Volga region, middle zone, in the Urals and Siberia, you have to first grow seedlings from seeds at home. How to do it right?

This process is not too labor-intensive, so even a beginner can handle it. Seeds for seedlings should be sown in the first ten days of March. into containers with a diameter of about 11-12 cm. These containers must have drainage holes. The soil mixture that is poured into the bowls consists of several layers: coarse river sand is poured onto the bottom, and the next layer consists of compost mixed with sand. The soil should be compacted, leveled and slightly moistened. Since snapdragon seeds are too small, they are mixed with sand and evenly distributed over the surface of the soil in bowls. The top of each container is covered with polyethylene, which is lifted for a while every day to ventilate the crops. Spraying of moisture should be carried out as the soil dries. The air temperature in the room should be maintained within +22+23⸰С.

The first seedlings appear in 10-14 days

Usually the first seedlings appear after 10-14 days. After this, the containers with seedlings are placed in a bright place, and when most of the seeds have sprouted, it is necessary to remove the polyethylene.

At first, snapdragon seedlings grow slowly, but don’t worry - they will have time to grow enough by the time they are planted in open ground. It is necessary to create the necessary conditions for its growth - the air temperature should be about 20⸰C, and also do not forget about regular watering of the seedlings. However, seedlings should not be overwatered, otherwise young plants may become infected with a fungal disease such as blackleg.

Diseased plants are carefully removed with tweezers, and the place where they grew is disinfected with charcoal.

After two or three pairs of permanent leaves have appeared on the seedlings, they are dived into new boxes, arranging them more freely. Transplanted young shoots should be protected from sunlight for the first time until the plants adapt to the new location.

After the seedlings have acclimatized, they should be gradually hardened off. First, open a window in the room, but so that the plants do not stand in a draft. The central shoots of seedlings are pinched so that the side shoots grow more actively. But they are also pinched if they grow quickly.

Transplanted young shoots should be protected from sunlight for the first time until the plants adapt to their new location.

Planting snapdragons in open ground

Grown antirrinum seedlings are planted in open ground in the third ten days of May - the first ten days of June. Planting and further caring for these flowering plants are also not very complicated procedures. And if all the rules for planting seedlings and further care are observed, the flowers will soon delight their owners with abundant and long-lasting flowering.

Selection and preparation of a landing site

First of all, you should choose a suitable corner in the garden for these lovely flowers. It can be sunny or slightly shaded, but without stagnant moisture in the soil and protected from gusts of cold wind. And the soil should be light and nutritious.

Usually sand, compost and high-moor peat are added in equal proportions to the flower beds where these plants will grow and bloom. Optimal soil acidity is neutral or slightly alkaline (pH 6-8).

The soil for snapdragons should be light and nutritious.

Technology and timing of planting snapdragons

The distance between snapdragon seedlings in a row depends on the height of these flowers. Between tall varieties you need to leave a space of at least 0.45 m, between medium-sized ones - 0.3 m, between low-growing ones - 0.2 m, between dwarf ones - 0.15 m.

As soon as the seedlings take root in a new place, they quickly grow and within two to three weeks the young plants become beautiful flowering bushes.

Seedlings should be planted in well-watered beds.

Features of snapdragon care

Antirrinum is one of the most unpretentious garden flowers. The main measures for caring for these plants are:

watering;
loosening the soil;
weed removal;
fertilization;
removal of faded flower stalks.

Tall varieties should be tied to supports so that gusts of wind or heavy rain do not break off the blooming inflorescences. To achieve abundant flowering from these garden flowers throughout the season, it is necessary to pick off the drying inflorescences, not allowing the seeds to ripen. Therefore, the old shoots are cut off along with the dried flowers; in this case, new shoots with flowers quickly appear on the bush.

Antirrinum is one of the most unpretentious garden flowers

Rules and frequency of watering

Water these annual plants should be done regularly during the dry periods of the summer season. During the rainy season, antirrinum does not need watering. But you should not apply moisture under the flowers in the evening - it is better to water in the morning, trying to prevent drops of water from falling on the foliage.

After watering, in the evening you should loosen the soil under the bushes, while simultaneously removing emerging weeds.

Plant nutrition

These flowers should be fed several times during the summer season. For the first time, fertilizers for snapdragons are applied 12-14 days after planting the seedlings in open ground - during this time the young seedlings acclimatize to the new place. The first feeding usually includes nitrophoska and organic fertilizers.

The next time, fertilizers are applied to the plants at the moment when buds begin to appear on the arrows. For this liquid fertilizer 30 g of urea, potassium sulfate and superphosphate are diluted in a bucket of water.

Snapdragons should be fed several times during the summer season.

Protection from diseases and pests

These flowering bushes are sometimes attacked by pests or may become sick. The diseases to which these flowers are susceptible are:

rust;
septoria;
blackleg;
gray or root rot.

Diseased flowers are immediately removed and burned, and the soil where they grew should be shed with any fungicidal preparations.

The most common pests that settle on snapdragons are:

scale insects;
fly larvae;
caterpillars and butterflies that typically lay eggs on snapdragon foliage.

But if timely preventive measures are taken, then this may not happen in the flower garden. In addition, it is always easier to prevent the appearance of “harmful” bugs or the appearance of a disease than to fight them later.

