Growing snapdragons through seedlings. Snapdragon: planting and care in open ground. Caring for antirrinum in open ground

Snapdragon or Antirrhinum is a perennial herbaceous plant of the 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 photos

Snapdragon flowers are large in shape and can have a two-sponge or nonmesiform, bell-shaped, penstemon-shaped, azalea-shaped (double) shape.

Antirrinum varieties are divided into:

• universal,
• cutting,
• casing

Universal varieties are plants with a compact shape 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,
• variety 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 – soft pink color,
• 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 the middle zone, sowing is carried out 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 turf, part sand, part peat, part 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.

Self-collected seeds, after collecting and drying, 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). When the soil dries, spray it with a spray bottle.

After 10 days, shoots appear.

The container with seedlings is placed in a bright place (window without direct sunlight). 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 leaves appear, the seedlings need to be pruned.

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. For the first 2-3 days, the seedlings are protected 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 replanting 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.

When different varieties are planted close together, 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 fertilizing is done with complex fertilizer for garden annual flowers or nitrophoska. The following feedings are carried out every 2-3 weeks throughout the summer.

In heavy soil, for good growth of bushes, it is necessary to carry out regular fertilizing, loosening, and tying up tall 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, with improper care, snapdragons are affected root-knot nematode root system and fungal diseases. Excess moisture leads to the appearance of septoria, rust, verticillium, fusarium, downy mildew, and blackleg.

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. Brown dusty pustules appear on the bottom of the leaves, on the seed pods and sepals. 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. The most beautiful plants with large flowers are selected for seeds. 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 a 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.

Snapdragon is a perennial plant of the Plantain family, which includes about 50 species. In different countries it has its own popular name: “dogs”, “snapdragon”, “cleft mouth”. With the help of artificial breeding, more than 1000 varieties of the crop have been developed, the basis of all forms being Antirrinum major.

General characteristics and options for using snapdragon in landscape design

Antirrinum is a subshrub, found as a herbaceous plant. Its stems are straight and branched, reaching very different lengths: from 0.15 m to 1 m. The stems form peculiar bushes with a pyramidal shape. The leaves differ at different flower heights: the upper ones are alternate and the lower ones are opposite. The shape of the leaves also varies: oval and lacent, the color range varies from light to dark tones of green.

The structure of the flowers resembles the mouth of a lion, which is where the name comes from. They are distinguished by their large shape and collection in inflorescences. Each variety is characterized by its own color:

• pink;
• yellow;
• burgundy;
• golden;
• crimson.

It is impossible to find only shades of blue. Flowering occurs within three months after the start. A distinctive feature is the characteristic opening of the flower: down up. If faded inflorescences are removed in time, the next flowers will bloom throughout the summer season until late autumn. Single and double flowers stand out; all varieties have a fragrant aroma.

The fruit is a multi-seeded capsule; there are several thousand seeds in 1 g. Under natural conditions, snapdragon is a perennial, but in conditions not inherent to it, it is often grown as an annual. This does not exclude the possibility of organizing proper care and protection for its wintering.

In landscape design, low-growing forms of crops are often used to decorate borders. They are also used to create contrasting compositions against the background of lawns or flower beds. A tall plant variety is grown for bouquets. Snapdragon takes root well in pots, which makes it possible to grow it as a decoration for balconies or terraces.

How to grow snapdragon seedlings (video)

Photo gallery

Classification and description of antirrinum varieties

Antirrinum varieties vary in stem height, and there are five main plant types. One of the new developed forms of culture is the ampelous snapdragon. Its characteristic feature is the presence of drooping shoots, the length of which is equal to the length of the shoots of the giant variety.

Gigantic

This type of crop reaches a height of 0.9 m, sometimes reaching 1.3 m. The tallest shoot is the central one, the next shoots in order are significantly lower than the main one. There are two orders of stems in total, the third is absent in this species. The color of the inflorescences is shades of red. The most prominent representative is Opus, which is further divided into subcategories: lavender, white, apple. This is the only variety that can be cut twice a year: in late spring and early autumn.

Tall

Their height ranges from 0.6 m to 0.9 m. This variety of snapdragon is grown for cutting into fresh bouquets that can last up to 7 days without withering. Like the previous species, the side shoots are significantly lower than the main one. The most fragrant crops are those with yellow flowers:

• Anna German (distinguished by its delicate color);
• Canary (bright);
• Madame Butterfly (terry variety in various shades).

