How to grow snapdragon. From aphids and other pests will help "Biotlin. short and medium

Fresh flowers bring a feeling of warmth and comfort to the apartment, make the house more residential. What flowers to grow in her apartment, each housewife chooses for herself, based on her tastes and preferences. But when planning home gardening, you should pay attention to such a plant as snapdragon.

Antirrinum - photo and description of the plant

A flower in its form indeed looks like an open lion's mouth. According to legend, it arose thanks to Hercules, who saved humanity from an aggressive lion. The bloodthirsty monster lived in the Nemean Forest, which was located in Ancient Greece. The goddess Hera decided to save people from the evil lion and sent Hercules to destroy the animal. The winner successfully completed the task, after which Flora created an amazing flower, which has since been customary to give to brave warriors and heroes.

In the common people, the plant is also called dogs (antirrinum). Snapdragon- perennial flower of the norichnikov family. But since the plant already blooms and produces seeds in the first year of planting, it is often used as an annual.

It does not require special care, therefore even a beginner can grow it. In nature, snapdragon grows only in North America and Southern Europe. There are about three hundred plant varieties of various colors (except blue) and height (15-100 cm).

Planting and growing features of antirrinum

Unlike wild species, garden plant has flowers of a larger size and a bright color. The flower grows well on neutral fertile soils with a well-developed drainage system. You can grow snapdragons in room conditions, on the windowsill.

His popularity among gardeners due to the following factors:

• unpretentiousness;
• flowering in the first year after planting;
• bright colors;
• beautiful flowers of the original form;
• long flowering period.

Growing seeds in pots

To decorate home gardens use the following landing methods:

• Seedling. This method is most common among gardeners. The method consists in the preliminary cultivation of seedlings in room conditions. Initially, seedlings are grown from seeds, which are then planted in open ground or pots.
• Landing in the ground. Enough complicated method growing snapdragons, as it requires planting in the ground in early spring and the seedlings may simply not have enough heat. In this case, the probability of obtaining a beautiful lush flower bed is significantly reduced.

First you need to select the seeds. In a specialized store, they will help you choose a mixture of colors of the most incredible colors, and, according to the picture on the package, determine color compatibility and planting location.

The main criterion for choosing plants is height. For growing on a balcony usually choose a shorter (15-20 cm) variety and in the form of a sphere. The plant has low and wide flower brushes, thanks to which, during the flowering period of dogs, your window sill will sparkle with fabulous colors.

Hybrid cultivars with shoot heights up to 30 cm are also ideal for growing in pots.

It is better to sow seeds for seedlings in April.

For this you need:

• snapdragon seeds;
• sieve;
• small spatula;
• soil mixture;
• container for seedlings (wooden box, plastic flower boxes or individual pots).

Soil is placed in the container in an even layer. Ideally, this is not a heavy, loose substrate purchased from a specialized store. Seeds should be planted thickly, but not too tightly.

With light finger movements, press the seeds into the soil and sprinkle a thin layer of substrate on top(use a sieve for this).

Moisturize.

Cover with cling film.

Germination of seedlings occurs at a temperature of 20-23 ° C. After the appearance of sprouts, hardening can begin. To do this, the greenhouses must first be opened briefly, then gradually increase the ventilation time. As a result, the film is completely removed.

Snapdragon - moisture-loving plant Therefore, you need to constantly monitor the condition of the soil and, if necessary, moisten it.

After about a month, two true leaves will appear, which means it's time to place the seedlings in an individual pot. For more lush flowers, it is necessary to pinch the tops of plants when they reach 10 cm in height. As a result, side shoots will receive an additional incentive to grow and develop.

If you buy seedlings in a store, be sure to pay attention to it. appearance. The root system should be well developed, the stem is strong and not too thin, the leaves should be a rich green color.

Planting antirrinum seedlings in the ground

Planting snapdragons in open ground must be done late spring - early summer. Deadlines depend on climatic conditions And temperature regime one region or another. In order for the seedlings to be able to endure night cooling, they must first be grown and hardened.

Landing is carried out on a site protected from drafts and wind, which can be well lit or slightly shaded. The optimal composition of the soil is a mixture of compost, peat and sand.

The soil must be thoroughly moistened. The distance between plants is determined depending on the variety: undersized species are planted according to the scheme 20 * 20 cm from each other, medium tall - 25-30 cm, tall - 40-50 cm.

Planted seedlings need periodic loosening of the soil, regular watering and top dressing.

