@chris1948
For Chris and anyone else who knows, some tips on when to start? In the past I've started too late, snapdragons grow really slow! Now the plan is to get then started in early January under lights indoors, maybe they will be mature enough to honor in March?
Even with years of experience growing from seed veggies & perennials I'm still stumped by a few annuals since I don't use a lot of them except zinnias and marigolds. That is going to change. Any advice? I'm also going to start petunias, have 4 different varieties.

I'm as I'm curious too.

My snapdragons that you've probably seen in some of my photos unfortunately not started from seed however they are in their third year in the same pot. I do think though that some of the pods burst and drop seeds into the pot before I have a chance to collect them and have started themselves. I have quite a few seeds I've collected over the years. I'll go out to the greenhouse today and as an experiment try to start some. It should stay warm enough in there with the heater. Another reason mine have been alive so long is that I keep them out of the hot Texas sun. During the summer when all my plants are outside the greenhouses I have a shady area on the west side of one of the greenhouses. I place them there where one of my trees gives them some shade but they still get indirect sunlight. Here's a link I found that gives some good information on starting from seed - http://www.wikihow.com/Grow-Sn... I'll update my blog here as things progress.

Dummy me, I posted a link to this thread not the 'How to grow Snapdragons'. It's been corrected.

Have you tried the winter sowing method?

No I haven't Duane. I just read about it though and it sounds like something I'd like to try. Thanks for the idea

@duane456 do you wintersow snapdragons in oregon? even though you and i are in similar zones the zone doesnt really account for the lack of spring that we have. The problem with winter sowing is that the plants grow slowly and in my climate our spring lasts five minutes then temps soar and its too hot for snapdragons. so if i give them an early start indoors maybe they can go out on march. Around here many people put them out in fall and they go dormant and survive winter then gear up and bloom whenever it warms off and on til it gets too hot in april/may. but in order to do that from seed id have to start in august and that just wasnt possible this past summer.

I don't normally do snapdragons, but in years past haven't had very good luck with certain varieties. I think certain varieties winter sow better than others. I have winter sowed "Black Prince" a few years back and was successful. I planted them out and they did "ok" that first year. The next year, though, they either reseeded or came back and did very well. Now I get them every year in the same location. Haven't paid attention if they are coming back or reseeding. I think they do both.

Same here in Central Texas Judy. We don't get much of a spring it usually goes from winter then a few days of intermediate temps then the heat comes in. Last year my snapdragons were blooming in Feb in the greenhouse. Mine are still looking pretty good and I expect them to bloom again sometime.

I am winter sowing my snaps this year. I did start a batch in spring. However, the weather here slowed everything down to a crawl. We had three straight months of rain. Hard to germinate in those conditions. Then it went from rain to 90 degree weather. Seeds had germinated but little growth. It took some time but by August, those babies were blooming and I had more than I needed. I do suggest the winter sowing method. Plants are stronger and healthier when sown this way and the wait is not near so bad.

I started some yesterday in my greenhouse in styrofoam cups just to see what would happen. If they germinate fine, if not I've learned a lesson.

August? I want snaps in March, waaaaaah!
@KarenHolt welcome! When you say wintersowing and that the rain interfered it sounds like you sowed seed on the open ground? Are you familiar with the winter sowing method that involves putting seeds in soil that is in a covered plastic container, such as a recycled gallon milkjug or soda bottle?
Below is a link to a great description of it. I mostly use it for perennials that need cold treatment to sprout. But this year I'm not sure we will get any cold weather. The problem with using this method for annuals is that they get a late start, and I want early! Our spring can be brutally hot, although some years it can be a pleasant "normal" spring like I was used to where I grew up in western NY. The years when spring is hot calls for plants that had a head start indoors.

http://garden.org/ideas/view/v...

I always start my snapdragons indoors in January or February. They start blooming for me at 3-4" tall, so by the time I'm planting them outside they are starting to bloom. They LOVE cool weather and will tolerate heat if given enough water and some shade. The snapdragons I planted this year are still going strong although I need to say that this has been the warmest December in NYC has ever recorded.

The summers here can be so intensely got that the snapdragons are dead by July.

I have wintersown snapdragons for years with great success. In my zone they often overwinter. I'd say on average they tend to last two or 3 years. In my experience they tend to germinate at relatively cool temps in early spring (still speaking of the wintersowing method). I find that they don't like the hot, humid Cincinnati summers either, but they tend to thrive and bloom twice a year in spring and fall.

Karen

SCButtercup - Yes I direct sowed my snaps last year. This year I am winter sowing them. Oklahoma had not had rain in over 115 years like we did this year. Every single day from March until July. We even managed to come out of the drought. I wanted flowers in May. I wanted my veggie garden in June. The rain said no, no, no. So I replanted my veggies 3 times just to have something come August and the only reason I got to do that was because I would wait until we had at least 5 hours of no rain. I had my hubby dig trenches in my veggie garden to redirect the lake (water) just to try to save what little survived at least 5 times. For the size veggie garden I have, it wasn't a bad haul but it sure wasn't as good as the smaller garden I had the year before. But, we're eating and I did manage to do alot of canning. Even cukes. I only got 2 weeks out of those.

As far as my flower garden, I ran out of seed to keep replanting. What didn't drown was carted away. One night I stood in the rain watching our 4.5 foot drainage ditch overflow into my yard. Everything in this town flows down to my yard. I have the flattest spot in town. For me to have had snaps at all was a miracle. I lost a great deal this year due to the rains. Hence, instead of winter sowing veggies, this year, it's all getting winter sowed. My daughter and I were at the grocery store today and I had to make a decision. Orange juice in a carton or in a plastic jug. I looked at her and said, "It's hell when you have to choose your groceries based on the containers." Lol.

I am so surprised about the snaps not taking the heat. Mine are taking 90 degree temps. They stop growing, but they are mostly at a stand still until it cools off and they take off again. Bxncbx told me snaps could be planted in shade. I had no idea they could. I have always planted them in FS.

Yes Karen, that's what mine do. They bloom and they're pretty in spring and fall, but in the heat of summer they just exist. They don't die but they're not pretty then either.

Karen

Kq, your garden makes the house next door pretty too! How awesome is that? A beautiful view at any angle.

Thanks. But you should see it now. It's a dreary wintery sight.

Karen

I start seeds inside in early Jan. I don't know if they will bloom by March though. You may have to over winter some to do that?

I also WS some but they will bloom later. I do know that they do not like to be crowded in their pots and need to be transplanted so they don't get root bound. Best bet is probably to get some going however you can and plan on them reseeding. I have a few in hanging baskets I bring into the greenhouse to overwinter as well. I have one in a hanging basket right outside my front door, in an alcove, that is thriving. Maybe it will blossom in March. I'll have to keep track this year.

Snaps are growing, Teeny tiny seedlings! Maybe no flowers by March but I'll keep you posted. Several other flowers started, 4:00's and annual vinca. Going to do more today!