Medium height

The variety reaches from 0.4 m to 0.6 m. It can be characterized by its versatility, because it can be grown both for making cut bouquets and for landscape design. It is distinguished by a large number of shoots, the central one stands out above all. The most famous representatives can be identified Golden Monarch, Ruby and Lipstick Silver.

short

These hybrids grow from 0.25 m to 0.4 m and are bred to decorate flower beds and borders. They are distinguished by a moderate number of flowers in inflorescences of all levels of shoots. One of the representatives of this variety we can highlight Twinnie, which belongs to the terry and semi-double type. It has bright shades of colors that will delight you for a long time.

Dwarf

The smallest variety, the length of its shoots reaches 0.15 m - 0.2 m. It is used to decorate borders and ridges; dwarf crops are also widely used for growing carpet flower beds. The branching of this species is the most developed among the others; the central shoot does not stand out against the background of shoots of the next levels. Famous representatives of this variety: Sakura Blossom, Candy Showers(belongs to the ampelous type with drooping shoots).

Growing snapdragons from seeds

At home, you can grow snapdragons from seeds; for this you do not have to purchase them in a store; you can collect them yourself from the crop at the end of the flowering period. The seeds have excellent properties of maintaining germination for several years. In warm climates, you can plant the crop with seeds directly into the soil. In other climatic conditions, it is recommended to propagate antirrinum using seedlings.

Preparatory work

1. At the beginning of spring, it is necessary to prepare small pots with a diameter of 10 cm. They must have drainage holes to remove excess moisture.
2. Coarse sand should be poured onto the bottom, and a layer of the same sand and fertilized soil should be placed on top of it.
3. The poured soil is carefully compacted and leveled; the prepared soil is moistened from the sprayer, onto which the seeds mixed with sand are laid out. The last layer of fertilized soil and sand is poured in and everything is covered with a glass lid.
4. Next, you should wipe off the accumulated condensation daily and moisten the soil as necessary. You need to cover with a lid after a short period of time so that the seeds have time to “breathe”. If the care and temperature conditions are correct and comfortable for the crop, then in a couple of weeks you can see the first shoots.
5. After this, the pot is removed from a sunny place so that the sprouts do not begin to actively grow and stretch out, because you should wait for the remaining seeds to germinate. Once this has happened, the glass roof is removed.

Cultivation of snapdragons in the garden (video)

Technology of growing seedlings

Sprouted plants do not grow very actively at first, but proper watering and timely removal of dead sprouts should be observed. To remove the cause of the disease in the soil, you need to sprinkle the infected area with crushed coal.

As soon as the first leaves appear, the crop is planted in a spacious box, where a certain distance is maintained between the seedlings for free growth. The place should be chosen to be bright, but not in direct sunlight. At this time, the gradual adaptation of the snapdragon to the conditions into which it will be transplanted begins. To do this, the window is opened briefly without creating a draft. To make the shoots more branchy, they must be pinched. This is done during the period when the number of leaves on the shoot reaches 4-5 pieces. The same can be done with side shoots if they begin to stretch out too actively.

Terms and rules for planting seedlings in a permanent place

The seedlings should get stronger by the end of spring. During this period, it is planted in a prepared place in the garden. The soil should be saturated with nutrients and have a light structure. Ideally, it is recommended to prepare a mixture of peat, sand and compost. It is imperative to have good drainage and protection from gusts of wind. The chosen location can be sunny or slightly shaded.

When planting in the ground, a certain distance between plants should be maintained. These indicators depend on the crop variety.

1. Tall - about half a meter.
2. Medium height – 0.3 m.
3. Low growing - 0.2 m.
4. Dwarf - 0.15 m.

Before planting, the soil is moistened abundantly, this is necessary for better rooting. As soon as this happens, the antirrhinum will begin to turn into a bush.

Features of snapdragon care

The culture does not cause any difficulties in care. It must be treated from weeds in a timely manner; the soil around it must be loosened and moistened in a timely manner. Watering should only be done during dry periods of the season. It is recommended to do this in the morning, and in the evening of the same day, weeds are removed and the soil is loosened.

