This article is about snapdragon, or antirrinum, in general. A bright, elegant, juicy flower that is somewhat out of fashion, but there is no doubt that its popularity will still be at its peak. This is a very bright, flowerbed flower, pleasing with a variety of colors and funny "faces" of flowers.

Description

Snapdragon- perennial, in our country cultivated as an annual. The plant has a straight branched medium leafy bush. The height varies greatly, from compact varieties of 15 cm to giants of 1 m. The flowers are collected in a spike-shaped inflorescence. The range of colors is varied, only blue, blue, lilac tones are not represented. Flowers are multi-color, two-color, terry. They have a pleasant aroma. The plant has a long, rich flowering, blooms from June until frost. With a mild winter, it can successfully overwinter and bloom the next year. The plant loves light, but can grow in the shade. It can be planted under trees. Cold-resistant, tolerates moderate spring temperature changes.

Historical information

Of course, snapdragons cannot be defeated, whose wild-growing ancestor could not even be found, but this flower is also one of the most ancient cultivated plants - gardeners have been growing it for over 500 years. The ancestor of all modern varieties (and there are about 1000 of them today) was one species - antirrhinum large (Antirrhinum majus).

There is an ancient Greek legend about the origin of the flower: the flower was created by the goddess Flora, who admired the feat of Hercules, who defeated the Nemean lion. The goddess tried to make the flower resemble a lion's mouth.

Species and varieties

Snapdragon or antirrinum (lat. Antirrhinum) is a whole genus of plants with about 50 species of perennial herbaceous plants. The genus is a member of the Plantain family (such well-known crops as bacopa, toadflax are also included in this family)

Most species are native to North America.

The name Antirrhinum in Greek means "like a nose". In many countries, the plant received a bright, figurative name that best characterizes the structure of the flower - "dogs" (Russia), or "biting dragon", snap dragon, (English-speaking countries), "wolf mouth" (France), "mouths" (Ukraine ).

All varieties are classified according to different characteristics, the simplest classification is according to plant height:

1. Dwarf- 15-20 cm. These are border and charming container plants. Abundantly bushy, lateral shoots of the same height as the main one. They also look great in rock gardens, ridges and carpet beds.
2. Low- 25-40 cm. They also look great in flower beds, in discounts, borders, carpet compositions, containers, planters. Side shoots and main on the same level.
3. Medium - 40-60 cm. Universal, suitable for group plantings, flower beds, suitable for cutting. Strongly branched, the central shoot is the highest.
4. High- 60-90 cm. Accent plants in a mixborder or in a flower bed. The lateral shoots are much lower than the central one, which is why the flowering plant resembles a candle. When cut, it stays fresh for 2 weeks.
5. giants- 90-130 cm. They are used for the same purposes as high ones. The central shoot is much higher than the second level shoots, there are no lower levels.

Landing and care

Top dressing is not necessary, but the plant will well perceive watering with a weak solution of complex mineral fertilizers 1 time in the middle of summer.

Basic Rules:

1. The place should be sunny, you can - partial shade.
2. Be sure to have good drainage in the area!
3. It is advisable to choose a place protected from the winds.
4. The acidity of the soil is medium, the soil should be fertile, light, nutritious.
5. Care is extremely simple, the plant is unpretentious: watering, removing weeds, loosening.
6. Watering is required plentiful only in a dry hot summer.
7. Withered flowers, if it is not planned to collect seeds, cut off and cut off faded arrows, this stimulates the appearance of new ones.
8. Immediately after planting in open ground, they are fed with organic matter, the second time mineral top dressing is during the budding period (a solution of urea, superphosphate and potassium sulfate is prepared).
9. If the plant is sick with rust, black leg, gray rot, it is immediately removed and burned, the planting site is shed with a fungicide.
10. From scale insects, caterpillars and other pests, it is best to use preventive measures: no excess and stagnant water, do not water so that water gets on the leaves, remove the affected plants.
11. After flowering, in autumn, snapdragons are cut off, leaving a stump of about 5 cm, mulched - then, perhaps, the plant will overwinter.
12. If there is no desire to save for the next season, or your region has too severe winters that the plants are guaranteed not to survive, the seed arrows are cut off in time to avoid self-sowing (this is also important when collecting seeds - not to let them fall), they dig up the site, all plant remains burn.

Growing seedlings from seeds

Snapdragon seeds remain viable for several years. As a rule, in the middle lane it is grown in seedlings, the plant is cold-resistant, it tolerates a night drop in temperature well, but it cannot afford return frosts.

How to grow from seed? Follow this simple guide:

1. Sowing at the beginning of March.
2. Pour drainage into the container, then compact the soil mixed with sand, moisten with a spray bottle.
3. Mix antirrinum seeds with sand and spread over the surface, press lightly. You can sprinkle the seeds with a thin layer of soil.
4. Cover with glass. Put in a place with a temperature of about 23 ºC.
5. Ventilate daily. Remove excess moisture from the glass.
6. After 2 weeks, sprouts will appear.
7. Rearrange to a bright place, but free from direct sunlight.
8. The glass is removed when all the seeds have sprouted.

seedling care

At first, it does not grow very quickly, crops should be moderately moistened, avoiding excess moisture (otherwise there is a risk that the snapdragon seedlings will die from the “black leg”). The fallen sprouts, most likely, have already been affected, it is recommended to remove them, sprinkle the place of their growth with crushed coal.