Snapdragon care

Due to its unpretentiousness, the flower does not require any special conditions cultivation and care. To ensure active growth and flowering, it is only necessary to water the plant regularly. Snapdragon is a cold-resistant culture, so do not be afraid if it freezes a little at night - during the day the flowers will take on their original lush appearance. Watering should be done under the spine in the morning.

During the entire flowering period, the plant must be fed with complex fertilizers. The frequency of top dressing is once every 14 days.

Tip: Antirrinum not blooming? Cut off the longest shoots and flowering will resume. If you remove faded inflorescences in time, you can significantly extend the flowering period.

Diseases and pests

Growing a snapdragon is not so difficult, but in any case, you must follow the basic rules for caring for a plant, otherwise possible pests and various diseases such as septoria, gray rot and black leg.

Before starting treatment, the infected flowers should be removed, then the soil should be treated with an antifungal drug (fungicide, etc.).

Fly larvae, caterpillars, scale insects and butterflies are the main pests of snapdragon. To combat them, special tools are used that can be purchased at a flower shop.

Collecting Antirrinum Seeds

It is necessary to collect seeds in a paper bag in order to provide them with adequate ventilation. The seed is collected in an unripe form and stored in a dry room. Collection is carried out from the lower parts of the peduncle. The tops of the plant are completely cut off and discarded. The collected seeds are stored at a temperature not exceeding +5 ° C in cardboard boxes.

After collecting the seeds, the site should be dug up, the remains of the plant should be burned. If snapdragon is grown as a perennial, it is necessary to cut the flower, leaving a small process. For the winter, cover it with a mixture of sand and peat.

Snapdragon flower

INTRODUCING ANTIRRINUUM

Systematics

Snapdragon - a flower with a funny name, familiar from childhood. Among professionals, its botanical name is often used - antirrinum (Antirrhinum), or more precisely - antirrinum large (Antirrhinum majus). This is one of the 50 species of the genus Antirrinum of the Plantain family; on its basis, decorative varieties of culture have been created. In nature, snapdragon is a herbaceous perennial that grows in the countries of the Mediterranean coast. In our country, its rhizome cannot overwinter in freezing soil, so the annual cultivation of snapdragon from seeds is simply a necessary procedure if you want to have these wonderful flowers in the garden or on the balcony.

Titles

The scientific "antirrinum" in Greek means "resembling a nose" ("anti" - similar, "rhinos" - nose). And the flower received the familiar name "snapdragon" for its property, when you press the "throat", to open its "mouth", like a lion's mouth. In English-speaking countries, it is known as the "biting dragon" (snapdragon), and in France - as the "mouth of the wolf" (gueule de loup). Antirrinum is more familiar to our grandmothers under the affectionate name "dogs". Interestingly, according to legend, he owes his appearance to the goddess Flora, who created him after the victory of Hercules over a lion.

Description

The height of a branched pyramidal woody bush at the bottom varies from 30 to 70 cm (in varieties from 15 to 110 cm). Very rarely in nature there are 2-meter specimens. Leaves are lanceolate, medium-sized, small above. The flowers are bisexual, from 3 to 4.5 cm (in varieties up to 7 cm), irregularly shaped, two-lipped, with a closed long corolla, they are collected in large racemose inflorescences. Only bees and bumblebees can get to the treasured nectar, capable of opening the lower lip of the flower with the weight of their body and penetrating into the "pharynx". After that, the flower closes its lips over them, leaving pollen on the bodies of insects, thus taking care of the appearance of its “offspring” (small numerous seeds).

Snapdragon is traditionally grown in private households, used in urban landscaping of parks, squares, streets. Why is he so good?

5 REASONS TO PLANT ANTIRRINUUM IN THE GARDEN

1. A huge variety of varieties for every taste - both in size, and in color, and in the degree of doubleness.
2. Long and abundant flowering: 3-4 months without interruption.
3. Cold resistance - seedlings and hardened seedlings withstand short-term frosts on the soil down to -4 ⁰С, they bloom even in October.
4. The ability to save mother liquors from especially liked varieties. Snapdragon on their own biological features is a perennial plant and petunia , ageratum , verbena and many other crops traditionally used as annual flowers.
5. Abundant self-seeding - this property comes in handy!

HOW TO CHOOSE A VARIETY?

