Antirrhinum/Snapdragon Seeds - need some advice please

I've never grown Antirrhinum/Snapdragons from seed before so thought I'd have a go this year.

As an an experiment (just to see how it grew and if the slugs went for it - mostly they didn't - or rather they avoided the leaves and just nibbled on some of the flowers from time to time) I bought a cheap plant from my local supermarket last August and it's still alive and also flowering occasionally. I wish I could remember the variety. The flowers are white

Bearing in mind my relatively cool, wet and sometimes windy part of the UK (south west Wales) which varieties should do the best?

The soil is a bit clay-like but I've added a fair bit of compost to "moderate" it somewhat.

Naturally I'll start any seeds off indoors.

Thanks

 

I grew various types that thrived while I was living on the Isle of Man MadHedger and the weather there is difficult to say the least. I was growing on sandy soil also so can't help you regarding clay. Give them a go, they are pretty hardy!

Start your seeds off early, even indoors as the young plants take a while to mature.

 

I started "circus clowns" indoors last year and they done great, neighbour bought plants (2015) and they self-seeded freely in her garden, we saved the seed from the new plants and scattered some about in pots outside, these have grown into small plants and will probably flower as soon as it warms up. I think they're pretty hardy tbh I've had snow (last week) and a few heavy frosts and they're in a windy part on my patio, they seem to do just fine.. infact I remember I had some about 3 years ago and they self seeded into a crack in the wall of the house and grew in full -shade. My nan used to grow them from seed too

 

Thanks to both of you for your helpful replies.

When would be a good time to start them off indoors?

 

I think I started them off the end of March

 

Thanks, I had thought of February but that was just a guess as I haven't yet researched how fast they grow, etc.

 

I started mine late February in an electric propagator.

 

Ooh I might try my new (old) propagator out with them!

 

If you've not used a propagator before Linz remember to take seedlings (of any kind) out as soon as they appear as they'll grow leggy. Any seedlings that haven't appeared will already have germinated and will sprout when they're ready.

 

Cheers @Sheal appreciated! Been watching a few youtube videos on them. It hasn't got a thermostat on it and I haven't got a min/max one to find out what temps it does.. so it will be trial and error this year or I'll have to get a thermometer

 

Mine hadn't got a thermostat either but the temperature is set by the manufacturer at an average temperature for all seedlings. I started all types of seeds off in mine, the only difference being that some germinated quicker than others. The info on seed packets is usually a good guide line if you compare the different types of plant. Remember though that they will germinate much quicker in a propagator. If you're worried about temperature put a thermometer in the propagator for a while.

Excuse me talking in the past tense here. When I moved last September I left most of my things behind because it wouldn't have paid me to store my belongings here while I'm in a rented fully furnished cottage. Plus I'm also lacking a garden here (which I'm really missing ) until I buy my own place.

 

Aw thank you @Sheal I'll try and keep the plants grouped at the same/similar temps so it doesn't throw me and I am tempted to use it right now just to see how things go tbh but I'll try and wait for main sowings, it's just way too early here.. even though we had a good April last year we had really low temps the first week of may so don't want to push my luck! Sorry you couldn't take your belongings. Have you found anything permanent yet or still on the look out? Can you garden in the place your staying at the moment?

 

I'll just bung mine on the windowsills and hope for the best.

Out of interest, are Snapdragon seeds relatively easy to germinate? I know that Polyanthus are a real swine for example, yet Sweet Peas, Cornflower and Cosmos are very easy (just going by my experiences last year).

 

They were pretty easy but I had a prob with cats jumping on the windowsill and they wiped most of them out. Had better success growing them outdoors lol

 

So they're not cat proof then?