Snapdragons, also known as Antirrhinum majus, are beautiful flowers that bloom in various colors like pink, red, yellow and white. They can be propagated easily through cuttings or seeds. Propagating snapdragons is a great way to increase your collection of these lovely plants without the need to purchase new ones every year. In this blog post, we will provide you with a step-by-step guide on how to propagate snapdragons.
Propagation by Cuttings
1. Choose healthy stems
The first step in propagating snapdragons through cuttings is selecting healthy stems from the parent plant. Choose green stems that have no signs of damage or disease.
2. Cut the stem
Take a sharp pair of scissors or pruning shears and make a clean cut at an angle just below where the leaves attach to the stem.
3. Remove lower leaves
Remove any leaves that are located near the bottom half of each cutting using your scissors or pruning shears so that they don’t touch soil after planting.
4. Dip in rooting hormone
Dip each cutting into rooting hormone powder making sure it covers all sides evenly.
5. Place into potting mix
Plant each cutting into moist potting mix up to about 1 inch deep with at least one leaf node below ground level and space them about 2 inches apart from each other.
6. Watering
Water gently but thoroughly and cover with a plastic bag for humidity control until roots develop usually within two weeks time frame.
7.Transplantation
When new growth begins appearing you can transplant them outside but remember not before hardening off for few days by allowing exposure gradually which helps adjust young plants to outdoor living conditions.
Propagation by Seeds
1.Starting indoor plantation
Snapdragon seeds grown indoors boost better results than outdoors as weather changes affect their germination process.Timing is also important, start your seeds indoors about six to eight weeks before the last expected frost in your area.
2. Soak seeds overnight
Soak snapdragon seeds in a bowl of water for 12-24 hours before planting them.
3. Planting
Fill up seeding trays or pots with potting mix and plant two-three seeds per tray or small sized pot with 1/8 inch deep hole.
4.Moisture control
Cover the trays with plastic wrap or clear lids to help keep moisture levels consistent until germination occurs which usually takes around 7-14 days time frame.
5.Careful watering regime
Be careful not to overwater during this period as too much moisture can lead to damping-off disease that may cause young plants’ death eventually. After germination remove coverings and place them under grow lights avoiding direct sunlight exposure for maximum four hours daily.
Conclusion
Propagating snapdragons is an easy way to increase their numbers without purchasing new plants every year. You can use cuttings or seed propagation methods depending on what works best for you personally remember timing is crucial and patience pays off eventually so take good care of these magnificent flowering plants!
