Snapdragon Potted Cultivation Methods and Precautions

Snapdragons not only bloom in bright, eye-catching colors, but also carry the auspicious meaning of “having gold and surplus.” Nowadays, many friends are willing to grow them indoors as ornamental potted plants. Today let us learn about home potted snapdragon cultivation methods and precautions.

1. Snapdragon Cultivation Methods

1. Preparation work. Home-grown snapdragons differ from snapdragons grown as garden ornamentals. We do not need large plants, so here we choose low-growing, freely flowering varieties to plant. The flowerpot needs good drainage capacity and good air permeability, with a pot diameter of about 15 cm. Ordinary plastic pots, clay pots, and earthen pots are all fine.

2. Preparation of potting soil. The soil for planting can use peat, leaf mold, and plant ash mixed together as the growing medium. Before planting, apply some dried livestock manure or cake fertilizer powder, and add a little bone meal or superphosphate as a base fertilizer.

3. Planting method. There are two choices here: one is seed sowing, and the other is propagation by cuttings. Sowing can be done from July to August. First place the seeds at a low temperature of 2-5 degrees C for 3 days to increase the germination rate. At a temperature of 13-15 degrees C, seedlings can emerge in 7-9 days. When the seedlings grow 6 true leaves, they can be transplanted into pots with a soil ball. For cuttings, we need to choose a snapdragon plant about 10 cm long, pinch off its growing tip, keep about 5 true leaves at the lower part, remove all the top true leaves, and then plant it.

4. Control of light and temperature. Snapdragons like sunlight and can also grow under semi-shade conditions. Sufficient light allows snapdragons to grow vigorously upward, and the flowers produced are more brightly colored. Under semi-shade conditions, the flower branches grow taller and the flower colors are paler. In winter, we can supplement light to make them bloom. However, they are not tolerant of severe heat, so in summer attention must be paid to avoiding the heat. During cultivation, the daytime temperature can be kept at 20-30 degrees C, and at night around 15 degrees C.

5. Reasonable watering. Snapdragons should be given an appropriate amount of water; just keep the soil moist, but do not let water accumulate. When watering, try to avoid watering from above the plant, in order to reduce leaf surface moisture and prevent water droplets from splashing and spreading diseases. Water when the soil looks dry, and at the same time pay attention to loosening the soil.

6. Fertilizer should be given moderately. Snapdragons can bloom only when they have sufficient nutrients. Generally, apply a top dressing once every 10 days. Usually use dilute liquid fertilizer or decomposed compost.

2. Precautions for Snapdragon Cultivation

1. Watering must be moderate; do not let water accumulate. Water again after the soil dries, and loosen the soil often.

2. In summer, when temperatures are high, move the snapdragons indoors to cool down.

3. Even if you prune away diseased, old, and dead branches, excessively dense branches should also be removed.

4. Pay attention to the control of pests and diseases. During the seedling stage, snapdragons are prone to seedling rot, and we can spray Bordeaux mixture to prevent it. If there are aphids, a small number can be removed by hand; if there are too many aphids, an insecticide can be sprayed every week.

The methods for growing snapdragons at home are briefly introduced here. The plants are delicate, and we need to care for them carefully. As long as we are attentive, we will certainly harvest beautiful snapdragons.