When to plant snapdragons for seedlings

Antirrinum, or, more simply, snapdragons, is one of the most popular annuals that can delight the gardener’s heart, starting literally from the warmest days of May to the first frosty days in autumn.

Perhaps the flower has gained such popularity due to the variety of subspecies and varieties, because antirrinums can vary in height from tiny babies (15-25 cm) to majestic beauties (70-120 cm). The color scheme of inflorescences is no less diverse, it lacks only blue shades. Snapdragon inflorescences are not only one-color, but also two- and even three-color. The shape of the inflorescences can also be very diverse. One inflorescence stays on the plant for about 12 days, the flowering period of the whole plant is about 3-4 months. Using only different varieties of snapdragon, you can fill both flower beds and borders, and decorate paths with it, as well as landscape flower beds in the garden.

Despite the great popularity of snapdragon, many gardeners still have many problems when growing it from seeds, disputes do not subside about when it is better to plant it on seedlings and whether it should be done at all. It also happens that many people prefer to buy ready-made seedlings so as not to bother once again with seeds, soil and pots.

In fact, there is nothing insurmountable in growing antirrinum, and in recent years, ingenious flower growers have invented many tricks and tricks to facilitate this difficult but fascinating process. From this article, you can learn all about growing snapdragons from seeds at home.

Seed preparation

If you have ever dealt with sowing snapdragons, you can well imagine how small the seeds are. One gram can fit from 5 to 8 thousand seeds. It is the very small size of the seeds that usually presents the greatest difficulty for flower growers. Moreover, antirrinum seeds, like most small seeds, are light dependent, which means that they need light to germinate. Therefore, when sowing, they must be evenly distributed over the surface of the soil and in no case should they be covered from above.

If you have already grown snapdragons in your garden and decided to collect seeds from a flower, then this is not difficult to do. In this case, the collection of seed pods is best done before they are fully ripe. The top of the stem with the resulting pod fruits is cut off and hung in a paper bag in a dry place. After ripening, the seeds themselves spill out of dry fruits. It is undesirable to use a plastic bag, since the stem can rot in it. Before planting, it is better to store your seeds in any paper or cardboard package in a refrigerator or other cool room with a temperature of about + 5 ° C. So the seeds will undergo additional stratification, and their germination will improve. Snapdragon seeds are able to remain viable for 4 years.

Antirrinum seeds purchased in stores and markets do not need any additional processing.

Sowing dates

The question of when to plant snapdragons for seedlings is one of the most burning, since information about this varies greatly in different sources. It is impossible to answer this question unambiguously. And all because among the variety of modern varieties and hybrids of snapdragons, there are several groups that differ greatly in terms of flowering.

The usual, most common varieties of snapdragons bloom from about July, but bred hybrids and some short-day varieties can bloom in early spring, and even in winter, if they are provided with favorable conditions for this. Therefore, always carefully study all the information about the timing of sowing on bags of seeds.

It is also necessary to take into account the fact that tall varieties of snapdragons need on average more time to bloom. While many low-growing varieties of antirrinum can be sown even in April and admire their flowering at the end of June.

In the southern regions of Our Country, with early and warm spring, snapdragons are often sown in April-May directly into open ground. After all, these flowers are very cold-resistant and can withstand even significant temperature drops. They do not need a lot of heat, but light means a lot to them.

Even in the middle lane, snapdragons can be left for the winter in the garden, because by their nature these plants are perennials. If there is a lot of snow, then in spring you can find numerous shoots that are easy to thin out and plant in future flower beds.

Methods for planting seeds

Today, there are several ways to sow plant seeds. Among them there are traditional ones, and those that are used when sowing seeds of especially small size and a special method of growing with a lack of space on the windowsills. They all work and give good results. You can try them all or just choose something that suits you best.

The traditional way of sowing

Snapdragon is a fairly hardy plant, so it can grow in almost any soil you can offer it. Standard soil for growing seedlings is fine. Since its seeds are very small, a certain amount of prepared soil must be sifted through a fine sieve. Seeds can be germinated in any suitable size container. Snapdragon tolerates a pick well, so it is better to sow the seeds in one container. Next, we take the following steps step by step:

• At the bottom of the tank, put a centimeter layer of fine expanded clay or perlite, which will serve as drainage. If the germination container is small in height, then a drainage layer is not necessary, but then it is necessary to make several holes in the bottom so that excess moisture does not stagnate.

  

• Fill the container with soil, not reaching the edges of 2-2,5 cm, and compact it a little.
• Spill the soil with water so that it is well wetted. If you have not subjected the soil to sterilization, then it can be spilled with boiling water.
• From above, pour 1-1,5 cm of earth carefully sifted through a sieve.
• It is not necessary to compact the topmost layer of the earth, it is enough just to spill it with water, preferably from a spray bottle.
• Using a piece of paper folded into a corner, spread the seeds evenly over the entire surface of the soil or sow them in rows, as you like.
• From above, lightly sprinkle the sown seeds with water from a spray bottle so that they are nailed to the surface of the soil.
• Cover the container with a piece of glass, polycarbonate, or put a plastic bag on top. This will create a greenhouse effect, which will help the seeds germinate faster and not dry out in the first days after germination.