Seedlings dive when the second true leaf appears, dive into seedling boxes, or into separate pots of several pieces. Placed in a bright place, gradually accustomed to fresh air, opening, for example, a window (you should only look so that tender young plants do not stand in a direct draft). When the fifth leaf appears, the central shoot is pinched, if the lateral ones grow too “briskly”, pinch them too.

Ready seedlings are planted in boxes on the balcony or in open ground in mid-late May, maintaining a distance of 15 cm (dwarf), 20-30 cm (medium-sized varieties), 40-50 cm (tall and giants).

Sowing in open ground is also possible, plants germinate in 2-3 weeks.

Application in the garden

This is an excellent border culture, if you need to create a border for a mixborder, a border, a line along the path - you will not find a brighter plant. Can be good in group plantings, goes well with lawns. It is planted in balcony boxes, containers, planters. Decorate them with loggias and.

Snapdragon needs no introduction as it is one of the most famous ornamental plants. Moreover, it has such pronounced decorative properties that it can radically transform any place, regardless of whether it is planted in a flower bed in a garden or in an ordinary summer cottage. This flower is not only very beautiful, but also does not create problems in care. This can be noted with regard to planting a snapdragon, so even a novice grower can handle this task.

Snapdragon is one of the brightest representatives of perennial plants, which by its presence is able to decorate a flower bed in the garden, making it even more expressive. First flowers formed in the first month of summer, subsequently they will give aesthetic pleasure to the summer resident until the first frost. At the same time, the owner does not have to spend a lot of time and effort on caring for this plant.

plant varieties

Snapdragon is different in that it provides for many types. The work of breeding new varieties of this crop is the goal of many breeders. Due to such an increased interest in snapdragon, to date, a large number of its species and hybrids, distinguished by their coloration.

Just look at the seed packs to see just how versatile these colorful flowers can be. And in each case, we will talk about the snapdragon. Unfortunately, the varieties currently available have not been able to cover full color palette, in which there are no blue and blue shades.

Snapdragon, which is also known as "dogs", is one of the famous herbaceous plants that form many straight branching stems in the process of development. Varieties of this plant differ in stem height. The leaves of the snapdragon usually have an elongated shape, green color, and are also necessarily decorated with a thin fleecy cover. If we turn to the name of the plant, then it is associated with the shape of flowers, which are very similar to the open mouth of a lion.

How it breeds and options for planting snapdragons

Landing and care- the main events that determine how the flowers will turn out. One of the available methods of plant propagation is sowing seeds. Moreover, there are two ways to get new seedlings:

• with the help of seedlings;
• by planting in open ground.

In very rare cases, summer residents resort to the latter method. The reason for this is due to the fact that at the beginning of spring, when it is time to sow seeds in open ground, the earth does not have time to warm up, as a result, it becomes very difficult to grow snapdragons in this way. Therefore, many flower growers most often use the seedling propagation method: provided that all the recommendations for growing at home are followed, you can get quite strong seedlings of flowers.

However, you can save yourself from time-consuming work and buy ready-made seedlings of snapdragon flowers. But in this case, it is necessary to carefully inspect purchased planting material. It must be of very high quality. Then you will have confidence that beautiful and healthy flowers will grow from it.

First of all, you need to pay attention to the leaves and the root system. The roots should not show signs of disease, and they themselves should be well developed. Assessing the condition of the stems, you need to consider that they should not be thin and weak. The leaves decorating them should have juicy colors. Much can be learned from the condition of the soil - if it is dry, then, most likely, the seedlings were poorly cared for.

If you are full of desire to get strong and healthy snapdragon seedlings, then you need to consider the following recommendations that will help you avoid many mistakes. So you will know what conditions are favorable for growing flowers and you will be able to get the seedlings you are counting on after sowing.

How is seed sown?

To get strong snapdragon seedlings at home, you need not only correctly determine the appropriate sowing time, but also to carry out certain preparatory measures in relation to planting material.

The fact that this plant has such a quality as unpretentiousness saves the grower from many problems. Therefore, he does not have to prepare a highly fertile soil mixture, as well as create optimal conditions for development. However, this does not mean that you can not pay any attention to them. It is imperative to take into account the characteristics of plants and, in accordance with them, create the necessary microclimate. In this case, you will be satisfied with the result.

You can plan sowing seeds for seedlings in early April or May. But first you have to prepare everything you need:

• planting material (selected variety of snapdragon seeds);
• landing containers;
• soil and shovel;
• sieve.

Agrotechnics of cultivation

You can sow seeds of snapdragon seedlings in wooden boxes, as well as individual flower pots. Having decided on the container for seedlings, you need to pour soil into them and level the surface. As a mixture, you can use a light, loose substrate, which is available in any flower shop.

When sowing seeds should be thick enough. However, you need to be very careful and make sure that the seedlings are not too dense. Then the seeds need to be slightly pressed into the soil, and a layer of earth should be poured on top. The easiest way to do this is with a sieve. Then the layer of earth covering the seeds will turn out to be light, and this will help speed up the process of seed germination. When all actions are completed, plantings must be watered with a small amount of water using a spray bottle. Finally, a plastic film is stretched over the containers with landings or a piece of glass is laid.

For quick germination of antirrinum seedlings, it is recommended to install boxes in warm place.