One of the most important characteristics of the snapdragon, in addition to the color and doubleness of the flowers, is the height of its bush. Tall plants (from 75 to 140 cm) are grown mainly for cutting in specialized nurseries. For amateur flower growers, two other groups of antirrinums are of much greater interest: medium-sized (from 40 to 70 cm) and undersized (from 15 to 35 cm) varieties of snapdragons. The last group also includes the latest varieties of ampelous antirrinums grown in hanging planters or floor containers - solo or in compositions with other colors. So, choose varieties for planting, based on their further use - for cutting, in a flower garden or in a pot culture.

Pay attention to the flowering time of the variety. Early, middle and late varieties of antirrinum bloom with a difference of at least 10 days. Usually the first flowers appear 70-80 days after germination. Having decided on the choice, you can start sowing snapdragons.

GROWING A Snapdragon FROM SEEDS

Seedling method - best option for residents of regions with long winters and cold springs. As a substrate for sowing, you can use light garden soil with the addition of sand and peat, the ideal soil acidity (pH) is not higher than 6.5, otherwise you will encounter the problem of iron deficiency and, as a result, leaf chlorosis at snapdragons.

When to plant snapdragon for seedlings?

Calculate the timing based on the fact that the age of the seedlings by the time of planting in open ground should be about 6-8 weeks. For middle lane sowing in mid-March will be acceptable if seedlings are planned to be planted in open ground in mid-May.

Sowing

So, in the sifted and heat-treated soil, sow the seeds on a moistened surface along the marked grooves. Do not close deep, just lightly powder with dry, clean sand or vermiculite, you can completely spread the seeds over the surface and slightly press them against the soil. Then spray them with a spray bottle. Cover the seed container with cling film or glass/plastic. Seeds germinate in the light at t + 20-22⁰C for 5-7 days, but sometimes the wait is extended up to 2 weeks. Antirrinum seeds are very small and are often sold in granules. During germination, the shell of the granule should remain moist, but neither wet nor dry.

picking

With the appearance of the first true leaf, pick into small pots or cassettes (up to 7 cm in diameter). Further, snapdragon seedlings should be kept in a bright room at a temperature during the day from +17 to +22⁰C, and at night about +16⁰C. The maximum daily temperature limit is +24⁰C, otherwise the plants will start to stretch.

seedling care

A week after picking, snapdragons can be fed for the first time with ready-made full mineral fertilizer(Mortarine, Kristallon, Fertika, etc.), or you can mix 1 tbsp. carbamide, superphosphate and any potash fertilizer, for example, potassium sulfate, and dilute all this in 10 liters of water. In the future, fertilizing irrigation can be carried out every week, reducing the concentration by half.

About 1 week before planting in the ground (and this is usually done at the end of April), hardening of seedlings begins. To do this, lower the daily temperature, air the plants more often and reduce watering.

Cultivation from seeds by direct sowing in the ground

Some amateur flower growers prefer to sow snapdragons immediately in open ground, this can be done when the daytime air temperature is around + 10-12⁰C. Growing from seeds in this way, of course, has the right to exist, although with it you can admire the first flowering of antirrinum not earlier than July, or even August.

Growing snapdragons from seeds is also carried out in late autumn or early winter in ridges prepared in advance, along frozen grooves. The depth of crops is up to 1 cm, they are sprinkled with dry humus or peat on top, they can be additionally mulched with leaf litter and / or a covering film. Plants grown using winter sowing bloom earlier than others and have enviable health.

Features growing from seeds of ampelous antirrinum

The main difference in this case will be the ban on pinching seedlings, which is recommended for ordinary varieties after planting in the ground. Thanks to pinching, such plants bush better, bloom longer and do not stretch. For ampelous plants, on the contrary, elongated shoots are important, effectively hanging over the edge of the pots. Pinching will delay their flowering.

WHERE TO PLANT ANTIRRINUM

Snapdragon grows well in a sunny, calm place, but can tolerate partial shading during the day. The soil for it should be moderately loose and fertile, loam will be the best. When planting, you need to ensure good drainage or choose a place where water does not stagnate during rains and irrigation.

Snapdragon: CARE DURING THE SUMMER

1 week after planting seedlings in a permanent place, you need to carry out the first top dressing. The key nutrients for snapdragons are nitrogen, calcium and magnesium, and according to some sources also boron. Calcium is needed for the special resistance of the plant, i.e. the strength of its stems, and magnesium is responsible for healthy and resilient leaves. Fertilizer application rates up to 10 g / m², frequency - every 7-10 days until the beginning of flowering.

