Bright snapdragon flowers bloom profusely throughout cool weather in intensely saturated colors (almost every hue) and are real standouts in either the spring or fall garden. The flowers start blooming at the bottom of the stalk and work their way up, making for a long period of bloom. Although snapdragons tend to stop blooming in heat of mid-summer, if you keep them watered, they will perk up and carry your garden through the fall.
Snapdragons prefer a medium watering schedule, which means watering about once a week during periods of low rainfall. Soak a soil in a garden bed until a top 2.5 cm or 1 inch is saturated. Check a soil more frequently during hot, dry weather. If a top inch feels dry before a week has passed, water sooner.
They do not like full sun and many of them will become very damaged or will not survive very long when they receive too much direct sunlight. Instead, expose them to indirect, filtered sunlight.
As with most houseplants, they will benefit from an occasional feed during the growing season. An organic, balanced, liquid fertilizer once a month during spring and summer is recommended.
Loamy soil is ideal for most garden plants because it holds plenty of moisture but also drains well so that sufficient air can reach the roots.
Snapdragons prefer cooler temperatures. Snapdragons grow best when nighttime temperatures are in the low 40s and daytime temperatures in the low 70s Fahrenheit. Once established in the bed and hardened off, they can withstand sub-freezing temperatures. Make sure they stay well-watered during cold spells and add a layer of pine straw mulch, and they can last for quite some time. If you should get record low temperatures, cover snapdragons with pine straw for a few days until the chill has passed. Seedlings grown indoors do need to be hardened off for about 10 days to two weeks before planting in the garden.
Whether it be plastic or clay, make sure the pot you select has drainage holes in the bottom to prevent over-watering.