The most favorable for spitting sprouts is temperature from + 20 to + 23 degrees. They also need to create soft, diffused lighting. Usually after 14 days you will notice the first sprouts: from this moment you can start airing the seed boxes. Gradually, the duration of such hardening can be increased, then soon you can remove the film altogether.

While the seedlings are still small, they need regular watering. The main thing is to avoid long breaks between soil moistening, since snapdragons are very responsive to moisture. Usually after a month the first two true leaves are formed. When this happens, know that it is time to pick the seedlings into individual containers. Young seedlings should be transplanted very carefully, making sure that the roots do not get damaged.

In addition to picking, you can spend pinching the top of the sprouts. However, this can be done at the stage when they grow to 10 cm. Such an operation will speed up the process of forming side shoots, and this will help you get lush flowers.

When and how to plant antirrinum in the garden?

The most favorable for transplanting snapdragon seedlings to a permanent place is the moment when the last wave of frosts has passed and the warm weather. At this stage of development, the seedlings will reach a state in which they will look like small bushes. For planting on a permanent place of snapdragon seedlings, it is recommended to choose sunny places. At the same time, the plant will grow well in those areas where there is partial shading.

When transplanting seedlings, adhere to the following scheme:

• for undersized plants - 15 x 15 cm;
• for tall varieties - at least 40 cm.

How to care for young plantings and flowers?

After transplanting seedlings to a permanent place, the owner will need to conduct regular watering, fertilizing and loosen the soil from time to time. The first time you need to fertilize already after 2-2.5 weeks after transplanting seedlings into open ground. It is best to start feeding the plants with organic fertilizers. It can be, for example, nitrophoska. Subsequently, top dressing is made no more than once every two weeks until autumn.

Conclusion

Most flower growers are well acquainted with a plant such as snapdragons. Therefore, among the plants that they plant in the flower beds, it is the antirrinum that becomes one of the first. It attracts many by the fact that it does not create problems both during planting and in care. Therefore, many summer residents are engaged in the cultivation of this plant.

Despite the fact that snapdragons can be grown both through seedlings and by sowing in open ground, the first method is most often chosen, since favorable conditions for sowing in cold ground are not always created in spring. However, growing snapdragons through seedlings is not very difficult, since care will be reduced only to regular watering. In the future, caring for him in a flower bed will require regular top dressing and loosening.

Antirrinum, or as it is also called, snapdragon, can often be seen in flowerbeds. This decorative flower decorates not only city parks, but also summer cottages. Because of the unusual shape of the inflorescences, the people dubbed the plant "dog".

It will not be difficult to maintain such a handsome man as snapdragons. Growing from seed, when to plant it outdoors, a few rules of care - all the information you need to implement this plan.

General information about the plant

It is a herbaceous plant with straight, branched stems, it can reach one meter in height. It has long leaves Green colour, which have a dark or light color and are covered with thin villi. Blooming, the flowers take on an unusual shape, similar to the open mouth of a lion or a small dog. Because of this feature, the plant got its name. Terry or glossy flowers exude a pleasant aroma, they gather on the tops of the shoots and form inflorescences in the form of spikelets.

The homeland of antirrinum is the southwestern part of Europe and the Mediterranean countries. Today you can find snapdragons of yellow, white, red and pink color. It begins to bloom in early summer, and ends in late autumn with the onset of the first frost.

By its nature, this flower is a perennial, but gardeners grow it as an annual plant and fill the flower bed with new specimens every year. This feature of cultivation is due to the fact that the antirrinum blooms only in the year of planting. At the same time, the fruit-box with seeds ripens.

Types and varieties of snapdragon

There are many various kinds and varieties of antirrinum. Breeders have long been engaged in breeding new varieties of this ornamental culture. Thanks to such interest and the efforts of specialists from all over the world, about 1 thousand varietal hybrids saw the light. From each other they differ in stem length, color and size of inflorescences. To get an idea of ​​how colorful these flowers can be, just visit any gardening store and look at the assortment of seeds.

Unfortunately, the resulting varieties could not cover the entire color palette, as originally planned, because the breeders failed to obtain the antirrinum of blue and blue shades.

Depending on the species, the flower can be either very small or rather tall. On this basis, plants were even divided into the following groups:

Beautiful spring flowers for the garden and garden

Fit Options

Planting is a very important event, which will determine which plants the gardener will receive in the end. One of the most affordable ways to grow such flowers is seed sowing. To obtain young antirrinums, you can go in two ways - plant seeds for seedlings or immediately in open ground.

Flower growers rarely use the second method, since in this case, in order for the antirrinum to bloom on time, it will have to be sown in the garden in early spring, when the earth has not yet had time to completely thaw and warm up.

Therefore, gardeners prefer to plant antirrinums on flower beds in the form of seedlings: if you follow all the simple recommendations for caring for seedlings at home, you can easily get strong and flowering plants.

Of course, you can save yourself the hassle and purchase ready-made planting material in a store or on the market. In this case, before buying, you need to carefully inspect the seedlings, because only high-quality seedlings can produce healthy and beautiful flowers. First of all, pay attention to such signs:

These tips will help you get healthy and strong seedlings. If the grower decided to grow it on his own, the information below will come in handy. She will save you from common mistakes, which are often performed by novice flower growers, and will also allow you to get beautiful plants.

