Perennial snapdragon: planting and care, photo of dog flowers, growing from seeds, description and types of flower, proper planting for beginners. Snapdragon: all the nuances of growing from seeds, planting and care When to plant snapdragons in open ground
Snapdragon (Latin name Antirrhinum) is a pretty flyer, which Russians call "dogs", Ukrainians - "mouths", British - "biting dragon", and French - "wolf mouth". All these names indicate the external similarity of the flowers of the plant with the open mouth of animals. The article will discuss how to plant an antirrinum and how to care for it in the open, that is, in a flower bed, on the ground. Colorful photos of these interesting colors and information about when is the best time to plant a plant will complete the picture.
This plant, covered with myths and legends, has existed in culture for about 500 years. Thanks to breeders who began work on the large antirrium in the 19th century, there are now about 1000 flower varieties.
The plant can be described as follows:
- Herbaceous culture (semi-shrub) with vertical stems from 15 cm to 1 m tall.
- The leaves are oblong-oval. Below they are located opposite to each other, and in the upper part of the plant - alternately.
- At different varieties the green tone of the leaves may vary slightly. The presence of red veins is often noted.
- The flowers are irregularly shaped, two-lipped, simple and double. Endowed with a delicate, pleasant aroma. The coloring can be both monophonic and two-, and three-color. All qualities depend on the variety.
- The fruit of the plant is a two-celled box, in which from 5,000 to 8,000 thousand small seeds can ripen.
- The first snapdragon buds open in June. Flowering stops in late autumn.
snapdragon flower
There are several classifications of antirrium. The most convenient of them is the height of the plants.
- Gigantic - the length of the stem is 90-130 cm. For example, the Arthur variety is 90 cm high with cherry flowers. Pink and red XL hybrids are also popular.
- High - 90 cm. A series of varieties Rocket with white-yellow elegant flowers and Madama Butterfly with double flowers of various colors are used for cutting.
- Medium height - 40-60 cm. They are distinguished from other varieties by strong branching. Wildrose - pure pink flowers, Defiance - red-orange with a lilac tint, Ruby - hot pink.
- Low varieties - 25-40 cm. Lampion ampelous hybrid, Ruby Star variety with flowers of the corresponding color, Tip-top - color in pastel colors.
- Dwarfs - height 15-20 cm. Top Thumb - a sphere-shaped bush with bright yellow flowers, Floral - a group of hybrids with 13 color options.
The difference in height and a wide range of colors of plants makes it easy to decorate a flower bed or container with them.
Growing snapdragons
Before purchasing seeds, you need to decide on the variety. For example, tall plants are suitable for growing outdoors, and dwarf and ampel varieties are ideal for balcony boxes.
Seeds can be collected independently, but it should be borne in mind that hybrids do not retain parental qualities. The collection begins at the time when the boxes at the bottom of the inflorescence are fully ripe. The unripe green top is removed. A simple paper bag is put on the remains of the flower arrow, the plant is hung in a dry place and they wait until the seeds begin to pour from the opened boxes.
Snapdragon can be grown on the balcony
This popular flower is grown in two ways:
- sowing in the ground;
- through seedlings.
The first option is simpler, but it is much more difficult to plan a flower bed with it. Everything here depends entirely on weather conditions. In the case of prolonged cold weather, some of the seeds simply may not germinate.
Advice. If it is not possible to grow seedlings, then it is better to cover the flowerbed with snapdragon crops with agrospan or polyethylene.
Seeds for seedlings are sown as follows:
- A low container, such as a box, is filled with fertile soil. For snapdragons, garden soil, sand and humus are suitable in a ratio of 2: 1: 1.
- Small brown seeds are evenly scattered over the surface of the soil. Using a sieve, cover them with a thin layer of soil.
- Crops are moistened (preferably from a spray bottle).
- The top of the container is covered with a film or covered with glass.
- The box is arranged in a warm place.
Taking care of snapdragon seedlings will not cause difficulties
Shelter is immediately removed as soon as shoots appear and small plants are exposed to a well-lit place. In separate containers, snapdragons are seated in about a month. The signal for picking is the formation of two leaves. After the development of 4-5 leaves, the top of the plant must be pinched. This will intensify the tillering.
How to plant seedlings in a flower bed and care for the plant in the future
Shortly before planting, the plants are hardened off by exposing pots of seedlings to fresh air daily.