• If a tall plant is being erected, it is necessary to tie it to the support to avoid breaking the stem. Faded flowers are promptly removed, thereby prolonging the flowering of snapdragons. Also, to prolong the production of flowers, you need to remove the released arrow in time and not allow the seeds to ripen.
• Over the course of the entire season, several fertilizing applications are made. The first is during the period of the beginning of active growth, immediately after rooting. The second is during the formation of buds. This is done using organic matter and nitrophoska.
• Sometimes the crop is attacked by pests and diseases. In this case, infected specimens are immediately removed from the flower garden and burned to prevent the spread of the infection. The growth site is treated with a special product purchased in the store.
• To prevent infection from occurring, you need to carry out proper care, which consists of removing the affected leaves, watering on the leaves and not on the ground, and not collecting excess moisture from the root system.
• In autumn, after flowering, it is necessary to prune the plant at a stem height of 5-8 cm above the soil. The root area of ​​the soil should be mulched to prevent soil freezing in winter. This is done to grow perennials. If an annual plant was planned on the site, then seed shedding should be avoided. In autumn, the soil is dug up and the remains of the crop are burned.

Snapdragon, or antirrhinum, is a perennial plant that grows wild in North Africa, Europe, and the North American continent. In Siberia and central Russia there is a variety of snapdragon - wild toadflax. Translated from the Greek word "antirrhinum" means "nose-like" or "nose-like". In nature, there are about 50 species of flower, which began to be cultivated and grown back in the 16th century. And this is not surprising, since the plant is famous for its unusual flowers, varied colors and ease of care.

Antirrinum can be a herbaceous plant or subshrub, which is distinguished by green branched, finely grooved, straight stems from 15 cm to 1 m in height. The pyramid-shaped bushes have opposite leaves at the bottom and alternate leaves at the top. The leaf blades can be light or dark green with red veins. They are lanceolate or elongated oval in shape.

In June, spike-shaped inflorescences are formed on snapdragons, which consist of rather large two-lipped fragrant flowers. They can be simple or terry and have a wide variety of shades. Depending on the type and variety, antirrinum buds are pale fawn, pink, yellow, white or red. There are plants with flowers that are painted in two or even three colors.

Snapdragon flowering continues until frost. At this time, in place of faded buds, fruits are formed in the form of a multi-seeded two-celled capsule.

In gardens, snapdragons are grown as an annual. But there are cold-resistant species that, under favorable conditions, overwinter well and are perennials.

Gallery: snapdragon flower (25 photos)

Types and varieties

Antirrhinums can have different heights and according to this feature they are divided into five groups:

Growing seedlings

The seeds of the plant can be sown directly into open ground. They will emerge in two or three weeks and will calmly survive minor cold snaps. But this method of planting snapdragons is only suitable for warm areas. In the middle zone and regions where there are still frosts in May, it is better to grow snapdragons in seedlings.

The seed planting procedure is carried out in March:

Caring for crops consists of keeping them at an air temperature of +23 degrees, timely moistening the soil and ventilating it daily.

Under favorable conditions, seedlings will appear within three to four days. It will be necessary to remove the polyethylene and place the seedling containers in a bright place where there is no direct and burning sunlight.

Sprout care

Thin and small sprouts that hatch from small seeds require special care:

After the appearance of two true leaves, it is necessary to pick the plants into separate pots or wider boxes. Three sprouts are planted in each pot or hole.

Transplanted seedlings are grown in a bright place. It is best to place them on a western or eastern window sill. After they take root, they begin to harden off the plants. To do this, open the window every day - in the first days for a few minutes, and then for a longer time. Later, when the temperature outside during the day becomes above zero, the seedlings are taken out into the open air for a while. In this case, you need to ensure that there are no drafts or direct sunlight.

Grown plants with five true leaves are pinched. In this case, they will bush better. If the lateral shoots that appear are strongly stretched, they can also be pinched.

Planting a flower in open ground

Hardened, strengthened and mature seedlings are planted in open ground in late May - early June. The snapdragon is not afraid of cold nights, so during this period of time you can safely plant it in a flowerbed.

The site for antirrinum should have nutritious, light, well-drained soil. Bushes can be planted both in partial shade and in sunny places.