Getting plants from seeds

In order to independently obtain high-quality seedlings, it is necessary not only to take into account the timing of sowing, but also to properly prepare planting material. The unpretentiousness of the plant is a definite plus and greatly facilitates the task of flower growers. Therefore, you do not have to spend time and effort on preparing a nutritious soil mixture, as well as on creating any special conditions for seedlings.

However, do not think that seedlings do not need care at all. Still, you will have to take into account some of the needs of the antirrinum and try to provide it with everything necessary.

Panicle hydrangea plant in Siberia: planting and care

Sowing seeds for seedlings should be done in April or early May. First you need to prepare all the necessary materials and tools:

1. Choose a variety and purchase suitable seeds at a flower shop.
2. Land for planting. Suitable light and loose substrate.
3. Container (for example, a box made of wood or plastic).
4. Sieve and spatula.

Now you can start planting the snapdragon seed.

Agrotechnics of cultivation

Sowing can be done in separate pots and flowerpots or a common wooden box. Choose the option that seems convenient. Having decided on a container for seedlings, you can start planting snapdragon seeds:

If the seeds have sprouted, then everything is done correctly. Now it is enough to provide seedlings with proper care.

seedling care

Small plants need to be watered regularly. Antirrinum loves water very much, so you do not need to take long breaks between soil moisture. After about two months, in favorable conditions and with good care, the plants will give the first true leaves. After that, the seedlings should be transplanted into separate containers. Picking must be done very carefully to avoid damage to the root system.

After picking, the turn of pinching the tops of the plants will come. To do this, wait until they reach 10 centimeters in height. Such a procedure is necessary for the rapid appearance and development of lateral shoots, and this important condition for lush flowering of adult antirrinums.

Transplantation in open ground

Transplanting young plants into open ground should be done when warm weather sets in, and the probability of returning night frosts is zero. By this time, the seedlings will grow enough and will look like small bushes.

Nemophila in a flower bed: growing from seeds, planting and care

For a flower bed under the antirrinums, a sunny place is allocated. Also, flowers will feel good in partial shade.

Antirrinums like loose and light earth. Fertile slightly alkaline soil is perfect, other acidity of the soil can lead to the fact that the roots of plants will develop poorly.

The problem of too heavy soil is very easy to solve on your own, just mix it with ash, river sand or dolomite flour. Before planting the seedlings in a flower bed, mineral top dressing, consisting of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus, is introduced into the ground.

Small holes are dug under the plants, and then antirrinums are transferred into them by the method of transshipment along with old earthen clods. Depending on the type of flowers, the following distance is left between the planting pits:

• tall varieties - 45 centimeters;
• medium - 30 cm;
• undersized - 20 centimeters;
• 15 cm will be enough for dwarfs.

After planting, water the plants abundantly and cover the flower bed with peat.

Caring for Adult Antirrinums

Plant care in open field does not require special efforts. The bed should be periodically rid of weeds, and then gently loosen the soil. Watering the flowers should be moderate, avoiding both excess moisture and its lack.

During the active growing season, snapdragons need additional fertilizer. The first time top dressing should be applied to the soil 14-17 days after transplanting seedlings into open ground. Then repeat this procedure until autumn, no more than once every 2 weeks. It is best to feed such flowers with mineral fertilizers, for example, nitrophoska.

In order not to overload the bushes, wilted inflorescences are regularly removed.

Pest and disease control

The result of excessive watering can be damage to the root system by rot. This attack can lead to the death of plants. "Hom" or any other remedy with a similar effect will help save the situation. One teaspoon of the drug is diluted in a liter of clean water and all the flowers in the flower bed are treated, even those that have not yet been infected. For a bed measuring 10 square meters, 1 liter of solution will be enough. You need to have time to carry out the procedure before flowering.

In cool and damp summers, there is a risk that plants will be affected by rust. It covers the foliage with spots of a red hue and leads to the death of flowers. It is possible and necessary to fight this disease, for this they use one-percent Bordeaux liquid, preparations containing sulfur or special fungicides.

Among all existing insect pests are dangerous:

• slugs
• gall nematode;
• avocado scab;
• scoop.

To destroy them, all plants and the soil next to them are treated with insecticides. Affected flowers are best dug up from the garden and destroyed.

Snapdragon

Snapdragon (Antirrhinum) or antirrinum is a flower of the plantain family, a genus of herbaceous plants. The flower has been known to us since childhood under the name "dog", because its flowers looked like the gaping mouth of a dog, or even a dragon, so the British called it "snapdragon", the French associated this flower with the wolf's mouth, and the Ukrainians - gentle "mouths".

Although, translated from Latin, “antirrinum” is a comparison with another part of the face - “nose-like”, “like a nose”. As they say, everyone has their own fantasies.

By the way, the name "Snapdragon" has its echoes in Greek mythology. When the famous Hercules defeated the predatory Nemean lion and brought his skin to King Euphries, he did not even want to look at it. Hercules adapted to wear the skin as a cloak, and the skin was right with his head, his mouth was open and looked very intimidating. The goddess Flora admired the masculinity of Hercules and presented him with a flower as a gift, exactly resembling this very mouth. As you understand, the flower was called "Snapdragon".

