Detailed Guide to Growing Trailing Snapdragons 'Candy Tops'

‘Candy Tops’ Series

Variety Introduction The ‘Candy Tops’ series is a rare, premium trailing type of snapdragon in the world that is grown from seed. It produces abundant flowers, blooming continuously at the top, and even under short-day conditions, it can still keep blooming nonstop.

As a day-neutral plant, the ‘Candy Tops’ series can be used in autumn and will bloom again the following spring. At the same time, its strong and flexible branches give it excellent shipping tolerance.

Producers using clustered pelletized seeds can keep plants in very perfect plant form when used in flower beds, containers, and hanging baskets. Currently, the ‘Candy Tops’ series comes in 5 colors: yellow, orange, red, rose pink, and scarlet.

Plug Stage Stage One (1 to 10 days) Sow the seeds in a sterile, well-drained medium. Keep the EC value below 0.5 and the pH between 5.5 and 6.0. The ‘Candy Tops’ series is supplied as clustered pelletized seeds, so you can cover them with a thin layer of vermiculite, but because snapdragon seeds need some light to germinate, do not cover them too much. Keep the soil temperature at around 18°C and maintain sufficient moisture.

Stage Two (11 to 21 days) At this stage, the cotyledons begin to unfold and the plant's root system gradually forms. Maintain some soil moisture, but not too wet, as this helps the snapdragon root system develop healthily and strongly. Keep the air temperature at around 18°C and apply 50 ppm to 75 ppm nitrate nitrogen fertilizer. Supplement with some light, which can shorten the plant's growth cycle, but it is best to ensure a 12-hour light period to balance the plant's reproductive growth and vegetative growth.

Stage Three (22 to 35 days) At this stage, the first true leaf begins to grow and the root system continues to develop. You can appropriately extend the interval between two waterings to ensure the medium has some dryness, so as to promote healthy and rapid development of the plant's root system. Keep the temperature between 18°C and 20°C. Appropriately increase the nitrogen fertilizer concentration to 75 ppm to 100 ppm, and keep the EC value below 0.75, as snapdragons are very sensitive to high EC values (>1.0).

Stage Four (36 to 42 days) At the end of this stage, the seedlings need 2 to 3 pairs of true leaves, and the root system should be tightly bound with the medium. Keep the temperature between 15°C and 18°C and the EC value between 0.75 and 1.0. For the ‘Candy Tops’ series, producers need to transplant early and make sure not to let the roots circle, otherwise the later plant form will be affected to some extent.

From Transplanting to Flowering Stage Medium Selection Use a sterile, well-drained medium, keep the pH between 5.5 and 5.8, and the EC value below 1.0. Temperature The suitable growing temperature is 15°C to 18°C during the day and 15°C at night. If possible, try to lower the night temperature to between 11°C and 15°C.

Fertilizer You can apply 150 ppm to 200 ppm nitrate nitrogen base fertilizer. It is recommended to use a 15-5-15 soluble fertilizer to provide sufficient magnesium. Under low-temperature conditions, avoid using too much ammonium salt, because too much ammonium salt easily leads to weak plant form and leggy branches. At the same time, excessively high pH (>6.5) easily leads to iron deficiency in plants.

Light Supplement with some light to bring the light intensity to 27,000 lux, which can accelerate plant growth and promote earlier flowering.

Pest and Disease Control The main pests and diseases that snapdragons are susceptible to include aphids, thrips, mites, gray mold, downy mildew, powdery mildew, rust, and viral diseases. Producers need to prevent them in advance, and once pests or diseases appear on the plants, timely measures should be taken for control.

Growing Technology for Trailing Snapdragons 'Candy Tops'

‘Candy Tops’ Series

China Landscape Web May 25 news: Variety Introduction The ‘Candy Tops’ series is a rare, premium trailing type of snapdragon in the world that is grown from seed. It produces abundant flowers, blooming continuously at the top, and even under short-day conditions, it can still keep blooming nonstop.

As a day-neutral plant, the ‘Candy Tops’ series can be used in autumn and will bloom again the following spring. At the same time, its strong and flexible branches give it excellent shipping tolerance.

Producers using clustered pelletized seeds can keep plants in very perfect plant form when used in flower beds, containers, and hanging baskets. Currently, the ‘Candy Tops’ series comes in 5 colors: yellow, orange, red, rose pink, and scarlet.

Plug Stage Stage One (1 to 10 days) Sow the seeds in a sterile, well-drained medium. Keep the EC value below 0.5 and the pH between 5.5 and 6.0. The ‘Candy Tops’ series is supplied as clustered pelletized seeds, so you can cover them with a thin layer of vermiculite, but because snapdragon seeds need some light to germinate, do not cover them too much. Keep the soil temperature at around 18°C and maintain sufficient moisture.

Stage Two (11 to 21 days) At this stage, the cotyledons begin to unfold and the plant's root system gradually forms. Maintain some soil moisture, but not too wet, as this helps the snapdragon root system develop healthily and strongly. Keep the air temperature at around 18°C and apply 50 ppm to 75 ppm nitrate nitrogen fertilizer. Supplement with some light, which can shorten the plant's growth cycle, but it is best to ensure a 12-hour light period to balance the plant's reproductive growth and vegetative growth.

Stage Three (22 to 35 days) At this stage, the first true leaf begins to grow and the root system continues to develop. You can appropriately extend the interval between two waterings to ensure the medium has some dryness, so as to promote healthy and rapid development of the plant's root system. Keep the temperature between 18°C and 20°C. Appropriately increase the nitrogen fertilizer concentration to 75 ppm to 100 ppm, and keep the EC value below 0.75, as snapdragons are very sensitive to high EC values (>1.0).

Stage Four (36 to 42 days) At the end of this stage, the seedlings need 2 to 3 pairs of true leaves, and the root system should be tightly bound with the medium. Keep the temperature between 15°C and 18°C and the EC value between 0.75 and 1.0. For the ‘Candy Tops’ series, producers need to transplant early and make sure not to let the roots circle, otherwise the later plant form will be affected to some extent.

From Transplanting to Flowering Stage Medium Selection Use a sterile, well-drained medium, keep the pH between 5.5 and 5.8, and the EC value below 1.0. Temperature The suitable growing temperature is 15°C to 18°C during the day and 15°C at night. If possible, try to lower the night temperature to between 11°C and 15°C.

Fertilizer You can apply 150 ppm to 200 ppm nitrate nitrogen base fertilizer. It is recommended to use a 15-5-15 soluble fertilizer to provide sufficient magnesium. Under low-temperature conditions, avoid using too much ammonium salt, because too much ammonium salt easily leads to weak plant form and leggy branches. At the same time, excessively high pH (>6.5) easily leads to iron deficiency in plants.

Light Supplement with some light to bring the light intensity to 27,000 lux, which can accelerate plant growth and promote earlier flowering.

Pest and Disease Control The main pests and diseases that snapdragons are susceptible to include aphids, thrips, mites, gray mold, downy mildew, powdery mildew, rust, and viral diseases. Producers need to prevent them in advance, and once pests or diseases appear on the plants, timely measures should be taken for control.