Snapdragons are a favorite of children who like to pinch the tiny blossoms and make the “dragon mouth” open and close. Their large flower heads, which are full of blooms, have a faint fragrance and come in a variety of beautiful and vibrant colors. During the Fall, they add so much color and character to the garden. They come in burnt oranges, browns, yellows and shades of pinks and reds. They come in two heights, dwarf varieties, which grow to about 10 inches in height and the taller types which grow to heights of 18-24 inches. There is a variety that can grow to around 5 feet but they do have to be staked. One single snapdragon plant may produce seven or eight blossom spikes in the course of a planting season. Snapdragons make wonderful cutflowers for the table. I like to add them with mums for delightful table arrangements. They do well in a well fertilized soil and love full sun. I have several window boxes that I have mixed mums and burnt orange and yellow snapdragons in. I also have some that are flourishing in my flower beds adding wonderful bursts of fall color to my landscape. Sow seeds indoors eight weeks before the first frost. You can move seedlings started in a sheltered seedbox outdoors any time in the fall for winter and spring flowering. Plants should be planted 6 to 12 inches apart, depending upon the size of the variety planted. When the plants are 2 to 4 inches tall, pinch off the stem tips for more abundant flower spikes. Feel free to cut for bouquets as the cutting forces plants to produce additional stems that will bloom later in the season. Snapdragons, as so many other flowers I have written about, really benefit from deadheading. This prolongs the flowering period for so many flowers.
Thanksgiving and Christmas are upon us. When making your Christmas lists, consider all the gardeners in the family. A rainchain and basin will make a perfect Christmas gift. Take advantage of our online ordering to help make Christmas shopping so much easier. Last Christmas, I put a maze of poinsettas under one of my rain chains for a little Christmas color. We also have gift certificates for rainchains so your gift recipient can pick out their own chains. Also, you can go back to our past blogs for information on a variety of plants and gardening tips.
