Planting Snapdragons In The Garden: How To Grow Snapdragons

This Mediterranean native is deer resistant and grows well in sunny, outlying areas where these pests are prone to nibble. Planting snapdragons in the vegetable garden may offer some protection from browsing deer as well.

How to grow snapdragons (Antirrhinum)

Find out all you need to know about growing snapdragons in this detailed Grow Guide.

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Antirrhinums are cheerful annual plants, guaranteed to brighten up borders and containers.

Commonly known as snapdragons, these are easy-to-grow, old-fashioned cottage garden plants, beloved by children and bees. They come in a range of different colours and heights, and therefore can be grown in a variety of situations.

Attractive to wildlife, they have a long flowering period, from June until October. Taller cultivars make good cut flowers and last well over a week in water.

More Grow Guides:

Take a look at our handy antirrhinum Grow Guide, below.

Where to grow snapdragons

Snapdragons will grow in most well-drained, fertile soils in full sun, either in borders or containers.

Planting snapdragons

Sow seeds in autumn, or early spring in a greenhouse or covered tray on a sunny windowsill. Sow seeds thinly on the surface of compost, water and seal in a propagator or clear plastic bag. Transfer seeds when large enough to handle into pots and grow on in a sheltered spot or cold frame. Plant out after danger of frost has passed. Early autumn sowings will produce early flowers in May. Follow our step-by-step guide to growing cut flowers from seed, then watch Monty Don demonstrate how to prick out seedlings.

Propagating snapdragons

Grown for their prolific flowers, you can try to persuade your plants to set seed by leaving a few blooms. However, seeds are unlikely to come true to type if sown, but it’s fun to see what does come up.

Snapdragons: problem solving

Plants are usually pest and disease-free.

Caring for snapdragons

To prolong flowering, feed weekly with a potash-rich fertiliser and deadhead spent blooms regularly. Keep plants well watered and support taller varieties with canes if required.

Snapdragon varieties to try

• Snapdragon ‘Royal Bride’ – bears spikes of beautiful pure white flowers that have a delicate fragrance. It’s perfect for growing in a mixed border and makes an excellent cut flower. Its blooms are particularly attractive to bumblebees
• Snapdragon ‘Night and Day’ – has dark foliage and spikes of dark, velvety-crimson flowers with sharply contrasting silvery-white throats
• Snapdragon ‘Twinny Peach’ – is a dwarf variety, with bright yellow and orange flowers with delicately frilled petals. A compact, bushy plant, it is good for growing in containers or using to fill gaps at the front of a sunny border
• Snapdragon ‘Madame Butterfly’ – a very colourful mixed hybrid with long-lasting double blooms

Planting Snapdragons In The Garden: How To Grow Snapdragons

Growing snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus) in the flower bed provides cool season color and a mid-sized plant to balance tall background plants and shorter bedding plants in the front. Learn how to grow snapdragon for early spring blooms.

Numerous varieties of snapdragon exist with dwarf, intermediate and tall flowering stems that provide a range of colors to work with in the garden. Snapdragons are available in most colors except blue and co-ordinate or contrast with other early spring bloomers. Height of the snapdragon may reach 3 feet (1 m.) or as short as 6 inches (15 cm.).

Planting snapdragons out can be among the first late winter gardening tasks. This fragrant specimen can handle frost, so start planting snapdragons early in the gardening season for most abundant bloom and performance.

How to Grow Snapdragons

After planting snapdragons in a full sun location with well-draining soil, snapdragon care should include a few well-placed clips to manipulate this plant into a bushy, filled-out specimen. Clip the top stem and any long side shoots to encourage more flowers and more attractive planting.

Tall varieties of snapdragons may require staking to remain upright. When blooms begin to fade due to summer’s heat, clip the plant by one-third to one-half and expect more blooms when temperatures begin to cool in fall. Intermingle plantings of snapdragon with heat-loving Angelonia for a similarly formed plant in the summer flower bed.

Further care of snapdragons includes appropriate watering. When growing snapdragon, keep moist for the first few weeks. Once established, snapdragon care includes regular watering. Provide approximately an inch of water per week in times of no rainfall.

Water near the crown of the plant and avoid overhead watering to keep your snapdragon healthy. Once established, let the soil dry about an inch deep before watering.

Snapdragon care includes the removal of spent blooms. Mulch is appropriate when growing snapdragon. Though mostly sold as an annual, proper care of snapdragons may encourage them to return next year, as they are actually a short-lived perennial plant.

Ideas for Planting Snapdragons

This Mediterranean native is deer resistant and grows well in sunny, outlying areas where these pests are prone to nibble. Planting snapdragons in the vegetable garden may offer some protection from browsing deer as well.

Take advantage of the showy blooms of growing snapdragons and bring indoors for arrangements. Many snapdragons are fragrant.

Add snapdragons to those bare sunny areas of the landscape. Work organic material into the bed prior to planting. Proper care of the snapdragon provides a wealth of early blooms in the garden.