Since then, there has been a tradition in Greece: to present a bouquet of these flowers to the heroes and winners.
Fast forward from ancient times closer. The birthplace of antirrinum is considered to be North America, where in wild nature fragrant fifty kinds of plants. In Europe, one species has taken root - Antirrinum large. Since 1567, German breeders began to develop new varieties based on it. To date, there are more than a thousand (!) Cultivars of snapdragons, differing from each other in height, color, and flower size.

Growing seedlings of antirrinum from seeds

In more southern areas, snapdragons can be planted directly into the ground with the onset of sustainable warming. In less than three weeks, the seeds will sprout. The plant will easily survive a slight cold snap. But in places where returnables are common, it is better to use the seedling method, which is a common thing for flower growers.

Antirrinum planting and care photo

How does antirrinum develop at home? Growing snapdragon seedlings is easy. You will need a flat container for seedlings, sand, compost soil, glass and a spray bottle.

Almost forgot, more antirrinum seeds

It is better to do this from March 1 to March 20. We pour sand into a container with drainage holes, then we level the compost soil mixed with the same sand, press it, moisten it with a spray gun. Since the seeds are very small, mix them with sand, spread them over the surface, sprinkle with a thin layer of sand and compost mixture, moisten again.

There is a way to sow seeds in the snow brought from the street. The snow will melt and draw the seeds to a shallow, optimal depth for them. Covered with glass and in a warm place (+23˚). Every day we remove condensate from the glass, and moisten the ground if necessary. In two weeks, the first sprouts will appear, now you need to move to partial shade so that the sprouts do not stretch out. 3-4 days and accept glass.

At first, growth will be slow, you need to maintain a balance so that antirrinum can grow from seeds normally:

• so that the soil is moist, but not flooded, otherwise there is a danger of the appearance of a "black leg". If the seedling has fallen, carefully remove it with tweezers and, if possible, sprinkle the place with crushed coal (to disinfect it, so to speak). You can play it safe: spray the seedlings with a weak solution of phytosporin (10 drops per 1 liter of water). After the appearance of a couple of true leaves - it's time to dive.
• For transplanting, you can use individual pots or a common container for seedlings (decide for yourself, you place it on the windowsills, well, if you have a greenhouse, then we walk ...). We use a light mixture of non-acidic peat and soddy soil (1: 2). After a week, water with complex fertilizer according to the instructions.

Video sowing antirrinum for seedlings:

Video how to dive antirrinum:

Gradually we accustom seedlings to natural conditions: open the window, take it out to the balcony, just avoid prolonged drafts. In principle, strong seedlings are no longer susceptible to any disease.
We make sure that the plant does not stretch out, for this we pinch the central one after 4-5 leaves (make sure that the remaining bud looks out, then the branches will go out, and not inside the bush), if the side shoots develop too actively, then pinch them.

Planting antirrinum in open ground

Strengthened and grown seedlings are planted in open ground at the end of spring. A slight cooling will not do them any harm, the seedlings even tolerate short-term frosts down to -3˚. The soil is desirable light, ideally a mixture of sand, compost and peat, pH 6-8. You can choose a place both sunny and not very sunny, the main thing is not leeward.

High varieties are planted at a distance of 40 - 50 cm from each other, lower ones - at a distance of 30 cm, undersized - 20 cm from each other, and dwarf ones - at a distance of 15 cm in very moist soil. We take into account that as soon as he “gets sick” after transplantation, snapdragons will actively grow in height and width, turning into a luxurious bush.

What antirrinum likes care?

Antirrhinum nanum Twinny Peach F1 Hybrid

Snapdragon is a rather unpretentious plant. Just water, loosen and remove the weeds in time. Flower antirrinum tolerates cultivation in almost any soil, but of course, light soils with a sufficient supply of organic fertilizers and trace elements are preferred.

Although it is necessary to water only in dry times, they do not water at night, but in the morning, the next day after watering, be sure to loosen the soil. In a dry summer, the plant is more likely to shed foliage than flowers, so that drought has almost no effect on flowering. tie it to a support, it is better to pick wilted flowers, so the plant will not expend energy on them and you will give a neater look to your flower bed.

For long lasting blooms...

do not let the seeds set, we remove the flower stalks immediately after flowering, cut off under the lower flower, then the snapdragon will start new arrows and continue flowering.

Fertilize snapdragons preferably several times: the first - immediately after rooting with nitrophos and organics. Before budding, we feed a second time with a solution of urea, potassium sulfate and superphosphate. One tablespoon of each product is enough for a bucket of water.

It should be borne in mind that snapdragons take root poorly on clay or too peaty soils, so tall varieties should not be planted there.

Diseases and pests

Antirrhinum f1 terry Antirrhinum terry

Septospirosis- a fungal disease that manifests itself as brown spots on the leaves, with severe damage - twisting of the shoots, the death of plants. Occurs with high humidity, low ventilation. Preserved on plant debris. When infected, carefully remove the infected parts or the entire plant and burn, spray the flowers with a fungicide or copper-containing preparations.

Gray rot- the botrytis mushroom is an omnivore, therefore it moves from one plant to another. The lesion is manifested by brown spots on the leaves, and with a stronger lesion - by a touch of gray powder. Favorable conditions - high humidity and poor ventilation, as well as high nitrogen content.

root rot- This is a fungal disease that affects the root system. In appearance, it seems that the plant does not have enough water. Watering diseased plants will only make the situation worse. First, make sure that the root system is healthy and the soil is dry (dig 15 cm deep). If the roots of the plant are soft with an unpleasant odor, this is root rot. The reason is waterlogging, infection from compost, re-planting in infected soil.