Withered inflorescences do not add elegance to the flower garden, moreover, they reduce flowering, so it is better to remove them in a timely manner.

In May and September, snapdragons do not need frequent watering (with sufficient rainfall), in the remaining months they are watered on average once or twice a week, wetting the soil to a depth of at least 20 cm. Plants in containers are watered more often. This should be done at the root, preferably without wetting the foliage, in order to avoid trouble in the form of fungal diseases.

We must not forget about weeding and loosening the soil around the antirrinum. tall plants It is better to tie them to a support so that the wind does not break them. And if the summer is not very hot, flowering will last a long time. In the southern regions, plants often suffer from strong sun and drought, so their growing season is short here.

DISEASES AND PESTS

One of the most common diseases of snapdragons is rust, which is caused by a rust fungus. Preventive measures are basal watering of plants and non-thickened plantings and, as a result, their good ventilation. In addition, make it a rule when planting in open ground to treat all seedlings with any stimulant (Zircon, Epin, HB-101, etc.) to increase plant immunity. Infected plants are removed, and the remaining ones are treated with a suitable fungicide (Maxim, Topaz, etc.), and the concentration of the drug can be increased 1.5 times.

Snapdragon is also affected by downy mildew, fusarium wilt, "black leg" (at the seedling stage). Of the pests, caterpillars, aphids, thrips and others can cause significant harm, and not at the growth stage (the foliage does not attract them!), But at the beginning of flowering. Here we can only advise you to regularly check the plantings, preferably at least 1 time in 3 days, in order to have time to take measures to destroy pests.

HOW TO HARVEST SWAT SEEDS

Seed ripening occurs on the same plant at different times. This is due to the fact that the flowers on the brush bloom, starting from the lower buds, and the seed pods ripen in the same order. When acquiring a yellow-brown color, the lower 2/3 of the infructescences are collected and the seeds are carefully removed, which remain viable for 4 years. Remember that you can only collect seed material from varieties, and not from hybrids. But even in this case, one important condition must be observed. Within a radius of at least 100 meters, and preferably more, only one variety of antirrinum should grow. Otherwise, cross-pollination will occur, and the seeds will not inherit the varietal qualities.

CUTTINGS OF A Snapdragon

If you have grown a snapdragon flower from seeds of stunning beauty, but you did not have time to collect seeds from it (or it was a hybrid labeled F1), then you can save the mother plant until next spring. How? As easy as pie! In September, dig up a bush you like in the garden, plant it in a suitable flowerpot, cut off all thin branches and withered inflorescences and put it in a cool place, for example, on a closed loggia or veranda), not forgetting to water occasionally, BUT! without fanaticism! The optimal temperature for keeping snapdragons in such conditions is not lower than + 5⁰C.

In January or February, bring the mother liquor into a warm, bright room, cut it to a height of 7-10 cm and wait for the young shoots to appear. They must be cut or torn off “with a heel”, each cutting must have at least 2 pairs of leaves. The lower leaf blades must be completely removed, and the upper ones should be cut in half.

Dip slices of cuttings in Kornevin powder or simply in a crushed tablet activated carbon. Plant the prepared cuttings in a light sterile substrate consisting of peat and sand, for better moisture retention, you can add a little chopped sphagnum. Arrange a mini-greenhouse by covering the container with cuttings with a transparent cap or lid.

Rooting occurs within 2-3 weeks with daily spraying and airing, and bottom heating will help speed up the process. After another couple of weeks (when a young growth appears), it will be possible to plant the plant in separate containers. By the end of May, rooted cuttings will be ready for planting in open ground. The mother plant can also be planted in a flower garden, where it will bloom first.

Snapdragon - PERENNIUM?!

In our latitudes, it’s still a juvenile. You can try to leave it in open ground for the winter, but success is possible only with a sufficiently reliable shelter and a relatively mild snowy winter. In autumn, the antirrinum bushes are cut into a stump (up to a height of 8-10 cm), spudded with compost or humus, covered with spruce branches or raked up leaf litter. In early spring, the hillock is removed, and the sprouts that appear are planted in the garden or left in the old place. Such plants bloom later grown from seeds through seedlings.

On the video: a wonderful antirrinum

EFFICIENT CUT

Snapdragon is a flower especially attractive in bouquets. Inflorescences can be cut already at the stage of dissolution of the first bud, because. the rest will bloom quietly already in a vase. Antirrinum flowers stay fresh in water for up to 2 weeks.

