| Author | Content |
emmentoo
Lufkin, TX (Zone 8b)
September 22, 2008 11:44 PM Post #5586531
| Hi all,
I'm actually trying to plan ahead (rare) and would love to germinate snap dragon seeds. The packet reads they need 55 degrees and light to germinate. I've also read that it may take up to one month to germinate. Anyone have experience germinating them in this far south? Any help is appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
Nancy
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JonnaSudenius
Büllingen
Belgium (Zone 6b)
September 23, 2008 11:37 AM Post #5588195
| Do you mean Antirrhinum majus? |
emmentoo
Lufkin, TX (Zone 8b)
September 24, 2008 11:00 AM Post #5592322
| Yes. The temperatures here are around 88 F. Last year I tried to germinate them indoors so they would be cooler but they did not germinate. This year I am trying to germinate them outdoors, despite the fact that the temperatures are much higher than recommended.
If I wait until the temperatures cool down before I start to germinate, then I'll not have them long before the spring / summer gets too hot for them. I will be able to get seedlings but it would be nice to grow them if possible.
Thanks
Nancy
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JonnaSudenius
Büllingen
Belgium (Zone 6b)
September 24, 2008 11:34 AM Post #5592397
| Antirrhinum majus germinates best between 65F and 68F. Scatter the seeds on the earth and move the earth a little bit whit your fingertips and water them. By me they germinate in 12-21 days.
Jonna |
dahlianut
Calgary, AB (Zone 3a)
September 24, 2008 10:34 PM Post #5594905
| I have the same experience as JS with germination between mid-60s and mid-70s. Mine did take almost a month to germinate. Have you thought of dwarf snaps? They will flower much faster so might work better for your conditions. |
jenepat
North Richland Hills, TX (Zone 8a)
September 25, 2008 4:00 AM Post #5596463
| Hi Nancy - I've been trying to germinate snapdragons too, for the same reason. I think it's really been difficult with the temps still being so warm. I tried some using the paper towel method (just putting them in a damp paper towel in a plastic baggie till they sprouted), keeping them inside at temps 75-80 degrees, and that worked great for a couple of varieties I had. But after they sprouted in the paper towel, I put them in individual Burpee pellets and they haven't done so well since. I've can't figure out where best to keep the tray since our temps outside are back up in the 90's now. In fact, I think the ones that were doing the best at first are even dead now. :(
I tried the same thing with pansy seed and those aren't doing well either... :( I'll be interested to hear if you find any tricks for starting these in our warm climate. |
starlight1153
Seale, AL (Zone 8b)
September 27, 2008 6:49 PM Post #5606370
| It alot of work to sprout pansies and snaps in the high temps. The best way is if you have like a small work shop or a seperate room in the house that can be closed off that you can put a regulated thermostate type air conditioner in the window.
If you put your seed in tiny seed trays and use a sterile potting mix and put in a baggy in the cool room , about 70F is good, then they wil start germinating in anywheres from 3 to 7 days. You need to make sure that the soil is just barely moist though. As soon as they sprout, take them out of the baggies and put under lights in the same room at the same temp til they have at least two sets of real leaves. Once they have that you cna transplant them into 6 pack size trays. Still leave in the cool temps and udner the lights til they have at least 6 sets of leaves. Then you cna take and put them outside in a shady area til the temps get down to about 80F durign the day. Til then they are gonan need some sort of shade cover.
By the time you get them big enough to move outdoors your temps should be cool enough durign the day and night for them to grow on by themselves.
it alot of work and a real pain and took me forever to figure out how to start to grow them in the hot south. The big thing you have to watch is that you don't overwater them. With the heat and humidity in the south, and too much water, they will rot on ya big time. They are very susceptable to diseases during the hot conditions.
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emmentoo
Lufkin, TX (Zone 8b)
October 2, 2008 10:50 AM Post #5624268
| Well, I checked again yesterday and some of them have sprouted. The nights have been cool the last few days so maybe that's what has encourged them to sprout. However, the afternoons are still hot so I'll be monitoring closely to see how they progress.
I don't have an air conditioned work shop so that's not really an option. I had considered getting a used wine cooler for sprouting but even if that worked, then I'd have no way to keep the seedlings cool after they sprouted.