The flower bed where the snapdragon is planned to be planted should be located in the sun, without shading. There are no special requirements for the soil, but loam with a neutral reaction is preferable.
Attention! Planting seedlings in a flower bed is possible only with the onset of stable heat. Even slight frosts can kill the plant.
When planting different varieties, the following intervals should be observed:
- for tall varieties - up to half a meter apart;
- 30 cm will be enough for medium height;
- low varieties are best planted after 20 cm;
- dwarfs require a spacing of 15 cm.
Directly planting snapdragons occurs in the same way as most flower crops. After rooting, the seedlings grow very actively and turn into a beautiful bush.
To create a beautiful composition in a flower bed, choose plants of different heights.
Flower care consists of traditional garden work:
- glaze;
- loosening the soil around the plants;
- weeding as needed;
- top dressing.
Water the plant only in dry and hot periods of summer. The rest of the time, natural precipitation is quite enough for him. The next day after watering, you need to loosen the ground under the plants (this will contribute to better aeration of the roots) and remove the weeds that have appeared.
From top dressing, immediately after planting, nitrophoska is suitable, and during budding, a good option would be water solution urea, superphosphate and potassium sulfate (1 tablespoon each per 10 liters of water).
Advice. In order for the plant to bloom for a long time, wilted flower stalks should be removed regularly.
Snapdragon is a very colorful culture with which you can easily decorate any site. Huge selection varieties that differ in height and color, allows you to create interesting garden compositions with the participation of only one type of plant.
The subtleties of growing snapdragons: video
snapdragon flower
The snapdragon flower has a number of undeniable advantages. First of all, it is unpretentiousness and bright, long flowering from mid-summer to late autumn. You can grow it not only in flower beds and slides, but also on loggias in pots and hanging baskets.
Snapdragon flower (Antirrinum) - but it blooms and produces seeds in the first year. That is why it is mainly grown as an annual. This flower can form a powerful shrub with a well-developed root system. Such bushes are able to safely winter even in the middle lane.
Thanks to the work of breeders, flower growers can grow hundreds of varieties of Antirrinum. There are dwarf varieties (15 - 20 cm), medium-sized (40 - 50 cm) and tall (90 - 100 cm). In addition, ampelous forms of snapdragons with drooping shoots have recently appeared, the length of such shoots reaches 1 meter.
Snapdragon ampelous.
Growing snapdragons from seeds
When to sow.
When growing snapdragons, seeds should be sown in early March.
Substrate for seed germination.
The flower does not like to grow on peat soils. For seed germination, it is better to use earth from a compost heap and river sand in a ratio of one to one.
How to sow the seeds of Antirrinum.
Growing snapdragons from seeds is conveniently done in plastic containers with tight-fitting lids. You can sow the seeds immediately in cups, and several seeds in one cup. If 3-4 seeds germinate, then there is no need to thin them out, let them continue to grow in one bush.
Before sowing, the container or cup is filled with soil, the soil is leveled and abundantly moistened. Snapdragon seeds are very small, for convenience, snow is poured on top of the substrate and the seeds are sown in the snow, then they are clearly visible. It is only necessary to take into account that the snow in the room melts quickly. You can mix the seeds with sand, this also greatly simplifies the sowing process.
Seedling care.
After the seeds are sown, they are sprinkled with a thin layer of soil, moistened again with dewdrops and covered with a lid or film. For germination, the seeds will need high humidity and a temperature of 23 - 25 degrees. Keep an eye on soil moisture; when the substrate dries, it must be moistened periodically.
young seedlings
With proper care, the seeds will germinate in 10-15 days. After the appearance of young sprouts, the seedling container is transferred to a well-lit place. Otherwise, with a lack of lighting, the seedlings will quickly stretch. The film can be removed a few days after seed germination.
Young plants grow slowly at first, this should not disturb you. At this time, Antirrinum seedlings should be watered very sparingly. If signs appear, immediately remove all affected seedlings, and sprinkle the soil with ash or crushed activated carbon.
As you probably already noticed, there is nothing unusual in growing snapdragons from seeds, and all other flowers are grown from seeds in much the same way.
Seedling picking.
When the seedlings have a second pair of true leaves, you can start diving seedlings. At Antirrinum, a powerful root system grows already in the seedling period, so plants should be dived into large cups with a volume of 0.5 liters.
