Snapdragons are ideal for growing in containers and develop into strong young plants within a few weeks. After sowing, it is important to prick out the plants so that they do not hinder each other's growth.
When and how should you prick snapdragons?
Snapdragons should be pricked out as soon as the second or third pair of leaves appear and the plants are about two inches tall, usually one to three weeks after sowing. When pricking out, the seedlings are carefully placed in individual pots to allow unhindered growth.
When is the snapdragon pricked?
The cotyledons of the snapdragon appear just one to three weeks after sowing. As soon as the second or third pair of leaves form, at this point the plants are about five centimeters tall, they are separated. Each seedling now gets its own pot in which it can continue to grow undisturbed.
How to isolate?
When pricking, proceed as follows:
- Fill the pot with substrate, press it down a little and drill a small hole in the soil with a pricking rod (€3.00 on Amazon).
- Carefully lift the seedlings out of the growing container with the stick. Make sure that the delicate roots of the snapdragon are not damaged.
- Place each snapdragon individually in a container.
- Pour a little soil over the roots and water carefully.
- A hood to create an artificial greenhouse climate is no longer necessary.
Water moderately but regularly
The delicate roots of snapdragons are extremely sensitive to waterlogging, but it is still necessary to ensure sufficient moisture. Water whenever the soil feels dry but without completely soaking the substrate.
Moving to the open air
The closer the planting date gets, the more often and for longer you should put the snapdragons out in the fresh air. This means they get used to the changed location conditions and continue to grow well when placed in the bed.
Initially you should not expose the small snapdragons to direct sun. An abrupt change from a sheltered house to sunshine can cause sunburn on the leaves, which will cause them to wilt and fall off. This greatly delays the desired flower formation.
Tip
After the stress of pricking, the small snapdragons are often a little “pricked”. However, they recover quickly and then happily continue to sprout.
