The scientific name of such a snapdragon that is familiar from childhood is antirrinum. It is distributed throughout the Earth. Very often it is used to create amazing floral arrangements. To make you happy with its beauty snapdragon, growing from seeds is the easiest and cheapest way to do this.
Today, flower markets and botanical gardens offer nearly 800 varieties of this vibrant plant. There are five distinct groups of varieties that differ in stem height:
- Giant pharynx - height reaches more than 70 cm.
- Tall varieties - an average of 60 cm.
- Medium-sized plant varieties are kept in the range of 40-60 cm.
- Low-growing plants - up to 40 cm.
- Dwarf snapdragon will never be higher than 25 cm, these are special varieties for creating balcony compositions in flowerpots and flowerpots.
Most often, undersized and medium-sized varieties of snapdragon are used to create color islands in flower beds and in an ensemble with other plants on rabatki and mixborders. This type of plant, like ampel lion's pharynx, fits perfectly into the Greek garden design with columns and flowing flower garlands. This is a fairly cold-resistant and photophilous flower that can tolerate frosts down to -3 ° C. However, frostbitten shoots rarely develop in full force and remain low and stunted.
Snapdragon - growing from seed. What you need to prepare:
- To get bright, juicy buds and a strong stem, you need to choose a sunny place to plant. In the shade, snapdragons will give few flowers and will have a pale color.
- The soil is suitable for almost any, but experienced growers recommend the use of fertile and breathable soils. Ideal would be a land richly fertilized with organic matter. If you choose moist soil with a tendency to sour, the plant may die.
To get the coveted snapdragon in the fall, seed cultivation should begin in the spring. Shoots appear rather slowly - only two weeks after sowing, the first stems are barked. The young flower is very sensitive to excess moisture, however, overdrying the roots will lead to lethargy of the stem and death of the plant. The earliest varieties bloom 80 days after the appearance of the first sprouts. Late snapdragons delight bloom only after four months.
Snapdragon - growing from seed. The main steps:
- At the end of March, seeds are sown in boxes at the rate of half a gram per m 2 . The soil is moistened with a solution of weak potassium permanganate to avoid the formation of fungi dangerous for the plant in a wet environment.
- Two picks are carried out: the first - after the appearance of these leaves, the second - a month after germination. Ready seedlings are planted closer to the end of May.
- After flowering, you can try to propagate the plant by cuttings. However, with proper seed germination, this is absolutely not necessary, gradually degenerating the bright bushes of the throat.
Tip: To keep the snapdragon longer, it must be cut off until the buds open. In this case, the bouquet will be fresh for almost two weeks, depending on the type of flower.