Can't find the right combo of sun/water to get my potted snapdragons to bloom beautifully.?

I've tried full sun, partial shade, complete shade. I water daily. Does the temp. affect them? It gets pretty hot /humid in S. Jersey. Some bloom. Some don't. They look healthy. I've heard about "pinching". Don't really know what it means or how to do it. Thanks for your help in advance.


Libby

Can't find the right combo of sun/water to get my potted snapdragons to bloom beautifully.?
Hey Libby!





Snapdragons can survive the heat and humidity of the summer, but it stresses them to the point where they nearly quit blooming. They are usually at their prettiest in early spring and then again in the fall. Sounds like you are doing a great job at keeping them green. I like to put mine in morning sun and afternoon shade this time of year. In early spring and again in fall, they can handle full sun. Keep watering them as you have been and just ride out the heat.





As far as pinching, you can pinch the spent blooms at the stem just below the blooms. It wouldn't hurt them at all to pinch them back by at least 1/2 their growth right now. Since they are not blooming well, it will help them become bushier and could help reduce your watering since there will be 1/2 the plant to keep green. You will most certainly receive some blooms with the new growth.





Hope this helps! Good Luck!
Reply:snapdragon's are sun lover's.once established,they don't need much water.they don't like to be fertilized very much either. the first year is a little tough on you growing them.they wilt,yellow,turn brown,but if you stick with it they will be beautiful next year.they reseed themselves,and they will be right where you left them.you can collect the seed's from them too,to start plant's for next year. pinching back mean's that if you pinch the tall growth,they will be smaller,bushier plant's.
Reply:Great answer from Cristy. Just wanted to add that snapdragons are what's called a "short-day bloomer". All plants bloom according to their photoperiod, or the length of time they get light in a 24 hour period. "Short-days" bloom best in the spring and fall because of the reduced amount of sunlight during those seasons. This doesn't mean that they WON'T bloom during the summer, but the number of blooms will be significantly fewer.
Reply:I have snapdragons that are in full sun and watered daily also. They have quite a few blooms but some don't bloom. I think the humidity does affect them. As for pinching I always just pinch off the dead blooms. It seems like they bloom back faster if you do that. Whether they are in sun or shade I don't think it matters. I think the humidity is what affects them.