For snapdragons, holes are prepared into which a mixture of peat, compost and sand (1:1:1) is added. The distance between the holes depends on the height of the plant:

1. Dwarf varieties are planted 15 cm apart.
2. Between low-growing varieties the distance should be 20 cm.
3. Between medium-sized ones - 30 cm.
4. Tall varieties are planted at a distance of 40–50 cm from each other.

Planting should be carried out in well-moistened soil, so the holes are watered with water, after which plants are planted in them.

If planted correctly, antirrinum will quickly begin to grow and turn into a beautiful and lush bush, which will begin to bloom in June.

Features of plant care

Snapdragon is unpretentious in care. Throughout the growing season, it requires timely watering, fertilizing, removing weeds and loosening the soil.

Watering is carried out only in dry times, when there has been no rain for a long time. Watering should be done in the morning, after which it is necessary to remove weeds and loosen the soil.

During care, do not forget about fertilizing, otherwise the flowering of antirrinum will not be very abundant. The first feeding is done after the plant takes root and begins to grow. At this time, organics and nitrophoska are used. During the formation of buds, the bushes are fed with a solution, which consists of the following components:

• superphosphate;
• potassium sulfate;
• urea.

Take one tablespoon of each fertilizer and dissolve in 10 liters of water.

To ensure abundant and long flowering, faded buds are removed. Otherwise, a seed box will begin to form in their place, and the plant will spend all its energy on producing fruits. Withered peduncles are cut off under the lower flower. After this procedure, after some time a new arrow will appear, on which buds will quickly form.

When growing tall varieties of snapdragon, the bushes must be tied to a support.

To prevent self-sowing, faded flowers should be regularly removed and faded flower stalks should be trimmed. In the fall, after flowering, annuals are removed from the flower bed and burned, and the soil under them is dug up. Such procedures are necessary in order to destroy pests that have settled on the plant.

Perennial antirrinums are pruned with the onset of cold days. Stems 5-8 cm high should remain above the ground. The top of the trimmed bushes is covered with dry leaves or peat mixed with sawdust.

To obtain snapdragon seeds, you do not need to wait until the fruit is fully ripe. They are collected unripe and laid out in a well-ventilated, dry room.

Diseases and pests

Among the pests that can settle on antirrinums are egg-laying butterflies, caterpillars, fly larvae, and scale insects. Affected plants are treated with insecticidal preparations.

Among the diseases, snapdragon can be affected by the following diseases:

To prevent the spread of pests and diseases, you must follow some rules:

1. When planting plants in open ground, maintain a distance between them. It is not recommended to place bushes too tightly.
2. Treat affected plants with special preparations in a timely manner.
3. Water at the roots so that water does not get on the leaves.
4. Do not allow the soil to become waterlogged.

An easy-to-care plant with beautiful flowers can be used not only to decorate the garden, but also to decorate balconies and loggias. Dwarf and low-growing varieties of antirrinum are planted in pots and balcony boxes. In the garden, snapdragons will decorate flower beds, flower beds, and borders. It will look beautiful with eschscholzia, cornflowers, cameo. You can cut flowering plants and use them to make a bouquet.

Flowers snapdragon (lat. Antirrhinum), or antirrhinum,- a genus of herbaceous plants of the Plantain family, covering about 50 species of perennials, including climbing ones, common in the warm zones of the Earth, but mostly in North America. The Russians call this plant “dogs,” the British call it “snapdragon” (biting dragon), the French call it “wolf’s mouth,” and the Ukrainians call it “mouth.” From the Greek, the name “antirrinum” is translated as “nose-like”, “nose-like”.

An ancient Greek myth tells about the first labor of Hercules, when he defeated the Nemean lion, famous for its ferocity and invulnerability. The goddess Flora presented Hercules with a beautiful flower she created in honor of his victory, which she called “snapdragon.” Since then, it has become a tradition in Greece to give snapdragons to heroes. The snapdragon flower has been in culture for about five hundred years, and breeding work was started by German scientists in the 19th century, and today about 1000 varieties of snapdragon are grown in the gardens of the planet, and the most interesting thing is that the basis for this variety of forms and hybrids was a single species – Antirrhinum majus.

