Snapdragon perennial herb seed planting method and watering and flowering time

Snapdragon is a perennial herb of the genus Antirrhinum, named for its flowers that resemble goldfish. Its flower colors are bright and vivid, making it very suitable for ornamental display, and it can be grown in pots. So do you know what the seed planting methods for snapdragon are? How should it be watered? When does it bloom? According to a snapdragon grower, its flowering time is generally from June to July, and from September to October.

I. Snapdragon seed planting methods

1. Disinfection treatment

Before sowing, the snapdragon seeds and their growing medium need to be disinfected. Soak the snapdragon seeds in a potassium permanganate solution at a concentration of about 0.5% for 1-2 hours. An appropriate amount of thiophanate-methyl powder can be added to the medium and stirred 2 or 3 times so that it is fully mixed with the medium. Then, while spraying water, stir until the medium can be held into a ball in the hand and is loose but not falling apart, which is ideal. Finally, cover it with plastic film and leave it for about 8-10 hours before placing it into plug trays.

2. Sowing method

Snapdragon seeds are relatively small. Before sowing, apply basal fertilizer well in the pot first, then scatter in the seeds. Generally, about two hundred seeds can be sown per plug tray, with one seed placed in each cell. After sowing, gently press with your hand so that the seeds adhere to the medium, then spray thoroughly with water, and finally cover with newspaper or plastic film. No soil covering is needed for sowing. After that, wait about 7-10 days for emergence.

3. Care after sowing

Snapdragon is a light-loving germination type of plant. The suitable germination temperature is between 20-22°C. It needs to be given an appropriate amount of light, but care should be taken to avoid direct sunlight. At the same time, keep the medium moist, and also keep the newspaper moist for a long time until the seeds germinate, then uncover the newspaper. Generally, they can germinate in 7-15 days. After the seedlings germinate, they need to be moved to an environment with a temperature of 16-18°C for growth.

After snapdragon seedlings have grown for 5-7 weeks, they can be directly potted into 7-8 cm pots. Snapdragon likes light and is a long-day plant. A photoperiod greater than 12 hours is relatively favorable for flower bud differentiation. Therefore, based on this characteristic, light can be appropriately supplemented to promote earlier flowering, but at the same time attention should be paid to preventing harm caused by excessively high temperatures.

II. How to water snapdragon

1. Watering during the growth period, water more (spring and summer)

When snapdragon is in its growth period (generally spring and summer), its water demand is relatively greater, so the watering frequency should be appropriately increased. How to water snapdragon at this time is very simple: water whenever the soil looks dry. Generally speaking, there is no fixed frequency; just do not let the soil become too dry and cracked, and it can be handled flexibly.

2. Watering in autumn and winter, water less

In spring and summer, because snapdragon is in a vigorous growth period, it should be watered more, but in autumn and winter, it is different. How to water snapdragon at this time: growers should reduce the watering frequency, and in especially cold severe winter weather, watering can be stopped.

3. Watering seedlings

How to water snapdragon: during the seedling stage, pay attention that watering should preferably be done with a spray bottle, spraying until thoroughly wet. Spraying New High Lipid Film can effectively prevent aboveground moisture from evaporating. The reason for doing this is that the snapdragon seedling body does not transpire moisture, which can isolate pests and diseases, shorten the seedling recovery period, allow rapid adaptation to the new environment, and promote healthy growth.

4. Watering precautions

How to water snapdragon: in addition to the methods above, there are also several points to note when watering:

① When watering snapdragon, do not water from the top down; water from the side instead, to avoid splashed water droplets flying onto the leaf surface.

② In addition, during the care and management process, watering must follow the principle of "water when dry, stop when wet," spraying water once about every 2 days, and reasonable fertilization should strengthen fertilizer and water management.

③ In order to increase the humidity of the air, you can choose to use a spray bottle to sprinkle some water into the surrounding environment. However, it does not need to be too frequent; once every two or three days is enough.

④ In summer and autumn when there is more rain, do not leave snapdragon outdoors, to avoid the phenomenon of soil accumulating rainwater and flowers and leaves being knocked off by rain.