  

• Place the container of snapdragon seeds in a well-lit area. Heat in this case is not so important. Seeds can also germinate at +10°+12°C, but the optimum temperatures vary from +18°C to +23°C.
• The first seedlings may appear as early as 3-5 days, but most seedlings usually appear after 10-15 days.

In the video below, you can clearly see all the subtleties of the traditional sowing of antirrinum:

Special tricks and supplements

In the traditional sowing of snapdragon seeds, special techniques are often used that contribute to the accelerated germination of seeds, and also prevent them from dying in the first weeks after germination.

It is on these days that they are most susceptible to a variety of fungal infections and can easily die without having time to get stronger.

To facilitate sowing and germination of seeds, the surface of the soil can be sprinkled with the thinnest layer of sand or vermiculite calcined in the oven. Both substances prevent the spread of possible infections. In addition, vermiculite is also able to regulate the amount of moisture in the substrate – it absorbs excess and gives it away when it dries. Seeds are sown directly on top of sand or vermiculite and can even be lightly “powdered” with the same substances.

Since snapdragon is a very cold-resistant plant, snowing is often used for the convenience of sowing. A small layer of snow is poured over the prepared soil, and the seeds of the antirrinum are already scattered on top of it. On a white snowy surface, black seeds are clearly visible and this makes it possible not to thicken the crops. Snow in the process of melting will draw the seeds into the ground a little, ensuring their good adhesion to the soil and, as a result, their rapid and friendly germination.

In addition, immediately after germination, the first accurate watering of tiny sprouts is best done not with ordinary water, but using a phytosporin solution (10 drops per 1 liter of water). This will help prevent all possible problems associated with fungal infections.

landless sowing

For convenient sowing of seeds of small sizes, a special technology was invented that is ideal for planting snapdragons. Since this flower is more convenient to plant in the ground not one at a time, but in groups of 3-5 plants. In this form, it looks even more decorative.

So, for this method, you will need a small flat container, preferably transparent. It can be a glass or plastic tray or saucer. Cover its bottom with a thick paper napkin or even ordinary toilet paper in several layers.

Then, using a spray bottle, moisten the napkin with plenty of water. Instead of water, you can use a solution of any growth stimulator, such as Epin, Zircon, or the same Fitosporin. The napkin should be wet, but puddles on it are undesirable. After that, evenly distribute the antirrinum seeds on a napkin in any way convenient for you. And again, lightly sprinkle over the seeds with liquid. This completes the main landing process. Carefully pack the seed container in a plastic bag and put it in a bright place. No earth, no dirt – everything is very simple and fast.

But this method, despite its convenience, requires constant attention and control.

It is at this moment that the seeds in the container must be carefully sprinkled with light earth sifted through a fine sieve, with a layer of about half a centimeter.  

If you miss the moment of seed germination, and the seedlings have time to stretch a little and become covered with green foliage, then all is not lost. They also need to be covered with earth, but already scattering it from above, directly through a sieve. This must be done very carefully so as not to damage the thin sprouts. After that, all shoots are also carefully sprayed with water from a spray bottle.

For a detailed video on this method of germinating antirrinum seeds, see below:

Seedlings: from germination to planting in the ground

Snapdragons usually germinate rather slowly – on average it takes 8 to 12 days to germinate. Although, as practice shows, in some individual cases, if own fresh seeds are used, stored in suitable conditions, the first seedlings may appear as early as 3-4 days after planting.

Even before the emergence of seedlings, the film must be opened at least once a day, airing the plantings. After the appearance of sprouts, it is necessary to continue daily airing, not forgetting to control the soil for moisture. If necessary, it must be carefully moistened with a spray bottle. Snapdragon does not like excessive dampness, especially in the early stages of growth, so it is better to dry the plants a little than to allow waterlogging.

The film can be completely removed only after the opening of the second pair of (real) leaves.

Somewhere in the same period, seedlings can be picked out in separate cups. As mentioned earlier, it is better to place several plants at once in each cup. This will be easier to do and the plants will feel better. If there is a lack of space on the windowsills, then snapdragon seedlings can be dropped into diapers.

This method is well shown in the following video:

If you have sown seeds quite rarely, then seedlings can be grown even without picking in order to plant plants already in open ground. If you gradually harden off the seedlings, then this can be done even in May, since young snapdragon plants can withstand even short-term frosts down to -3 ° -5 ° С.

In the case of landless sowing of antirrinum, as the seedlings grow, constantly add light earth to the roots of the plants. This will help the plants not to stretch and fully develop.

Snapdragon does not need to be fed before planting in open ground. Only Phytosporin or Biohumus solution can be added to water for irrigation.

Results

As you can see, in order to successfully grow snapdragons from seeds, you need to know some features and nuances. But even at home, there is nothing particularly difficult in this process, but you can provide yourself and your friends with luxuriously blooming colorful flower beds.