Well, I should've known better than to put snapdragons in containers again. All of them are wilting again like they did in early April. At this point, I think I've realized snaps can only grow in the ground here. Last time I tried to wait the wilt out, and I mass-murdered 60% of them. I'm not doing that again. I'm going to go ahead and toss them into one of my in-ground fall gardens, and pray they survive. I've done some research online, and I can't find an answer on why they do this other than that it could be water-related. That doesn't make sense though since they do better in our clay ground than in a rich, daily-watered soil. Anyway, any last-minute suggestions or just comments? I'll probably plant them out tonight because after they wilt, they lose all flowers.

I don't know if this is allowed, but I'm going to ask anyway. Do the fall mums that become available this time of year, bloom until frost?

Snapdragons like cooler temps. They are at their best in Spring and Fall. They do not like the heat of Summer. Around here you only find them for sale in early Spring.

hostasmore said:Snapdragons like cooler temps. They are at their best in Spring and Fall. They do not like the heat of Summer. Around here you only find them for sale in early Spring.

They're for sale in early spring and fall here. My normal snaps have been blooming non-stop since April with just 3/4 hours of direct sun. I think snaps just cannot handle our full sun.

CrazedHosier:
The potted mums purchased in full bloom continue around here ( NY) until frost.
HOWEVER, The really interesting colors do not survive the winter here,I stopped buying them.

CrazedHoosier said:I don't know if this is allowed, but I'm going to ask anyway. Do the fall mums that become available this time of year, bloom until frost?

Yes they do, but most cultivars won't survive even mild Winters if kept outside (Zone 8a) here.

The only colors that come back are the yellow ones and sometimes the white.
They became expensive annuals so I stopped buying them.

I have grown snaps in pots dwarfs and tall. They like shady spots indirect light. Need deadheading to encourage flowering. In hot temps they stop blooming and in fall will set buds again to flower.
Some hybrids are notoriously fussy bloomers. I start old true seed from origional stock that have been treated with green powder to inhibit wilt disease. Some are known for their tough stocks and blooms from seed catalogues best grown from true proven winners in early spring set out in semi shade areas in pots in the garden in May ,June in my zone.

I foolishly bought three each cheap yellow, orange, and red Mums at Walmart 2 years ago. And then because I hadn't actually planned where to put them, finally just stuck them in a garden bed. Never gave then any attention or pruning either.

Darn those things are blooming beautifully this year!

Just wanted to add that I was at several stores looking for multiple cel pansies cheap and passed by row after row of mums. But one caught my eye. It had vivid red daisy-like flowers with bright yellow centers. It was clearly labeled "mum", was in a 2 gallon pot, and was the same price ($11) as the regular ones. I usually buy smaller plants and grow them myself (I'm cheap), but I figure I can divide it next year and really liven up the Fall garden in the future.

I'm not sure I should mention store names, but if you happen to be at a Walmart, look around...
(edited to correct store name and add picture of Daisy Red Mum)

Try to buy a plant that is just going to open and has new buds behind that one. They don't necessarily bloom until frost. Different varieties flower earlier or later than others. I do have some that come back but most don't. NYBG did a breeding program a few years ago for hardier selections. They were beautiful but I don't see them for sale. I guess that isn't a good business model for the nurseries who depend on fall sales.
Yardenman, I was just considering that same type this morning but the plant was fully open already. I like the daisy types because they provide some pollen. Very pretty.

Years ago there was an item about Fall Sale plants.
What hit me was the information about newly planted plugs that never had a chance to develop roots, plants died of course.
The suggestion was, when making a choice in the sale items,shake the pot and try a gentle tug to see if the soil is new and it has no roots.

We have the opposite situation. We have a Dutch community with quite a few greenhouses and nursery businesses that all grow mums for fall. The mums are full, heavily budded and root bound by fall. What I do if I buy some is insert them into pots without holes so I can keep soaking them. Otherwise, they dry out fast and the buds die off. Very few people around here try to overwinter them. They just want to line their steps with fall color.

Loretta, That's what I do.I have no hope of keeping them in the garden.
I like your pot without holes idea.

I actually have a surprise survivor starting to bloom. I think it is one of those little daisy red ones with the green centers that they sell at the grocery stores. I'll get a picture tomorrow. If that is true, I will look for more. I got it at Trader Joe. The flowers aren't as big as the one you have, Yardenman

CrazedHoosier, what happened to your snapdragons? Did they survive? I have had that happen to snaps and no, they didn't survive. I thought in my case it was because of too much water and in some cases not enough. Sometimes they will act like a biennial and overwinter a year. Maybe you will be lucky. Looking at your original post date of August 18th, I have to now answer no about the mums, they wouldn't have lasted until frost in my opinion.

LorettaNJ said:I actually have a surprise survivor starting to bloom. I think it is one of those little daisy red ones with the green centers that they sell at the grocery stores. I'll get a picture tomorrow. If that is true, I will look for more. I got it at Trader Joe. The flowers aren't as big as the one you have, Yardenman

CrazedHoosier, what happened to your snapdragons? Did they survive? I have had that happen to snaps and no, they didn't survive. I thought in my case it was because of too much water and in some cases not enough. Sometimes they will act like a biennial and overwinter a year. Maybe you will be lucky. Looking at your original post date of August 18th, I have to now answer no about the mums, they wouldn't have lasted until frost in my opinion.

Late response to your late response! All the snapdragons survived, but none bloomed. I am just going to avoid them from now on. The mums actually are blooming right now, and we are hitting freezing over and over again each night! That said, they take forever to regenerate once they've flushed out in blooms that first time.

Well August to October is very good.
Maybe those snaps will come back next year and bloom. It's happened to me occasionally. Which is your 'usual' snap that blooms in part shade all summer?
Here is the supermarket mum that came back. I'm sure you've seen it before.

LorettaNJ said:Well August to October is very good.
Maybe those snaps will come back next year and bloom. It's happened to me occasionally. Which is your 'usual' snap that blooms in part shade all summer?
Here is the supermarket mum that came back. I'm sure you've seen it before.

The dwarf snaps have little to no chance of overwintering here. They're only hardy to zone 8. My other snaps that bloomed non-stop, are just your average nursery snaps. They're the type that get 36 inches tall. If my memory serves me right, they have "rocket" in their name...

Mostly they don't but sometimes you'll get a few. I'm zone 6 but a couple snaps will still overwinter. Some loose leaf cover helps.
As for Rocket, I grew a whole pack of seeds of that when I was a kid. They came back a second year full blooming row across the entire yard. I've never been able to repeat anything like that with snaps. That yard was clay, I have sand now. Don't know if that matters.

LorettaNJ said:Mostly they don't but sometimes you'll get a few. I'm zone 6 but a couple snaps will still overwinter. Some loose leaf cover helps.
As for Rocket, I grew a whole pack of seeds of that when I was a kid. They came back a second year full blooming row across the entire yard. I've never been able to repeat anything like that with snaps. That yard was clay, I have sand now. Don't know if that matters.

Hmm, my yard is clay as well. Maybe I should try the rocket variety again next spring just to see what they do!