With its captivating beauty and deep meaning, snapdragon is the ideal flower for any garden center.
More and more people want to grow this plant but are worried about whether its vitality is suitable for where they live. So, what is snapdragon cold tolerance? How to grow them?
The information below is what you are looking for.
What Is Snapdragon Cold Tolerance?
This flower variety is capable of living in a variety of weather conditions. Snapdragons’ cold tolerance is good, surviving even in severe light frosts to grow in milder climates.
Snapdragon’s scientific name is Antirrhinum Majus, belongs to the family Scrophulariaceae, native to countries in North America, South America, and Europe.
This herbaceous species has an average height of only about 30-40 inches tall.
The tree’s branches and leaves are numerous and tend to grow horizontally. It has tubular flowers with individual flower heads.
Agriculture experts say this plant grows best in USDA Hardiness Zones 7 – 11.
This means you can grow it in many places, ideally in areas with cold weather and high terrain, and ideal time is a cool season like late summer to winter.
Pictures of snout flowers in the snow are not uncommon because they tolerate cold very well; even on frosty days, 20 – 32oF is not a problem.
The plant is smooth and gives the most beautiful flowers in cool temperatures. However, the lowest temp for snapdragons is -15°F because sub-freezing temperatures can still kill them.
How To Take Care Of Plant Snapdragons In The Fall?
Because this plant has a strong vitality and can withstand large temperature ranges, planting snapdragons in the fall is not too difficult for garden owners.
You don’t have to worry when you see flowering plants showing signs of wilting because as soon as months of spring comes and the temperature warms, they will grow again.
How to care for them in places with harsh winters is worth mentioning.
Prolonged too cool temperatures can be a death sentence for this variety, so extra care is needed unless you want to replace them with new types in the spring.
Apply a thick layer of leaf mulch to flower beds before winter arrives to insulate the root zone, preventing snapdragons from cold shock.
Many products are on the market to do this; for example, you can use organic matter, organic mulch like pine straw mulch.
This mulch helps the tree a lot in resisting the cold and snow, so try to keep it until the end of winter or to late spring – when the young buds are ready to grow.
For potted plants, bring them into an inconspicuous area like the basement or garage to avoid the cold below 35°F.
What Factors Affect Snapdragon Bloom Time?
Snapdragon plants symbolizes the love of a couple, strength, not accepting fate. Its flower colors also beautify the landscape, cleans the air, and adds vitality to the living space.
Many people like to use it as a gift for opening ceremonies, housewarming, and baby showers. This plant is also a medicinal herb that treats some edema diseases and reduces pain.
The snapdragon seed can also be used as cooking oil.
Because of the above benefits, more people choose Snapdragons for their classic flower gardens or as border plants.
The snapdragon temperature tolerance is good but has poor drought tolerance, so there will be certain considerations when planting.
For the plant to grow well and flower beautifully, a combination of many factors is required:
Planting Method
The weak method of growing is sowing seeds. It would help to choose good, healthy roots to plant in the ground and then water them. After just a few weeks, the seed germination produces young plants.
Garden Soil Type
Flowers are suitable for growing in neutral soil, nutrient rich, well-draining soil, soil level with a pH of about 6-7.
You should plow the ground to loosen it and create ventilation for the plants before planting.
The substrate can be self-mixed. After mixing well according to the above ratio, it is necessary to treat fungi in the substrate with specialized solutions sprayed evenly on the mixed substrate.
Light And Temperature
Plants like light, so plant them in an area with lots of light to improve the plant’s photosynthesis process.
Because it is a herbaceous plant, the roots are shallow, so the plant still needs a sheltered spot to avoid sunburn due to high water evaporation.
In hot summers, it is necessary to have reasonable shading solutions for the plants to grow in the most optimal environment.
For growing indoors, let the plant dry in the sun for 3-5 days/week, or choose a location with partial shade.
Irrigation Water
The bright snapdragon flowers are a moisture-loving plant. It needs regular watering, but adequate watering to avoid affecting root growth, root rot.
In summer heat conditions with rapid drainage, plants are prone to wilt, so pay attention to ensuring water for the plant 2-3 times/day, with more water each time.
Snapdragons in winter need supplemental water once a day.
In the period of bloom, increase the amount of water to water it, but avoid watering it as it will damage the flower.
Fertilization
To have abundant and beautiful flower stalks, soil nutrients are indispensable. Let’s fertilize regularly for plants, about half a month to fertilize once so that the plants have enough nutrients for flowers to bloom.
In the bloom season, you can add NPK fertilizer to stimulate the buds to bloom more beautifully.
Pest And Downy Mildew Prevention
The snapdragon flower is susceptible to powdery mildew and pest attacks, causing spots on the true leaves and wilted flowers.
Therefore, you must regularly observe your flower plants to detect them early and then take preventative spraying measures.
Cutting
To bloom evenly and beautifully with many flowers at the tips of the branches, you can prune the sets of leaves when the plant prepares to flower to help concentrate nutrients for the flowers to bloom.
If you like long stem flowers, you should not pinch the tops when the plants first sprout; just let your tall varieties grow naturally.
Conclusion
Snapdragon varieties are beautiful and meaningful, so it is becoming the choice of many garden owners.
The snapdragon cold tolerance is suitable in cooler climates, which greatly helps growing and caring for this plant, especially in winter.