The method of struggle is to remove the plant along with a clod of earth. Can be treated with a fungicide. The most important thing from this misfortune is no stagnation of moisture, drainage, soil relief.

If the infection is weak, then spray with Bordeaux liquid or Topaz. With a stronger one - Acrobat MC, Ordan ...

Pests: scale insects, caterpillars, fly larvae, butterflies that lay larvae

Antirrinum grandiflorum

There are a lot of species of scale insects, they are ubiquitous, affecting both fruit and ornamental plants. They feed on the juice of the plant, which leads to damage and death of the leaf. Insects secrete sticky mucus on which soot fungus develops, which leads to an even greater slowdown in plant development. Scale insects are covered with a dense shell, therefore folk methods it is quite troublesome to deal with them: you need to treat the insects themselves with an alcohol, soap or kerosene-soap solution with a brush. If the infection is severe, then we use chemicals different types with an interval of a week - Admiral, KE, Aktara, Aktelik ...

Caterpillars are easy to deal with, usually there are not many of them (they find something tasty for themselves in the garden and in the garden), so collect them by hand. If there are too many of them, then you can spray with karbofos, for example, or with another insecticide.

In order for the snapdragon to remain healthy, preventive measures must be observed:

• do not plant plants too close;
• water under the root, not on the leaves;
• remove weeds;
• remove infected individuals in a timely manner.

What to do after flowering?

Antirrinum large

The first thing I want to note is that the plants you like can be carefully dug up and transplanted into a flowerpot. If cared for and kept at a temperature no higher than 15˚, then snapdragons will bloom all winter.

If you plan to grow a perennial antirrinum, then cut the plant, leaving 5-8 cm above the ground, cover the remains with mulch so that the plant winters more easily.

If the snapdragon is an annual, then self-seeding should be avoided by cutting off the faded arrows, then remove the remains of the plants, burn them to destroy pathogens and pests, and dig the site.
Snapdragon can also reproduce by self-seeding. It is clear that you need to save a few peduncles, the seeds will automatically ripen and sown from the boxes, and sprout in the spring. Just mark the place where the snapdragon was, so that in the spring you do not accidentally weed out the seedlings.

When there is a need for seeds of the varieties you like, then we will do this. Leave the arrows after flowering and collect them in the phase of incomplete maturation. You will need a long paper bag, you can take it in the bread department - for a baguette. Boxes ripen heterogeneously - from the bottom up. We cut off the completely green top, put a paper bag on the arrow and tie it below the last box with seeds, cut it off and hang it up with a hole. In the bag, the seeds will ripen and spill out into the bag. Seeds remain viable for up to three years, store at a temperature of 3-5˚ C in a dry place.

Description of the plant Snapdragon or Antirrinum

Antirrinum photo

The antirrinum snapdragon flower is a herbaceous plant, sometimes a semi-shrub of a pyramidal shape. Depending on the variety, the height ranges from 15 cm to 1.3 m. The branches are dense, thinly furrowed, ascending. The leaf acquires a color from light to dark green with red streaks. By the color of the leaves, you can even determine what color the flowers will be. The leaves are just green yellow flowers if there are orange veins - orange, dark leaves with red veins are characterized by red shades of flowers. The leaf shape is oblong or lanceolate.

Flowers irregular shape, two-lipped, compared to the plant - large, there are simple and terry. The color scheme is white, yellow, pink, all shades of red, there are two-color and even three-color flowers. A variety with lilac blue flowers has already been bred (“F1 Rocket Orhid”). Seeds ripen in two-nested boxes, very small - 5000-8000 pieces in one gram. Snapdragon begins to bloom in June and continues until frost.

Antirrinum - but in our country it is often cultivated as an annual, although if both you and nature try, it will also ascend next year, will bloom more than ever.

Snapdragon stands out for its variety of varieties, so it can be used as a border plant (undersized varieties), on the contrary, taller varieties - as bright islands on other ground cover plants. Interestingly, it can be used as an ampelous flower for growing in hanging flowerpots to decorate arbors, terraces, balconies.

Species, varieties of antirrinum

Antirrinum ampel cultivation from seed

Consider the classification by plant height:
Tall- height 9-130 cm, the central shoot is much higher than the shoots of the second tier, and the third is absent.

Varieties and hybrids:

• Arthur - cherry;
• F1 "Goshenka" - orange;
• F2 - pink.

High- suitable for cutting, creating cascading flower beds and borders, height 60 -90 cm. Cut snapdragons can stand in a vase from a week to two, the most popular fragrant yellow varieties.

• Anna German - light pink;
• Canary - lemon yellow;
• Madama Butterfly - terry.

medium height- universal varieties 40-60 cm high. All shoots are about the same height, used for flower beds and for cutting. Varieties:

• Golden Monarch - classic yellow;
• Ruby - rich pink;
• Lipstick silver - white with a pink tint.

Low- curbs from 25 to 40 cm, grows in the form of a bush, a lot of the second and third order.