I've got a swamp cooler in the green house and I think I will turn it on and monitor it to see what it can do this time of year.
- Nancy |
starlight1153
Seale, AL (Zone 8b)
October 3, 2008 12:17 PM Post #5628445
| I have mine outside now, they getting anywheres from 50-68F at night and 80-85 during the day and they been sittingunder shade trees and now are big enough to go out into full sun . The trick is too not let em dry out but not over water them. |
Raggedyann
Lawrenceville, GA (Zone 7b)
October 3, 2008 12:22 PM Post #5628460
| I haven't tried to grow snaps from seeds yet. I found flats of them for 25 cents last weekend at Lowes and couldn't compete with that. Snaps have always been a fave flower of mine since my mom introduced me to them at a park when I was little. I'm waiting for seed pods to dry on mine and just might give them a try. The original plant wasn't supposed to be a perennial but these have been coming back for years. You think they are dead, throw them out and next year get a surprise! |
2ndChance
Tempe, AZ (Zone 9b)
October 15, 2008 1:58 AM Post #5672619
| They'll do fine, Nancy, mine keep sprouting into the low 100's. |
billbruce
waterloo ontario
Canada
January 29, 2010 3:47 PM Post #7508709
| I,m going to try growing trailing snapdragons this season, its new seed on the market and i am wondering if anyone can give advise on the best way to germinate them . thank you |
Tomtom
OSAKA
Japan (Zone 9b)
January 30, 2010 1:43 AM Post #7510564
| Hi ,all, I love the snapdragon very much and I grow it every year.
1)I usually sow the seeds at the end of September ,at the temperature about 20 ℃。
It begins to germinate in 7~10days.The little seedlings are so sensitive to the damp of soil I always take care of the drainage.
2)I prick them out into the individual pots when they form four or five true leaves.
3) I place them wherever I want to bloom as soon as they grow big enough .
4) They start to bloom around the biginning of May.
Here're some step-by-step photos of them.
Tomtom
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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Tomtom
OSAKA
Japan (Zone 9b)
January 30, 2010 1:46 AM Post #7510571
| Another photos. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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joannabanana
Calgary, AB (Zone 3a)
February 4, 2010 4:20 PM Post #7529011
| A small group of local gardeners had a little seed swap meeting last night. One of the ladies said that she freezes the seed package for a couple of days and then sows them. I checked on the Stokes Seeds website and that is what they recommend. Here's the info from Stokes.
SNAPDRAGON Annual
Approx. 102,400 seeds per oz/28 g
GREENHOUSE: Freeze seed for 48 hrs. before sowing. Sow Feb. to Mar. 15th for May sales. Use Jiffy Mix or sterilized sandy loam. Firm and water thoroughly before sowing. Sow thinly in rows 1/8 in./3 mm deep, 1/2 in./ 13 mm wide, 2 in./ 5 cm apart. Do not cover seeds. Press seed firmly into seed bed. 1/64 oz/.5 gr. sows 2(20 x 12 in./ 51 x 31 cm) flats @ 700 - 800 seedlings per flat, depending on germination. Cover flats with plastic to conserve moisture. Germinate @ 70°F/21°C soil temp. for 7 days. (80°F/27°C air temp.) As seedlings appear, grow @ 50°F/10°C. Transplant in 6 weeks, at the same depth as seedlings. Shade transplants with cheese cloth from direct sun until established. Keep well watered with tempered 60°F/16° C water.
DIRECT SOWING: Sow outside in early May. Transplant dwarf types 6 in./15 cm apart, tall types 8 in./20 cm apart.
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erin1957
Decorah, IA
February 26, 2010 4:05 PM Post #7589231
| I have had great success with starting on damp paper towel in plastic bag then storing in the bottom of my fridge for 3 weeks. Nearly everything germinates. They begin to germinate in the fridge around 2 weeks, before they even get warmer temps or light. I sow in mix as soon as they germinate (a daily check and plant operation) and move them under lights. They need light ASAP after chilling. So if the problem is one of germination, this should work in warm climates. I do not know if seedlings will do well in warmer temps as winter lasts a long time here in Iowa, and my light stand is in an unheated attic. |
