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Gardening Tips: Growing Snapdragon Flower
Snapdragon plant, also known as Antirrhinum is a member of the Scrophulariaceae family. Snapdragon is a perennial plant which means that it can produce flowers year after year. It is usually sold as cold annual plants in the nursery center.
Snapdragon prefers site that has full or partial sun. They are available in three varieties including dwarf, medium and tall. The dwarf varieties can reach a height of 6 – 8 inches; the medium variety can reach a height of 15 – 30 inches; and the tall variety can reach up to 48 inches in height. Snapdragon plant should be planted in a well drained soil to prevent the roots from rotting,
Before planting, you must buy the snapdragon flower seed from the local garden center. You must also purchase the seed starting soil. You should not buy potting mix because the soil is too coarse for the seeds to push the root growth. In addition, regular potting mix contains fertilizer which is not suitable for starting seed. Thus, you must buy a starting mix that drains properly.
After you have purchased the seeds, you must buy a pot or tray. If you are using pot, you can pour the seed staring soil directly. If it is a tray, you can pour the seed starting soil in the middle of the soil and use a spade to gently mix it into the all the compartments in the tray.
After that, you can sow the seed into the container. The snapdragon seeds are very tiny so you must carefully handle it. To sow the seed, pucker the seed package and use the Popsicle stick to scrape out the seeds into the tiny compartment of the tray. When the seeds are on the tray, you can sprinkle some soil on them and use the popsicle stick to make the soil firm. After that, you can use a mister to spray water on the seeds. A clear plastic bag should be placed over the tray to encourage air circulation. You can put the tray in a location that is exposed to partial sunlight, for example, window sill.
After a few weeks, the seed will sprout into new growth. You must continue to water the plant until the soil is moist. Once the plants begin to have some leaves, you can transfer them into the garden. Before transferring to the outdoor, you can leave them outside for 1 day to harden off the seedlings. In the following day, you are to plant the seedlings into the outdoor location.
Depending on the snapdragon varieties, the plants should be spaced at 6 – 12” apart. Once the plants become 2 – 4 inches tall, you should pinch off the tip of the stem. When the flower had fully bloomed, you can use them to make bouquet. Deadheading multiplies the number of stems on the plant so that more flower can be produced. As a result, the flowering period of the snapdragon plant will be prolonged. Snapdragon is suitable for growing in front of the border plants.