Antirrinum seedlings after picking.
If the seedlings grew densely, then sometimes the roots of neighboring plants grow together. In such cases, do not try to separate them, just plant a few in cups.
Snapdragon easily tolerates a pick and is quickly accepted in a new place. But while the seedlings have not started to grow, they must be kept in the shade, and taken out in the sun a few days after transplantation.
Pinching seedlings.
Do not grow this flower in one stem. The plant looks much more attractive when it grows into a bush. To do this, pinch the shoot over the fifth leaf. If side shoots begin to grow rapidly, it is better to pinch them too. As a result, a powerful, beautiful snapdragon bush grows.
Growing from seeds in open ground
You can also grow snapdragons from seeds in open ground. You just have to say right away that these flowers will bloom only at the end of July or at the beginning of August, but they will bloom until frost.
Antirrinum grown from seeds.
It is customary to sow snapdragons into the ground in so-called curtains. Curtains are formed about 40 by 40 cm in size. 4-5 Antirrinum bushes are grown in one curtain, but much more seeds need to be sown there. Excess seedlings can later be pulled through.
Sow seeds in the ground in late April, early May. Since spring frosts can destroy seedlings, curtains are covered with some kind of covering material.
Growing and caring for Antirrinum
Flower growers rarely plant snapdragons in the foreground, considering this flower not to be spectacular enough. But this is because few people know how to properly grow this flower. Most often it is grown in one stem, and even varieties are selected with a height of 30 - 40 cm.
Antirrinum should be grown in bushes. To do this, just cut off the top of the plant. You can cut off the upper part of the shoot in seedlings, and in adults, and even flowering plants. After a while, it will grow not one, but as many as 8 - 12 shoots.
When growing tall varieties, the height of which reaches one meter, a huge flowering bush is obtained. Fading shoots should also be removed and then new, young stems will grow again instead of them.
Snapdragon can grow in the sun, in partial shade and on almost any soil. It is grown in mixborders, discounts and separate curtains. Ampel hybrids are good for planting in hanging baskets.
Wintering snapdragons in the open field
Antirrinum is a perennial plant that can overwinter in conditions middle lane. It is prepared for winter in the same way as most perennial flowers. In autumn, all shoots are cut off, and the roots are covered with leaves, grass, peat. After a successful wintering, many shoots grow from the roots, which can be dug up and used to decorate the site.
Snapdragon diseases
In cold rainy weather, red spots may appear on the leaves of Antirrinum. If this happens, treat the flowers with Zircon (5 drops per 1 liter of water). Plants can also be treated with the same preparation for prevention, only in smaller doses (2 drops per 1 liter of water).
For preventive purposes, snapdragons are sprayed when planting seedlings in the ground and before flowering. Heavily affected plants are best removed from the garden immediately.
Snapdragon (Antirrhinum) or antirrinum is a flower of the plantain family, a genus of herbaceous plants. The flower has been known to us since childhood under the name "dog", because its flowers looked like the gaping mouth of a dog, or even a dragon, so the British called it "snapdragon", the French associated this flower with the wolf's mouth, and the Ukrainians - gentle "mouths".
Although, translated from Latin, “antirrinum” is a comparison with another part of the face - “nose-like”, “like a nose”. As they say, everyone has their own fantasies.
By the way, the name "Snapdragon" has its echoes in Greek mythology. When the famous Hercules defeated the predatory Nemean lion and brought his skin to King Euphries, he did not even want to look at it. Hercules adapted to wear the skin as a cloak, and the skin was right with his head, his mouth was open and looked very intimidating. The goddess Flora admired the masculinity of Hercules and presented him with a flower as a gift, exactly resembling this very mouth. As you understand, the flower was called "Snapdragon".
Since then, there has been a tradition in Greece: to present a bouquet of these flowers to the heroes and winners.
Fast forward from ancient times closer. The birthplace of antirrinum is considered to be North America, where in wild nature fragrant fifty kinds of plants. In Europe, one species has taken root - Antirrinum large. Since 1567, German breeders began to develop new varieties based on it. To date, there are more than a thousand (!) Cultivars of snapdragons, differing from each other in height, color, and flower size.