Popular varieties of antirrinum:

Ampel antirrinum lampion f1

• Crimson velvet - 35 cm, dense foliage, dark flowers,
  velvet red, late variety;
• Schneefloke - spherical compact bush, 25-35 cm
  height with a faster period from sowing to flowering.
• Lampion - ampelous.
  - dwarf (15-20 cm), strongly branching bushes. Many shoots of the third and fourth order.
• Floral - 13 different shades of plain and two-tone. Distributed as a pot culture.
• The hobbit is a very common variety, only 15 cm high. If you pinch the shoots in time, we get a neat hemispherical bush.
• Tom-Tumb - yellow flowers, early variety;
• The color of Sakura is pinkish white.

There are other classifications of snapdragon. If you want to grow antirrinum for business, you will be interested in Sanderson and Martin's classification. In the cut snapdragon looks amazing.

Antirrinum or snapdragon (lat. Antirrhinum) refers to herbaceous plants of the Plantain family. The genus includes more than 50 species of perennial flowers, differing in flowering time, a variety of flower shades and distribution area. In natural conditions, it can be found in warm climates, and is also found in North America. Antirrinum in Greek means "nose-like". Snapdragon is recommended to be grown from seeds in home gardens, as with minimal care, you can create incredible compositions in landscape design.

Botanical description

The perennial plant snapdragon in our latitudes is grown as an annual, since many species and varieties are not adapted to our harsh winters and freeze out during severe frosts.

Antirrinum stems simple, numerous. Depending on the species, they can reach different sizes in height. Low-growing varieties barely reach 20 cm in height, and tall ones can be up to 1 meter.

On pyramidal bushes there are pubescent leaves of a lanceolate, elongated shape. On the leaves, a slight pubescence is clearly visible. It blooms with beautiful flowers of irregular shape. When fully bloomed, the flowers are like an open lion's mouth, hence the name of the plant.

Thanks to breeding work, not only natural varieties with simple flowers are known, but also with double ones. The white, yellow, pink and bicolor flowers of the cultivated snapdragon are collected in racemose inflorescences. flowers wild species painted purple, blue and yellow.

The homeland of the plant is North America, it has been cultivated in Russia for many decades. During this time, numerous varieties have been developed that allow you to create a beautiful bright corner in the garden. A pleasant aroma attracts not only butterflies, but also bees.

Myths about the origin of the flower

Ancient Greek legend says that snapdragons first appeared on the lands of Hellas, near the Peloponnese. Here Hercules performed his first feat. In those days, the Nemean lion raged, which was famous for its invulnerability. In an unequal battle, Hercules defeated the Nemean lion.

In honor of the victory over the evil enemy, the goddess Flora presented Hercules with a flower of unearthly beauty, which she called the snapdragon. Until now, in Greece, there is a custom to give the heroes an antirrinum.

Here is such a beautiful antirrinum was presented to the brave Hercules in honor of his victory over the raging Nemean lion

It is believed that snapdragon is a medicinal plant. Infusion and decoction, prepared on the basis of dried parts of the plant, help get rid of shortness of breath, furunculosis, hepatic and renal colic. The tincture helps to tone up and give self-confidence. That is why the snapdragon at all times symbolizes arrogance.

Types and varieties of antirrinum: classification

Among the variety of species, giant, tall, medium-sized, undersized and dwarf species of snapdragons are distinguished.

Giant

Snapdragon Rocket (Snapdragon Rocket)

Plants are tall, grow more often in one stem, have a compressed bush shape. Terry, large flowers bloom on long peduncles. Grown mainly in greenhouse conditions for cutting.

Among the varieties can be called: Start, Frontier, Supreme, Rocket, Forcing.

Tall

tall plant variety

Large and showy annual plants with a bush height of 65-110 cm. Dense and compact bushes consist of few stems arranged in rank. Snapdragon of this species is characterized by dense inflorescences with large flowers. Tall plants look beautiful in the cut.

medium height

By appearance- these are beautifully flowering, pyramidal, compact bushes, characterized by a plant height of 35-50 cm. The stems are strongly branched, look very lush.

However, among the huge variety of varieties, you can choose with different flowering periods and use them to create an interesting composition.

Undersized

Undersized varieties

Low bushes of plants barely reach 30 cm in height. On the bushes you can count many shoots. In full dissolution, antirrinums look like a round ball. The inflorescences are loose, small, characterized by early and medium flowering.

Dwarf

Miniature snapdragon variety

Miniature varieties reach 15 cm in height. The species is characterized by strong branching bushes. Upon visual inspection, it may seem as if the stems are spreading somewhere. Small flowers bloom on short peduncles.

Growing from seeds

To speed up the growing process and get earlier flowering, it is necessary to sow seeds for seedlings. To do this, you need to prepare a container for planting, 2 sieves with large and small cells, a spatula.

plant achene

The selected container or container for growing seedlings in height should not be less than 10 cm. At the bottom of the container, holes must be made for a stack of water.

At the bottom of the container, you need to pour a drainage layer, which can be made from expanded clay, vermiculite, perlite or small pebbles. The next step is to prepare the soil.

The choice of soil for planting

Good seed germination is observed in loose, light soil, which can be purchased at a specialized store or prepared independently. For this, 1 part of soddy land is taken, mixed with the same amount of sand and peat. After mixing, 0.5 parts of humus and 0.3 parts of wood ash are added to the soil.

Beautiful "slipper" of an annual plant

After one more mixing, the prepared mixture must be sifted through a sieve. First you need to sift through a large sieve. The resulting screenings fill the container over the drainage layer.

Then screening should be carried out using a fine sieve. This part fills the remaining space to the top of the container.

