General
Hardy perennials in Zones 5-10, grown as annuals in Zones 1-10.
Latin
Antirrhinum majus
Family: Plantaginaceae
Difficulty
Easy
Season & Zone
Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
Zone: See above
Timing
Start snapdragons indoors, 8-10 weeks before planting out (around the beginning of February on the coast). Transplant out after last frost. Direct sowing is not reliable. Provide bright light and a soil temperature of 12°C (55°F). Seeds should sprout in 10-21 days.
Starting
Sow on the surface of a sterilized seed starting mix. To avoid damping off (to which snapdragons are somewhat prone), increase ventilation, use a layer of vermiculite on top of the soil, and water only from below. Transplant out (mid-April or later on the coast) to 30cm (12") apart.
Growing
Grow these easy sub-shrubs in rich, soil with a neutral pH. Pinch back young plants once 6 leaves have appeared for bushier mature plants. Feed lightly twice, before any flowers appear. Deadhead often. If flowering seems to subside, cut back dramatically, and then feed and water generously.