On the video: the use of snapdragons in a flower garden with conifers

GARDEN USE

Finding a place in the garden for the antirrinum will not be difficult; it will be appropriate in almost any case. Bright snapdragon flowers will brighten up a front flower bed, pastel-colored varieties are best for a natural-style garden. Plant dwarf and low-growing plants along the edge of the path or in the foreground of the flower garden, and medium-sized and tall antirrinums in a separate group or in mixed flower beds (in the center or in the background).
For balconies, patios, terraces, ampel varieties planted in flowerpots or other containers are suitable.

On the video: snapdragon (antirrinum) terry Twinny F1

Snapdragon (Antirrhinum), which is also called antirrinum, is directly related to the genus of herbaceous plants belonging to the plantain family. This genus unites about 50 species of perennial plants, including climbers. In the wild, these plants can be found in warm climate zones, and most species are found in North America. In Russia, these flowers are called "dogs", in England "snapdragon" (biting dragon), in France "cleft palate", and in Ukraine "mouths". "Antirrinum" in Greek means "nose-like", "like a nose". The ancient Greek myth that tells about Hercules, or rather, about his first feat, tells how he defeated the Nemean lion, whose ferocity everyone knew. Hercules, in honor of the victory, was presented with a gift by the goddess Flora - it was a lovely flower called "snapdragon". Since that time, the Greeks had a tradition to give the heroes a snapdragon. This plant has been cultivated for about five hundred years, and German experts took up its breeding only in the 19th century. During this time, they were able to create about 1 thousand varieties of snapdragons, while it is of interest that only 1 species was used to create various varieties, namely, antirrhinum large (Antirrhinum majus).

This flower is represented by semi-shrubs, as well as herbaceous plants, which have straight finely furrowed shoots, they are branched and colored in green color. Their height can vary from 15 to 100 centimeters. Bushes have a pyramidal shape. From above, the leaf plates are alternately arranged, and from below, they are opposite. Their shape can be lanceolate or oval-elongated, and the color varies from dark to pale green, while the veins are colored red. Fragrant flowers are relatively large, bilabiate and irregularly shaped. There are both double flowers and simple ones (depending on the variety), they are part of the spike-shaped inflorescences. Their color can be yellow, pale fawn, white, pink, red (all shades), and there are also varieties with two- and three-color flowers. The fruit is a two-celled multi-seeded capsule. 1 g contains 5-8 thousand seeds. This plant begins to bloom in July, and ends after the first autumn frosts.

Often, snapdragons, which grow as a perennial in the wild, are grown by gardeners as an annual. However, if the plant is well looked after, and if there are favorable conditions, then the frost-resistant snapdragon can endure wintering in the open field. At the same time, next year its flowering will be more spectacular. In garden design, such a flower is grown as a border, but it can decorate both a flower bed and a green lawn (if snapdragons are planted in groups). Terraces and balconies are also decorated with such a plant. Today, ampelous varieties of such a flower are gaining more and more popularity among flower growers, for the cultivation of which you can use hanging structures, and they will also become a wonderful decoration for galleries and terraces.

Growing snapdragons from seeds

Reproduction of this plant can be done by seeds, as well as vegetatively. Seeds have good germination for several years. In the event that you live in an area with a relatively mild climate, then the seeds of such a flower can be sown directly into open soil. The first shoots can be seen after 2.5–3 weeks, while the seedlings are not afraid of cold snaps that occur at night. In those places where the spring is relatively cold, this plant is recommended to be grown through seedlings. Growing snapdragons from seeds is very easy.

Sowing of seeds is carried out in the first days of March. To do this, you will need a bowl with a diameter of at least 10 centimeters, and at the bottom it must have holes for drainage. Coarse-grained sand should be poured at the bottom, and on top of it, compost soil mixed with sand. Lightly tamp and level the surface, then moisten it a little with a spray gun and distribute the snapdragon seeds mixed with sand, pour a thin layer of the same substrate on top. Water the crops with a fine spray bottle, and then cover the container with clear glass. Every day, condensation must be removed from the surface of the glass, while airing the seedlings and, if necessary, moistening the surface of the substrate from the sprayer. If in the place where the container is located, there will be moderate humidity and heat (23 degrees), then the first seedlings can be seen after half a month. After the first seedlings appear, the container must be transferred to a place that is well lit, but at the same time protected from direct sunlight (so that the seedlings do not stretch out). After the snapdragon begins to sprout en masse (after 3-4 days), the shelter must be removed for good.