Seed preparation

In the store, various varieties of snapdragon are presented to the attention of the buyer. From a wide variety, you can choose exactly the variety that will meet the required characteristics: plant height, flowering time, number of double or single flowers, humidity requirements and growing conditions.

If the seeds were collected in your own garden or in a flower bed, you need to dry them, put them in a bag and send them to storage on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. There the seeds will be stored until spring. Thus, the seeds will undergo natural stratification and will be ready for sowing.

Seeds must be disinfected before sowing. To do this, prepare a solution of potassium permanganate in a light pink color. Seeds must lie in the solution for at least 0.5 hours. After the time has elapsed, you need to remove the seed and dry it on a napkin. Only after all the procedures can you start sowing.

Rules for sowing seeds for seedlings

To evenly distribute the seeds over the surface of the soil, they must be mixed in advance with fine dry sand. Small grooves are made in the prepared container with poured soil, with an interval of 2 cm.

Seeds will be more conveniently distributed over the surface if placed in a paper envelope with a cut off corner. With this method, sand with seeds is evenly poured out of the bag and gently falls into the grooves.

After sowing the seeds, they need to be lightly pressed. so that they get the best contact with the ground. A layer of sand and fertile soil should be poured over the seed layer.

It is necessary to water by spraying from a fine spray bottle.

After all the work has been done, the seed container should be covered with a film and placed in a well-lit place. Good seed germination is observed at a temperature of +18 °C. From time to time, you need to remove the film shelter and ventilate the plantings. Moisten only after drying the topsoil.

How to care for seedlings

When the seedlings hatch from the seeds, it will be possible to remove the glass or film. You need to remove it gradually, daily increasing the ventilation time by 10-15 minutes.

First, the seedlings develop a root system. The first true leaves develop after 3 weeks from the appearance of the first shoots. When 2 pairs of true leaves are well developed on the snapdragon plant, it is recommended to plant the plantings.

Young seedlings ready to pick

They dive into separate peat cups, cassettes or plastic containers. The diameter of the cup should be within 8 cm.

If picking is carried out in large containers, a 5x5 cm pattern should be observed between seedlings. After transplanting, water the soil well and place the pots with plants in a dark place.

Such a pick is called intermediate. It allows you to increase the bushiness of plants. To achieve the appearance of many stems, you need to pinch the top in time.

If the pick was carried out in a common container, then after the spreads grow up, it will be necessary to carry out another transplant. The scheme should already be like this: the distance between the seedlings should not be less than 10 cm.

Plants need to provide enough light, good watering

For successful cultivation of seedlings, a temperature of +23 ° C is suitable. Excessive waterlogging of the soil can lead to diseases, such as blackleg, so watering should be done only after the topsoil has dried.

If a plaque of unknown origin, any rot, is noticeable on the surface of the soil, urgent processing will be required. To prepare the solution, you need to take 1 liter of water and dissolve 10 drops of Fitosporin in it. After processing, crushed charcoal can be scattered on the surface of the soil.

Transplanting seedlings in open ground

Transplantation of snapdragon seedlings for permanent residence is carried out only after the threat of return frosts has passed. Time may vary for different regions. Approximate time frame: from mid-May to mid-June.

First prepare the ground

For good growth and the development of antirrinum, loamy soil with a high sand content is suitable. In such soil, plants are provided with good air permeability. Sandy soils pass water well, which does not allow the area to swamp. On such soils, plants grow well and do not suffer from diseases of the root system.

In order for flowering to be plentiful and long, you need to add to the soil:

• 1 glass of wood ash per 1 m2
• 3 kg of rotted manure
• 1 kg of peat per 1 m2
• 1 st. l. complex fertilizer for flowers or nitrophoska per 1 meter of plantings

Before planting seedlings, it is necessary to dig up the ground, loosen it. When choosing a place, you need to pay attention to the amount of lighting. Antirrinum will not grow in a dark place. When shading, there will be no flowering or it will be very scarce.

You need to transplant in cloudy weather or late in the evening.

Planting scheme for various varieties of antirrinum:

• low varieties are planted at a distance of 20x20 cm from each other
• between dwarf plants, a distance of 15x15 cm must be observed
• tall ones need to be planted according to the scheme 40x40 cm
• when planting medium varieties between seedlings, you need to leave 30 cm

When planting seedlings, it is better to use the transshipment method so as not to injure the root system. Before transplanting, it is necessary to thoroughly shed the earth in order to maintain the integrity of the earthen coma. It is impossible to deeply bury plants - only to the first (cotyledonous) leaves. After planting, the soil around the plants should be well compacted.

When planting, it is undesirable to mix different varieties, since there is a high probability of cross-pollination and completely different plants can be obtained next year.

This method is used by breeders to develop new varieties. It is possible to plant only if it does not matter which seeds will be collected or there is no need to collect them.

Outdoor care

Snapdragon prefers fertile soil, therefore, before planting seedlings in open ground, it is recommended to add peat, sand, and organic fertilizers to the soil. Flowers do not like clay, therefore, by introducing additional substrates, it is necessary to achieve air permeability of the soil.

The site for planting must pass moisture well, otherwise rotting of the root system cannot be avoided.. It is recommended to add humus, leafy soil, black soil to sandy soil. With such soil, everything possible must be done so that the earth retains moisture for at least a short time.