Growing seedlings of antirrinum from seeds
In more southern areas, snapdragons can be planted directly into the ground with the onset of sustainable warming. In less than three weeks, the seeds will sprout. The plant will easily survive a slight cold snap. But in places where returnables are common, it is better to use the seedling method, which is a common thing for flower growers.
Antirrinum planting and care photo
How does antirrinum develop at home? Growing snapdragon seedlings is easy. You will need a flat container for seedlings, sand, compost soil, glass and a spray bottle.
Almost forgot, more antirrinum seeds
It is better to do this from March 1 to March 20. We pour sand into a container with drainage holes, then we level the compost soil mixed with the same sand, press it, moisten it with a spray bottle. Since the seeds are very small, mix them with sand, spread them over the surface, sprinkle with a thin layer of sand and compost mixture, moisten again.
There is a way to sow seeds in the snow brought from the street. The snow will melt and draw the seeds to a shallow, optimal depth for them. Covered with glass and in a warm place (+23˚). Every day we remove condensate from the glass, and moisten the ground if necessary. In two weeks, the first sprouts will appear, now you need to move to partial shade so that the sprouts do not stretch out. 3-4 days and accept glass.
At first, growth will be slow, you need to maintain a balance so that antirrinum can grow from seeds normally:
- so that the soil is moist, but not flooded, otherwise there is a danger of the appearance of a "black leg". If the seedling has fallen, carefully remove it with tweezers and, if possible, sprinkle the place with crushed coal (to disinfect it, so to speak). You can play it safe: spray the seedlings with a weak solution of phytosporin (10 drops per 1 liter of water). After the appearance of a couple of true leaves - it's time to dive.
- For transplanting, you can use individual pots or a common container for seedlings (decide for yourself, you place it on the windowsills, well, if you have a greenhouse, then we walk ...). We use a light mixture of non-acidic peat and soddy soil (1: 2). After a week, water with complex fertilizer according to the instructions.
Video sowing antirrinum for seedlings:
Video how to dive antirrinum:
Gradually we accustom seedlings to natural conditions: open the window, take it out to the balcony, just avoid prolonged drafts. In principle, strong seedlings are no longer susceptible to any disease.
We make sure that the plant does not stretch out, for this we pinch the central one after 4-5 leaves (make sure that the remaining bud looks out, then the branches will go out, and not inside the bush), if the side shoots develop too actively, then pinch them.
Planting antirrinum in open ground
Strengthened and grown seedlings are planted in open ground at the end of spring. A slight cooling will not do them any harm, the seedlings even tolerate short-term frosts down to -3˚. The soil is desirable light, ideally a mixture of sand, compost and peat, pH 6-8. You can choose a place both sunny and not very sunny, the main thing is not leeward.
High varieties are planted at a distance of 40 - 50 cm from each other, lower ones - at a distance of 30 cm, undersized - 20 cm from each other, and dwarf ones - at a distance of 15 cm in very moist soil. We take into account that as soon as he “gets sick” after transplantation, snapdragons will actively grow in height and width, turning into a luxurious bush.
What antirrinum likes care?
Antirrhinum nanum Twinny Peach F1 Hybrid
Snapdragon is a rather unpretentious plant. Just water, loosen and remove the weeds in time. Flower antirrinum tolerates cultivation in almost any soil, but of course, light soils with a sufficient supply of organic fertilizers and trace elements are preferred.
Although it is necessary to water only in dry times, they do not water at night, but in the morning, the next day after watering, be sure to loosen the soil. In a dry summer, the plant is more likely to shed foliage than flowers, so that drought has almost no effect on flowering. tie it to a support, it is better to pick wilted flowers, so the plant will not expend energy on them and you will give a neater look to your flower bed.
For long lasting blooms...
do not let the seeds set, we remove the flower stalks immediately after flowering, cut off under the lower flower, then the snapdragon will start new arrows and continue flowering.
Fertilize snapdragons preferably several times: the first - immediately after rooting with nitrophos and organics. Before budding, we feed a second time with a solution of urea, potassium sulfate and superphosphate. One tablespoon of each product is enough for a bucket of water.
It should be borne in mind that snapdragons take root poorly on clay or too peaty soils, so tall varieties should not be planted there.