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Planting and caring for snapdragons (in brief)

• Landing: in warm climates, sow seeds in the ground in April or before winter. Seeds are sown for seedlings in mid-March; seedlings are planted in open ground closer to mid-May or early April.
• Bloom: from mid-summer to late autumn.
• Lighting: bright sunlight or partial shade.
• The soil: well-fertilized, breathable, light loamy soils with a pH of 6.0-7.0, cultivated to a depth of 30-40 cm.
• Watering: only in the mornings during dry seasons, abundant.
• Feeding: 2-3 times before flowering with complete mineral fertilizer.
• Reproduction: seeds and cuttings.
• Pests: aphids, root-knot nematodes, spider mites, cutworms, thrips, slugs.
• Diseases: late blight, fusarium, verticillium, blackleg, septoria, sclerotinia and downy mildew.

Read more about growing snapdragons below.

Snapdragon flower - description

The snapdragon plant is a subshrub or herbaceous plant with straight, branched green, finely grooved stems from 15 cm to one meter in height, forming pyramidal bushes. The upper leaves of the snapdragon are alternate, the lower ones are opposite, their shape is elongated oval or lanceolate, the color is from light green to dark green with red veins.

The flowers are fragrant, rather large, irregular, two-lipped, depending on the variety, simple or double, collected in spike-shaped inflorescences, and are colored white, yellow, pink, soft fawn, all shades of red, but there are also two-color and even three-color varieties. The fruit is a two-locular multi-seeded capsule, with 5,000 to 8,000 seeds in one gram. Flowering of snapdragon usually begins in June and ends with frost.

Most often, the perennial snapdragon in nature is grown in gardening as an annual plant, but with good care and favorable conditions, the cold-resistant snapdragon can successfully overwinter in the garden and bloom more beautifully the next year. In garden design, antirrhinum is grown as a border plant, although snapdragons look great both in a flowerbed and planted in groups against a green lawn. Snapdragons are often used to decorate balconies and terraces.

Of particular interest to gardeners today are ampelous forms of snapdragons, which can be grown in hanging structures to decorate terraces and galleries.

In the photo: Snapdragon flowering in the garden

Growing snapdragons from seeds

Sowing snapdragons

Snapdragon reproduces by generative and vegetative methods. Snapdragon seeds retain the ability to germinate for several years. If you live in a warm climate, you can grow snapdragons from seeds, sowing them directly into the ground, and they will sprout in two and a half to three weeks, without any problems surviving even a slight cold snap at night, which is common in spring, but in areas where it is warm occurs gradually, it is better to use the seedling method of growing snapdragons. How to grow snapdragons from seeds using seedlings? This process is neither complicated nor labor-intensive.

So, sow snapdragons: early March pour coarse sand into bowls with a diameter of at least 10 cm with drainage holes, and on top of the sand - compost soil mixed with sand, compact it, level it, sprinkle it with water from a sprayer and distribute seeds also mixed with sand over its surface, which we then cover on top a thin layer of the same substrate, moisten it with a fine spray bottle and cover the sowing bowl with glass.

Every day we remove condensation from the glass, let the crops breathe and, if necessary, moisten the soil with a sprayer. At a temperature of 23 ºC and moderate substrate humidity, sprouts will appear in a couple of weeks. As soon as this happens, move the bowl to a bright, non-sunny place so that they do not stretch out, and as soon as the emergence of seedlings becomes widespread (in 3-4 days), remove the glass.

In the photo: Growing snapdragon from seeds

Snapdragon seedlings

The seedlings will grow slowly at first, and your task during this period is to ensure proper soil moisture, watering the soil in the morning so that there is enough moisture, but not in excess, as this can lead to seedlings getting blackleg disease. “Fallen” sprouts should be removed with tweezers, and the place where they grew should be powdered with crushed coal or sprinkled with a small amount of calcined and cooled river sand. After a pair of true - not cotyledon - leaves appear, the seedlings dive into a container or box, placing them so that they grow freely.

You can plant seedlings in individual pots or, for example, plant three sprouts in larger pots.

Place the picked seedlings in a bright place, protecting them from direct sunlight, and begin to gradually accustom them to the environment and temperature in which they will find themselves after transplanting into open ground: open the window slightly during the day for a while, but make sure that the seedlings are not in a draft. The central shoot of each seedling after the development of 4-5 leaves must be pinched to enhance tillering, but if the side shoots are also growing too actively, pinch them too.