And we must remember that proper care of these flowers, timely removal of diseased plants, and planting snapdragons at an appropriate distance will help avoid the occurrence of diseases in plants. And there will be practically no pests in the foliage. You should also remember about moderate watering, in which water does not fall on the leaves and flowers.

How to care for snapdragon (video)

Rules for combining snapdragons with other plants in the flowerbed

When perennials just beginning to grow in flower beds, these annual flowers perfectly fill empty spaces with their abundant flowering perfectly complementing the overall look.

Since there are a large number of antirrinum varieties of different heights and colors, you can always choose the necessary varieties for a specific flower garden, border, or simply fill empty place on the lawn.

Snapdragon is one of the many garden flowers that is widely used in landscape design when designing park areas, they are planted along paths and borders, when designing ribbon flower beds and round flower beds. These flowers are also popular among summer residents in the garden, as they combine well with most other garden flowers.

Attention, TODAY only!

And snapdragons, because growing from seeds is considered a waste of time, effort and money. One day they sowed seeds from two or three bags, but without seeing any germination, they decided not to risk it anymore. Perhaps you have also encountered such a problem?

Why don't small seeds germinate?

The most common reason is they have been sitting on the store display too long and have lost their viability. Therefore, before purchasing, read everything that is written on the bags - self-respecting manufacturers are sure to indicate the expiration date and indicate other information about the seeds.

Despite the small size, Snapdragon seeds (antirrhinum) remain viable for several years.

Antirrinum – an unpretentious plant, resistant to diseases and pests. It is distinguished by a variety of flower colors and long flowering. Mature plant tolerates frosts up to -5 °C and continues to decorate the garden after most of the other flowers have died. Under favorable conditions, it propagates by cuttings and self-sowing.

How to sow snapdragon?

In areas with warm climates, it can be sown directly into the ground. In this case, the seedlings appear later, but they develop better, get sick less and tolerate minor frosts without loss. But if you live where the springs are cold and long, then it is better to grow snapdragons through seedlings.

Prepare small boxes or bowls in advance, about 10 cm high. Place coarse sand on the bottom, add a mixture of compost soil and the same sand on top. Carefully level the surface and moisten the soil.

To ensure that the seeds are distributed evenly, mix them with sand. After sowing, lightly sprinkle with substrate and carefully water with a spray bottle. Cover the bowl or box with glass, plastic bag or a plastic cap.

Ventilate the crops daily by raising the cover.

Monitor the condition of the soil - it should not be dry or too wet, both of which can lead to the death of seedlings.

At optimal temperature 18–23 °C, shoots appear in 10–14 days. As soon as this happens, move the box to a bright room, but place it so that in the first days there will be direct sunlight did not get on the plants. Some gardeners recommend removing the glass as soon as the shoots appear. Others believe that you can leave it for a few more days, but it is necessary to ventilate the crops more often.

At first, seedlings develop slowly. They need to be watered very carefully, best done in the morning. Excess moisture bad light and dense planting can cause seedling death. If you notice fallen seedlings, carefully remove them with tweezers and sprinkle the soil in the box crushed charcoal(you can replace it with activated) or calcined river sand.

Pay attention to this material -

How to sow snapdragon seeds, video:

Caring for seedlings.

After the second true leaf appears, you can begin picking. It is best to use small pots, with one plant in each. Placed in medium-sized pots 2–3 seedlings.

After picking, protect the plants from bright sunlight for several days.

Snapdragon easily tolerates careful transplantation. As soon as the seedlings get stronger and begin to grow, begin to accustom them to bright light and fresh air, leaving them for several hours on an open window, veranda or balcony.

You might be interested in this article -

If you want to plant it in the garden and get early, long-lasting flowering, then you should sow the seeds in mid-late March. The deadline is early April.

Sowing

The seeds of snapdragon are small. And they need to be sown almost on the surface of moist, loose soil, lightly sprinkled with soil on top. Seeds begin to sprout after 10...12 days at room temperature 20...23оС. Since seeds take a long time to germinate, during this time it is necessary to ensure constant soil moisture. It should not be dry or over-moistened.

Like most flower crops, small snapdragon seedlings grow slowly. They should be watered carefully. When true leaves grow, the seedlings are fed with seedling fertilizer in a low concentration.

Grown seedlings dive when 3...4 leaves appear. Snapdragon seedlings are planted in flower beds at the end of May. A week before planting, the flowers are hardened off and introduced to cool conditions. In general, there is nothing overly complicated about growing snapdragon seedlings.

Planting in flower beds

Snapdragon has different varieties with different plant heights, from 20...25 cm to more than 70 cm. Therefore, when planting seedlings in the garden, this nuance must be taken into account so that the feeding area is sufficient for long-term flowering. Plants are planted from 12...15 cm to 30...40 cm from each other. Flowers will grow well in a sunny place, in loose, nutritious, non-acidic soil.

During dry times in summer, snapdragons need abundant watering. And weeding, loosening and fertilizing will contribute to prolonged flowering.

Snapdragon flowers bloom from bottom to top, remaining decorative for almost two weeks. They stand well when cut. Low growing varieties look good in the foreground in flower beds, on balconies, in flowerpots. You can collect seeds for yourself in the fall. You just can’t get a pure variety anymore. The flowers are cross-pollinated and it is possible to get your own unique snapdragon colors.

In terms of decorative qualities, flowering until autumn frosts, snapdragons are not inferior to many annuals, they will decorate any flower garden and become a highlight in the garden.