Diseases and pests
Antirrhinum f1 terry Antirrhinum terry
Septospirosis- a fungal disease that manifests itself as brown spots on the leaves, with severe damage - twisting of the shoots, the death of plants. Occurs with high humidity, low ventilation. Preserved on plant debris. When infected, carefully remove the infected parts or the entire plant and burn, spray the flowers with a fungicide or copper-containing preparations.
Gray rot- the botrytis mushroom is an omnivore, therefore it moves from one plant to another. The lesion is manifested by brown spots on the leaves, and with a stronger lesion - by a touch of gray powder. Favorable conditions - high humidity and poor ventilation, as well as high nitrogen content.
root rot- This is a fungal disease that affects the root system. In appearance, it seems that the plant does not have enough water. Watering diseased plants will only make the situation worse. First, make sure that the root system is healthy and the soil is dry (dig 15 cm deep). If the roots of the plant are soft with an unpleasant odor, this is root rot. The reason is waterlogging, infection from compost, re-planting in infected soil.
The method of struggle is to remove the plant along with a clod of earth. Can be treated with a fungicide. The most important thing from this misfortune is no stagnation of moisture, drainage, soil relief.
If the infection is weak, then spray with Bordeaux liquid or Topaz. With a stronger one - Acrobat MC, Ordan ...
Pests: scale insects, caterpillars, fly larvae, butterflies that lay larvae
Antirrinum grandiflorum
There are a lot of species of scale insects, they are ubiquitous, affecting both fruit and ornamental plants. They feed on the juice of the plant, which leads to damage and death of the leaf. Insects secrete sticky mucus on which soot fungus develops, which leads to an even greater slowdown in plant development. Scale insects are covered with a dense shell, therefore folk methods it is quite troublesome to deal with them: you need to treat the insects themselves with an alcohol, soap or kerosene-soap solution with a brush. If the infection is severe, then we use chemicals different types with an interval of a week - Admiral, KE, Aktara, Aktelik ...
Caterpillars are easy to deal with, usually there are not many of them (they find something tasty for themselves in the garden and in the garden), so collect them by hand. If there are too many of them, then you can spray with karbofos, for example, or with another insecticide.
In order for the snapdragon to remain healthy, preventive measures must be observed:
- do not plant plants too close;
- water under the root, not on the leaves;
- remove weeds;
- remove infected individuals in a timely manner.
What to do after flowering?
Antirrinum large
The first thing I want to note is that the plants you like can be carefully dug up and transplanted into a flowerpot. If cared for and kept at a temperature no higher than 15˚, then snapdragons will bloom all winter.
If you plan to grow a perennial antirrinum, then cut the plant, leaving 5-8 cm above the ground, cover the remains with mulch so that the plant winters more easily.
If the snapdragon is an annual, then self-seeding should be avoided by cutting off the faded arrows, then remove the remains of the plants, burn them to destroy pathogens and pests, and dig the site.
Snapdragon can also reproduce by self-seeding. It is clear that you need to save a few peduncles, the seeds will automatically ripen and sown from the boxes, and sprout in the spring. Just mark the place where the snapdragon was, so that in the spring you do not accidentally weed out the seedlings.
When there is a need for seeds of the varieties you like, then we will do this. Leave the arrows after flowering and collect them in the phase of incomplete maturation. You will need a long paper bag, you can take it in the bread department - for a baguette. Boxes ripen heterogeneously - from the bottom up. We cut off the completely green top, put a paper bag on the arrow and tie it below the last box with seeds, cut it off and hang it up with a hole. In the bag, the seeds will ripen and spill out into the bag. Seeds remain viable for up to three years, store at a temperature of 3-5˚ C in a dry place.
Description of the plant Snapdragon or Antirrinum
Antirrinum photo
Antirrinum snapdragon flower - herbaceous plant, sometimes a subshrub of a pyramidal shape. Depending on the variety, the height ranges from 15 cm to 1.3 m. The branches are dense, thinly furrowed, ascending. The leaf acquires a color from light to dark green with red streaks. By the color of the leaves, you can even determine what color the flowers will be. Leaves of just green color are inherent in yellow colors, if there are orange veins - orange, for dark leaves with red veins, red shades of colors are characteristic. The leaf shape is oblong or lanceolate.