At first, the plants will grow for a long time, and during this period it is especially important to properly moisten the soil. Watering should be done in the morning so that the plants have enough moisture, but it would not be too much. The fact is that waterlogging can cause the development of a “black leg”. If the seedling has fallen, then it should be carefully removed using tweezers, while the place where it grew should be sprinkled with crushed charcoal or calcined cold river sand should be used for this. After 2 true leaves are formed, it is necessary to pick the seedlings into a box or container, while they must be placed so that they are not pressed against each other. Also, for picking plants, you can use individual pots, or you can plant 3 seedlings at once in 1 larger pot. Then the plants should be placed in a well-lit place, but at the same time protected from direct sunlight. After that, you can start hardening the seedlings. To do this, in the daytime, you need to open the window for a while, but drafts should be avoided. When the plant has 4-5 real leaves, it will need to be pinched to increase bushiness, but if the side shoots grow quite quickly, then they should also be pinched.

What time should snapdragons be planted

The planting of snapdragon seedlings should be done in last days May and the first - June. At the same time, you should not be afraid of cold snaps at night, since these plants tolerate them quite calmly. You can plant these flowers both in a sunny area and in shading, but it is worth considering that it must be protected from gusts of wind, and also be well-drained. Suitable soil should be light and saturated nutrients. The best thing for growing such a flower is a mixture consisting of compost, sand, and peat, which are taken in equal proportions. Soil acidity should be pH 6-8.

How to plant

The distance between the bushes during planting depends on the variety of snapdragon. So, between dwarf varieties there should be a distance of 15 centimeters, between undersized varieties- about 20 centimeters, between medium-sized ones - 30 centimeters, and between tall ones - from 40 to 50 centimeters. After the bush transplanted into the open ground takes root, it will grow quite quickly and become spectacular. flowering plant. It must be remembered that it is necessary to plant seedlings in well-watered soil in advance.

Features of care

Such a flower is undemanding in care and it needs only timely watering, weeding, top dressing, and it is also necessary to systematically loosen the soil surface. Watering should be done only during a drought, but we must remember that this procedure cannot be carried out in the evening. After watering, it will be necessary to loosen the surface of the soil and weed it, this can be done on the same day or every other day. Experts advise to tie tall varieties to the support. After the flower begins to fade, it must be removed from the bush, as it robs the plant of strength. In order for the flowering of such a plant to be long, seeds should not be allowed to set in it, and after the last flowers wither, you need to cut off the flower arrow. It is necessary to cut the peduncle under the flower located at the very bottom, only in this case new arrows and flowers will grow. The first time you need to feed the snapdragon after it takes root after transplanting into open soil, and for this they use nitrophoska and organic fertilizers. The second time you need to feed the plant during budding, in this case a nutrient solution is used, consisting of potassium sulfate, urea and superphosphate, while 1 large spoonful of each substance should be taken per bucket of water.

It happens that the bushes are affected by rust, while specks of a red color appear on their surface. Also, this plant is susceptible to infection with black leg, root and gray rot, septoria. Diseased plants should be destroyed as soon as possible, then it is necessary to treat the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe soil where they grew with a fungicidal (antifungal) agent. For snapdragons, pests such as fly larvae, scale insects, caterpillars, as well as butterflies that are able to lay eggs, are dangerous. It should be remembered that getting rid of diseases or harmful insects is much more difficult than preventing plant infection. For the purposes of prevention, it is necessary to follow all recommendations for the care of snapdragons, so it is necessary to destroy diseased and infected specimens in a timely manner; flowers should not be planted very close to each other; it is necessary to water correctly, avoiding waterlogging of the soil; watering should be done at the root, while making sure that water does not fall on the surface of the leaf plates.

Flowering of such a plant can continue until the onset of the first frost in the fall. After autumn sets in, it is necessary to cut those snapdragon bushes that are cultivated as perennials very shortly, so that the height of the shoots is about 5–8 centimeters. Then you need to mulch the area, sprinkling it with a layer of dried foliage or sawdust mixed with peat. In the case when you have an annual snapdragon growing, then after the flowers begin to fade, you should remove them, thereby avoiding self-seeding. After all the flowers on the arrow wither, it must be cut as short as possible. Thus, you will not let the seeds ripen and crumble on the surface of the soil. After the onset of late autumn, it is necessary to dig up the soil where the flowers grew, and burn the remains of the snapdragon, as harmful insects can settle on them.