Pictured: Red snapdragon

Planting snapdragons

When to plant snapdragons

At the end of May - beginning of June, grown, strengthened and hardened seedlings are planted in open ground. And don’t be afraid of the last night’s cold snaps: your young “lion cubs” will survive them calmly. The site for growing snapdragons can be either sunny or slightly shaded, but must be well drained and protected from strong winds. The soil needs to be light and nutritious. The best soil for snapdragons– a mixture of sand, compost and peat in approximately equal proportions. The optimal soil pH for snapdragon is pH 6-8.

In the photo: Snapdragon in a flowerbed

How to plant snapdragons

Planting snapdragon flowers is carried out according to the following scheme: tall varieties are planted at a distance of 40-50 cm from each other, medium-sized varieties - at a distance of 30 cm, low-growing varieties - after 20 cm, dwarf varieties - after 15 cm. As soon as the snapdragon takes root, it begins to grow very grow quickly and turn into a lush flowering bush. You should know that Snapdragons are planted in well-moistened soil.

Snapdragon Care

How to grow snapdragons

This plant is unpretentious and needs only what any garden flower needs: watering, loosening the soil, removing weeds and fertilizing. You will only have to water the plants in dry times when there is no rain, but not at night. The next day after watering or the same day in the evening, it is advisable to loosen the soil and weed out the weeds. It is advisable to tie tall varieties of snapdragon to a support. It is better to pick off wilted flowers so that the plant does not waste energy on them.

If you want to get snapdragon to bloom for a long time, do not let it set seeds, remove the flower shoot as soon as the last flowers have withered. You need to cut off the peduncle under the lowest flower, then new arrows and new flowers will appear.

As soon as the plant takes root in the ground after planting, it needs to be fed with nitrophoska and organic matter, the second feeding is carried out when the snapdragon begins to form buds, and in this case, use a solution of urea, potassium sulfate and superphosphate at the rate of one tablespoon of each ingredient per 10 liters water.

In the photo: Pink flowers of antirrinum

Pests and diseases of snapdragon

Sometimes red rust spots appear on the plant; septoria, blackleg, gray or root rot can affect the snapdragon. Diseased specimens should be immediately removed and burned, and the soil in the place where they grew should be treated with an antifungal drug (fungicide).

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This article is about snapdragon, or antirrhinum, in general. A bright, elegant, juicy flower that has somewhat gone out of fashion, but there is no doubt that its popularity will still experience its peak. This is a very bright, flowerbed flower, pleasing with its variety of colors and funny “faces” of flowers.

Description

Snapdragon is a perennial, cultivated as an annual in our country. The plant has a straight, branched, medium-leafed bush. The height varies greatly, from compact varieties of 15 cm to giants of 1 m. The flowers are collected in a spike-shaped inflorescence. The range of colors is varied, only blue, light blue, and lilac tones are not represented. Flowers are multi-colored, two-colored, double. They have a pleasant aroma. The plant is characterized by long, rich flowering, blooming from June until frost. In mild winters, it can successfully overwinter and bloom the next year. The plant loves light, but can grow in the shade. It can be planted under trees. Cold-resistant, tolerates moderate spring temperature changes.

Historical information

Of course, snapdragon cannot be defeated, the wild ancestor of which could not even be found, but this flower is also one of the most ancient cultivated plants - gardeners have been growing it for more than 500 years. The ancestor of all modern varieties (and there are about 1000 of them today) was one species - Antirrhinum majus.

There is an ancient Greek legend about the origin of the flower: the flower was created by the goddess Flora, who admired the feat of Hercules, who defeated the Nemean lion. The goddess tried to make the flower resemble a lion's mouth.

Types and varieties

Snapdragon or antirrhinum (lat. Antirrhinum) is a whole genus of plants, numbering about 50 species of perennial herbaceous plants. The genus is part of the Plantain family (such well-known crops as bacopa, toadflax are also included in this family)

The homeland of most species is North America.

The name Antirrhinum comes from Greek and means “nose-like.” In many countries, the plant received a bright, figurative name that best characterizes the structure of the flower - “dogs” (Russia), or “biting dragon”, snap dragon (English-speaking countries), “cleft palate” (France), “mouths” (Ukraine ).