The flowers are irregular in shape, two-lipped, compared to the plant - large, there are simple and terry. The color scheme is white, yellow, pink, all shades of red, there are two-color and even three-color flowers. A variety with lilac blue flowers has already been bred (“F1 Rocket Orhid”). Seeds ripen in two-nested boxes, very small - 5000-8000 pieces in one gram. Snapdragon begins to bloom in June and continues until frost.
Antirrinum - but in our country it is often cultivated as an annual, although if you and nature try, it will sprout next year, it will bloom more than ever.
Snapdragon stands out for its variety of varieties, so it can be used as a border plant (undersized varieties), on the contrary, taller varieties - as bright islands on other ground cover plants. Interestingly, it can be used as an ampelous flower for growing in hanging flowerpots to decorate arbors, terraces, balconies.
Species, varieties of antirrinum
Antirrinum ampelous growing from seeds
Consider the classification by plant height:
Tall- height 9-130 cm, the central shoot is much higher than the shoots of the second tier, and the third is absent.
Varieties and hybrids:
- Arthur - cherry;
- F1 "Goshenka" - orange;
- F2 - pink.
High- suitable for cutting, creating cascading flower beds and borders, height 60 -90 cm. Cut snapdragons can stand in a vase from a week to two, the most popular fragrant yellow varieties.
- Anna German - light pink;
- Canary - lemon yellow;
- Madama Butterfly - terry.
medium height- universal varieties 40-60 cm high. All shoots are about the same height, used for flower beds and for cutting. Varieties:
- Golden Monarch - classic yellow;
- Ruby - rich pink;
- Lipstick silver - white with a pink tint.
Low- curbs from 25 to 40 cm, grows in the form of a bush, a lot of the second and third order.
Popular varieties of antirrinum:
Ampel antirrinum lampion f1
- Crimson velvet - 35 cm, dense foliage, dark flowers,
velvet red, late variety; - Schneefloke - spherical compact bush, 25-35 cm
height with a faster period from sowing to flowering. - Lampion - ampelous.
- dwarf (15-20 cm), strongly branching bushes. Many shoots of the third and fourth order. - Floral - 13 different shades of plain and two-tone. Distributed as a pot culture.
- The hobbit is a very common variety, only 15 cm high. If you pinch the shoots in time, we get a neat hemispherical bush.
- Tom-Tumb - yellow flowers, early variety;
- The color of Sakura is pinkish white.
There are other classifications of snapdragon. If you want to grow antirrinum for business, you will be interested in Sanderson and Martin's classification. In the cut snapdragon looks amazing.
Snapdragon or Antirrinum (Antirrhinum) is a perennial herbaceous plant of the Plantain family. In culture, this flower has existed for over 500 years. The selection of snapdragons was first taken up by scientists from Germany in the 19th century. Today, about 50 species and over 1000 varieties of antirrinum have been bred. Snapdragon today grows in all warm corners of the Earth.
Plants differ in appearance, height and many other features. The color scheme of the antirrinum covers almost all colors, except for blue and blue shades.
Snapdragon in natural conditions is a perennial plant. In horticulture, 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, for decorating flower beds, borders, terraces and balconies.
Types and varieties of snapdragon with a photo
The snapdragon flowers are large in shape, can have a two-sponge or non-mesioid, bell-shaped, penstemon-shaped, azalea-shaped (double) shape.
Varieties of antirrinum are divided into:
- universal,
- cut,
- casing.
Universal varieties are compact-shaped plants and large inflorescences (medium-sized varieties).
To cut flowers, 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 undersized varieties).
There are several classifications of antirrinum, but the most common classification of antirrinum is the height classification. Height grades are divided into 5 groups:
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 shoots of the second order.
- Candy Showers - weaving (ampel) snapdragon variety,
- Sakura Blossom is a pink-white plant with a speck,
- 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 goes on the same level or below the level with first-order shoots.
- kimozu,
- hobbit,
- wunderteppich,
- Lampion (ampel hybrid) and others.
These flowers are used to decorate flower beds, borders, hanging baskets, containers, balcony boxes.
Medium-sized (universal) varieties and hybrids grow up to 40-60 centimeters. The plant is highly branched. The main shoot goes a little higher than the side shoots.
- Scarlet Monarch - red-burgundy color,
- Golden Monarch - yellow color,
- Ruby is a bright pink flower
- Lipstick Silver - white-pink color,
- F1 Bizari - with a variety of colors, strokes on the yellow (primary) color,
- grade Day and night, and others.