As a rule, seeds are collected from most plants only after they have fully matured. However, the collection of snapdragon seeds must be done in the phase of incomplete maturity. Then they are placed in a dry, well-ventilated room for ripening. It is necessary to collect the seeds in a long bag of paper (as for a baguette). It is necessary to start collecting seeds only after the fruits located at the bottom of the peduncle are fully ripe. To do this, the top of the peduncle, on which the still green fruits are located, must be cut off and thrown away. On that part of the flower arrow that remains, you need to put on a paper bag, tie it with a thread below the fruit. Then it remains only to cut the stem below the ligation site. Then the inverted bag must be hung in a dry and warm place and all that remains is to wait until the ripened seeds themselves spill into the bag. Ripe seeds should be poured into a small cardboard box and stored in a dry place where the air temperature will be from 3 to 5 degrees. In this case, the boxes must be protected from water ingress.

To date, experts have several classifications of this plant according to various characteristics. The most popular classification is according to the height of the bush. According to the size of the bush, snapdragon varieties are divided into 5 groups:

1. gigantic- bush height 90-130 centimeters. In this plant, the stem, located in the center, is much higher than the stems of the second order, while there are no stems of the third order. Popular varieties: "Arthur" - bush height from 90 to 95 centimeters, cherry-colored flowers; "F1 red XL" and "F1 pink XL" - the bush reaches 1.1 meters, the flowers are red and Pink colour(respectively).
2. High― the height of the bush is 60–90 centimeters. They are cultivated for cutting, and also as a vertical accent in groups or in mixborders. The central stem is much higher than the side ones. In the cut, the flowers of this plant can stand for about 7 days and even longer. The most fragrant varieties are those whose flowers are painted in various shades of yellow. Popular varieties: "Anna German" - the flowers are painted in light pink; "Canary" - flowers of a rich yellow color; a mixture of varieties "Madama Butterfly" - double flowers can be painted in a variety of color shades.
3. Medium height (semi tall)- a bush with a height of 40 to 60 centimeters. Varieties are universal, they are cultivated both for cutting and as decoration for flower beds. They are distinguished by strong branching. The central stem is slightly higher than the side stems. Popular varieties: "Golden Monarch" - has a yellow color; "Ruby" - deep pink flowers; "Lipstick silver" - painted whitish-pink.
4. Low- bush height 25-40 centimeters. They are cultivated as border or flower bed plants. These varieties have a large number of flowering stems of the second and third order, while the central stem has the same height as the stems of the first order or slightly lower than them. Popular varieties: "Tip-top", "Hobbit", ampelous hybrid plant "Lampion".
5. Dwarf- The height of the bush varies from 15 to 20 centimeters. Varieties are intended for carpet flower beds, ridges, borders, rock gardens. Grow them and as a potted flower. There is strong branching to stems of the third and fourth order, while the central stem is lower or has the same height as the stems of the second order. Popular varieties: "Sakura Blossom" - there is a speck on the whitish-pink flowers; "Candy Showers" is an ampel variety.

There is also a very popular Sanderson and Martin snapdragon classification for year-round cut varieties. However, this classification is of interest only to those flower growers who grow snapdragons for sale.

Flowers snapdragon (lat. Antirrhinum), or antirrinum,- a genus of herbaceous plants of the Plantain family, covering about 50 species of perennials, including climbers, common in the warm zones of the Earth, but mostly in North America. The Russians call this plant "dogs", the British - "snapdragon" (biting dragon), the French - "cleft palate", and the Ukrainians - "mouths". From the Greek language, the name "antirrinum" is translated as "nose-like", "like a nose."

The ancient Greek myth tells about the first feat of Hercules, when he defeated the Nemean lion, famous for its ferocity and invulnerability. The goddess Flora gave Hercules the one she created in honor of his victory. beautiful flower, which she called "snapdragon". Since then, it has become a tradition in Greece to give heroes a snapdragon. In culture, the snapdragon flower has existed for about five hundred years, and breeding work were started by German scientists in the 19th century, and today about 1000 varieties of snapdragons 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 large (Antirrhinum majus).

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Planting and caring for snapdragons (in a nutshell)

• Landing: in warm climates by sowing seeds in the ground in April or before winter. Seedlings 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 in the dry season, plentiful.
• Top dressing: 2-3 times before flowering with full mineral fertilizer.
• Reproduction: seeds and cuttings.
• Pests: aphids, gall nematodes, spider mites, scoops, thrips, slugs.
• Diseases: late blight, fusarium, verticillium, black leg, septoria, sclerotinia and peronosporosis.