All varieties are classified according to different characteristics, the simplest classification is by plant height:

1. Dwarf- 15-20 cm. These are border and charming container plants. Bushes abundantly, side shoots are the same height as the main one. They also look great in rock gardens, ridges and carpet beds.
2. Short- 25-40 cm. They also look great in flower beds, ridges, borders, carpet compositions, containers, and flower pots. The side shoots and the main one are on the same level.
3. Average - 40-60 cm. Universal, suitable for group plantings, flower beds, suitable for cutting. They branch strongly, the central shoot is the highest.
4. High— 60-90 cm. Accent plants in a mixborder or flowerbed. The side shoots are much lower than the central one, which is why the flowering plant resembles a candle. When cut, it stays fresh for 2 weeks.
5. Giants— 90-130 cm. They are used for the same purposes as tall ones. The central shoot is much higher than the shoots of the second level; there are no lower levels.

Planting and care

Feeding is not necessary, but the plant will respond well to watering with a weak solution of complex mineral fertilizers once in mid-summer.

Basic Rules:

1. The place should be sunny, but partial shade is possible.
2. Be sure to have good drainage in the area!
3. It is advisable to choose a place protected from the winds.
4. Soil acidity is average; the soil should be fertile, light, and nutritious.
5. Care is extremely simple, the plant is unpretentious: watering, removing weeds, loosening.
6. Watering is required abundantly only in dry, hot summers.
7. Withered flowers, if you do not plan to collect seeds, pick off and cut off the faded shoots, this stimulates the appearance of new ones.
8. Immediately after planting in open ground, they are fed with organic matter, the second time with mineral feeding - during the budding period (a solution of urea, superphosphate and potassium sulfate is prepared).
9. If the plant becomes sick with rust, black leg, or gray rot, it is immediately removed and burned, and the planting site is sprayed with fungicide.
10. It is best to use preventive measures against scale insects, caterpillars and other pests: no excess or stagnation of water, do not water so that water gets on the leaves, remove affected plants.
11. After flowering, in the fall, the snapdragon is cut off, leaving a stump of about 5 cm, mulched - then, perhaps, the plant will overwinter.
12. If there is no desire to save for the next season, or in your region the winters are too harsh, which the plants are guaranteed not to survive, the seed shoots are cut off in time to avoid self-sowing (this is also important when collecting seeds - to prevent them from falling), the area is dug up, all plant remains are burn.

Growing seedlings from seeds

Snapdragon seeds remain viable for several years. As a rule, in the middle zone it is grown by seedlings; the plant is cold-resistant, tolerates nighttime drops in temperature well, but it cannot withstand return frosts.

How to grow from seeds? Follow these simple instructions:

1. Sowing in early March.
2. Pour drainage into the container, then compact the soil mixed with sand and moisten it with a spray bottle.
3. Mix antirrinum seeds with sand and spread over the surface, pressing lightly. You can sprinkle the seeds with a thin layer of soil.
4. Cover with glass. Place in a place with a temperature of about 23 ºC.
5. Ventilate daily. Remove excess moisture from the glass.
6. After 2 weeks, sprouts will appear.
7. Move to a bright place, but away from direct sunlight.
8. The glass is removed when all the seeds have sprouted.

Seedling care

At first, it does not grow very quickly; the crops should be moistened moderately, avoiding excess moisture (otherwise there is a risk that the snapdragon seedlings will die from the “black leg”). Fallen sprouts have most likely already been damaged; it is recommended to remove them and sprinkle the area where they grow with crushed coal.

Seedlings are picked when the second true leaf appears, planted in planting boxes, or in separate pots of several pieces. Place in a bright place, gradually accustom it to fresh air, opening, for example, a window (just be careful that tender young plants are not standing in a direct draft). When the fifth leaf appears, the central shoot is pinched; if the side shoots grow too quickly, they are pinched too.

Ready seedlings are planted in boxes on the balcony or in open ground in mid-late May, maintaining a distance of 15 cm (dwarf varieties), 20-30 cm (medium-sized varieties), 40-50 cm (tall and giant varieties).

Sowing in open ground is also possible; plants sprout in 2-3 weeks.

Application in the garden

This is an excellent border crop if you need to create an edging for a mixed border, a border, a line along a path - you won’t find a brighter plant. Can be good in group plantings and goes well with lawns. It is planted in balcony boxes, containers, and flowerpots. They decorate loggias and...