These varieties are grown in a variety of flower beds and are suitable for cutting.
High (cut) varieties with a height of 60-90 centimeters. Their central shoot rises above the secondary (side).
Varieties:
- Brilliantrose - a bright pink flower,
- Canary - bright yellow
- Alaska - greenish white
- Anna German - pale pink,
- F1 Rocket Lemon - soft lemon shades,
- F1 Goshenka - orange shades,
- Swallowtail - a two-color variety of raspberry-yellow color,
- varietal terry mix Madama Butterfly - a flower of various shades,
- Dzhulaiva - open penstemon-shaped or gloxiniform flower,
- varieties Pink, Ruby, Admiral and others.
Yellow shades have a more pronounced aroma. Plants are suitable for decorating mixborders, group compositions, grown for cutting. Cut flowers last more than a week in a vase.
Gigantic (giant) varieties reach 90-130 centimeters in height. Bushes are narrow-pyramidal. The main shoot of the flower rises strongly above the shoots of the second order, and the shoots of the third order are absent.
Varieties:
- F1 Red XL - bright red color,
- Arthur - with large, cherry-colored flowers, plant height 90-95 cm,
- F1 Pink XL - rich pink color, height of both 110 cm,
- University of California - a mixture of shades, 95 cm high,
- Maximum Unicaulis,
- Start F1 and others.
Snapdragon is propagated by dividing the bush or using seedlings. A feature of this flower is that the seeds in the ground can be stored for more than one year and then grow on their own.
When planting in warm soil, the first shoots appear after two weeks, but this method is suitable for the southern regions. In places with a cooler climate, the antirrinum is planted in open ground with grown seedlings.
Sowing seeds in seedling containers or greenhouses is carried out in late February or early March. In the conditions of the middle lane, sowing is done in late April - early May. In northern latitudes, snapdragons are not grown.
After the seedlings get stronger, it can be transplanted into the ground. The flowering of the 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 sprouts appear on the 7-10th day. After 3-4 weeks, the plants are picked. Planting plants in open ground can be done only after the end of frost and warming up the soil. By this time, the snapdragon should form 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 selected varieties, a growing container, a fine and large sieve and a spatula.
For seedlings, a seedling box, a container or a long pot with a pallet, about 10 centimeters high, is taken. The container for seedlings should have holes to remove excess water.
A drainage layer of expanded clay, perlite, vermiculite, pebbles, coarse sand is poured at the bottom. Then you can start preparing the land.
Land preparation
A loose, light substrate is suitable for sowing, which can be purchased at a store or made independently. To do this, take: 1 part of the turf, part of the sand, part of the peat, part of the rotted humus and wood ash. The soil is mixed and sieved on a coarse and fine sieve.
Large screenings are poured on top of the drainage, fine screenings are on top. The soil is watered with a solution of potassium permanganate and left to stand indoors for 2 days.
Land when planting should be moist, but not wet.
Seed preparation
Seeds can be bought at the store, while the variety, height and color range of plants is easily selected. When choosing, you need to take into account the storage conditions and the 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. Take out and dry on a paper towel. After that, you can start sowing.
Sowing for seedlings
Seeds for uniform distribution, you need to mix 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, from which the corner is cut off.
Sand with seeds in this case is poured out in a neat path. Sand paths for a tighter fit of the seeds need to be pressed a little with your palms. From above, with the help of a sieve, a thin layer of soil mixture is poured.
Then the soil is sprayed with a spray gun.
The seating container is covered with glass, a transparent film and placed in a room with a temperature above 18 degrees Celsius. The film cover is removed every day (for ventilation). The soil, when dried, is sprayed with a spray gun.
Shoots appear after 10 days.
The container with seedlings is exposed to a bright place (a 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 sheets appear, the seedlings need to be picked out.
For picking, cassettes, peat pots or cups with a diameter of 8-10 centimeters are used. When planting in large containers, a gap between plants of 5 by 5 centimeters is observed. The first 2-3 days the seedlings are covered from the sun's rays.
When planting in a box, after the plants grow up, another seating is made in more spacious pots with an interval between plants of 10 by 10 centimeters.
Intermediate transplantation allows you to increase the bushiness of the flower. For better branching and flowering, the upper part of the grown plants is pinched.