Read more about the cultivation of snapdragons below.

Snapdragon flower - description

The snapdragon plant is a shrub or herbaceous plant with straight, branched green finely furrowed 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, they are elongated-oval or lanceolate in shape, 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, are painted in white, yellow, pink, pale fawn, all shades of red, but there are also two-color and even three-color varieties. The fruit is a two-celled multi-seeded box, in one gram from 5000 to 8000 seeds. Snapdragon bloom usually begins in June and ends with frost.

Most often, perennial snapdragons in nature are grown in horticulture as annual plant, but at good care and under favorable conditions, cold-resistant snapdragons can successfully winter in the garden and bloom more beautifully the next year. In garden design, antirrinum is grown as a border plant, although snapdragons look great both in a flower bed and planted in groups against a green lawn. Often snapdragons are used to decorate balconies and terraces.

Of particular interest to flower growers today are ampelous forms of snapdragons, which can be grown in suspended structures for decorating terraces and galleries.

In the photo: Snapdragon flowering in the garden

Growing snapdragons from seeds

Sowing snapdragon

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

So, we sow snapdragons: at the beginning of March we 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 spray bottle and distribute seeds also mixed with sand over its surface, which we then cover from above with a thin layer of the same substrate, moisten it from a fine spray gun and cover the plate with glass sowing.

Every day we remove condensate from the glass, let the crops breathe and, as necessary, moisten the soil from the sprayer. At a temperature of 23 ºC and moderate humidity of the substrate, 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 massive (in 3-4 days), remove the glass.

In the photo: Growing snapdragons from seeds

snapdragon seedlings

Seedlings will grow slowly at first, and your task during this period is to monitor the proper soil moisture by watering the soil in the morning in such a way that there is enough moisture, but not in excess, as this can lead to disease of seedlings with a black leg. “Fallen” sprouts must 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 the appearance of a pair of real - not cotyledon - leaves, the seedlings dive into a container or box, arranging them so that they grow freely.

You can plant seedlings in personal pots or, for example, dive three sprouts into larger pots.

Place the picked seedlings in a bright place, protecting them from direct sun rays, and begin to gradually accustom them to the environment and temperature in which they will find themselves after transplanting into open ground: slightly open the window for a while during the day, 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.

In the photo: Red snapdragon

Snapdragon Planting

When to Plant Snapdragon

In late May - early June, grown, strengthened and hardened seedlings are planted in open ground. And do not be afraid of the last night cold snaps: your young "lion cubs" will survive them calmly. The site for growing snapdragons can be either sunny or slightly shaded, but be sure to be well-drained and protected from strong wind. The soil is required light and nutritious. The best soil for snapdragons- a mixture of sand, compost and peat in approximately equal proportions. The optimal soil pH for snapdragons is pH 6-8.

In the photo: Snapdragon in a flower bed

How to plant a snapdragon

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 - at a distance of 30 cm, undersized - after 20 cm, dwarf - after 15 cm. As soon as the snapdragon takes root, it begins to very grow quickly and turn into a lush flowering bush. You should know that snapdragon planting is carried out in well-moistened soil.

Snapdragon care

How to grow snapdragon

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

If you want long-lasting blooms from snapdragons, do not let them set seeds, remove the flower head as soon as the last flowers have withered. You need to cut the peduncle under the lowest flower, then new arrows and new flowers will appear.

As soon as the plant takes root in the soil after planting, it needs to be fed with nitrophos and organics, the second top dressing is carried out when snapdragons begin to form buds, in which case a solution of urea, potassium sulfate and superphosphate is used at the rate of one tablespoon of each ingredient per 10 liters water.

On the picture: pink flowers antirrinuma

Pests and diseases of snapdragon

Sometimes red spots of rust appear on the plant, snapdragon septoria, black leg, gray or root rot can affect. Sick 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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Snapdragon or Antirrinum (Antirrhinum) is a perennial herbaceous plant 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. After that, 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.

On one's own harvested seeds after collecting and drying, they 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 bottle.

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.

When planting different varieties close together, cross-pollination can occur and new plants the next 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, 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.

For heavy soil good growth bushes, you need 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 weed grass around is 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, false powdery mildew, black legs.

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 pustules appear on the lower part of the leaves, on the seed pods and sepals. Brown. 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 with the right approach, all these problems are solved quite quickly and the flowers delight with their beauty and unusualness.