Seedlings are grown at 23 degrees Celsius. Plants are provided with good lighting, regular watering. An excess of 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.
Snapdragon is 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 loam, sandy soil with good air and water permeability. The flowers are not demanding on the soil.
But for a more lush and long flowering in the ground, you need to add
- wood ash (1 cup per square meter),
- nitrophoska or complex fertilizer for flowers (tablespoon per meter)
- a small amount of humus (3-4 kilograms of humus)
- peat (1 kilogram per meter).
The earth is being dug up and loosened. The place should be light, a dark area for planting is not suitable. Plants in the shade practically do not bloom, flowering in partial shade is less lush.
Transplantation should be carried out in cloudy weather or in the evening. Planting interval:
- dwarf varieties should be 15 by 15 centimeters,
- low grades 20 by 20 centimeters,
- between medium - 30 by 30 centimeters,
- between high from 40 centimeters.
In the prepared holes, seedlings from the pot are lowered along with an earthen clod. The plant deepens to cotyledon leaves. The soil around the plants is slightly pressed with palms and watered.
If different varieties are planted close together, cross-pollination and new plants can occur. next year may differ from parent varieties.
For better flowering and preservation of moisture in the ground, the bushes need to be mulched with sand, sawdust, straw.
A month after transplantation, when the snapdragon takes root, the first top dressing is made with complex fertilizer for garden annual flowers or nitrophoska. The following top dressings are carried out every 2-3 weeks throughout the summer.
With heavy soil, for good growth of bushes, it is necessary to carry out regular feeding, loosening, tying high varieties. Loosening protects the root system from leaching and disease. Without tying, tall plants can break off and die in windy weather.
Snapdragon does not like drought, but even with excess moisture it starts to hurt. Based on this, watering should be regular, but moderate.
Pinching the main and side shoots up to the 2nd order increases the splendor of the bush.
For long flowering, buds that have already faded are removed. Flowering lasts 3-3.5 months.
Pests and diseases
Snapdragon has low resistance to stem cutworms, mining flies, aphids, mites, miners, thrips, slugs, 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) settled at the bottom of the stem. They gnaw longitudinal passages in the stems and they wither. When a pest appears, it is necessary to make a low cutting of damaged bushes. The cut stems are burned.
All weeds around are removed. Healthy plants are sprayed with chlorophos. Preventive spraying is carried out from the time of planting until autumn.
When flowers are affected by any pests, special chemicals are used.
Most often, with improper care, snapdragons are affected root-knot nematode root system and fungal diseases. An excess of moisture leads to the appearance of septoria, rust, verticillium, fusarium, downy mildew, black leg.
Mosaic causes mottling (spotting) leaves without necrosis. Flowers shrink and become variegated. When a disease appears, all plantings are removed and burned.
Rust affects a fully formed plant. Dusty brown pustules appear on the lower part of the leaves, on the seed pods and sepals. Spots appear on the upper part of the leaves and they wither.
When signs of a disease appear, the bushes and the root circle are treated with a solution of Bordeaux liquid, copper oxychloride and Zineb's solution. Processing is repeated in a week.
For the prevention of diseases, you can use Zircon (5 drops of the drug per liter of water). Fungicides are used to control these diseases.
The seed box contains about 8 thousand seeds. Ripe seeds are shiny, black, poppy-like. For seeds, the most beautiful plants with large flowers are selected. By one third you need to shorten the inflorescences.
After that, large seed pods form in place of the flowers. It is not necessary to wait for the yellowing of the lower seed pods; for ripening, the inflorescences must be cut and dried indoors.
Seeds from opened boxes should be shaken out into a paper bag. Then dry on a saucer and put in a plastic bag until spring.
The collected seeds remain viable for 4-6 years.
Snapdragon is a perennial plant and, if desired, even in the conditions of the middle lane, flowers can be preserved and left to winter in the open field. In autumn, all shoots are cut off, and the roots are covered with peat, grass, dry foliage.
In the spring, the plant grows and can be planted with shoots or left in place in the form of a lush bush. Flowering next year is more lush.
Snapdragon. How best to sow, how to properly care: video
Many gardeners are afraid to grow snapdragons due to many factors, such as poor germination, the need for preventive and protective work against diseases, pests, and other problems. But at right approach all these problems are solved quite quickly and the flowers delight with their beauty and unusualness.