Deadheading Snapdragons

Due to the way that Snapdragon flowers grow, I find with mine that as the flowers die I end up with a stem that has a lot of developing seed pods but above that a lot of new flowers and developing flower buds.

If I nip out the seed pods individually I end up with a bare stem with a lot of flowers at the top, or I could just cut back the whole shoot, so removing the seed pods but also losing new flower growth.

What is the best approach?

 

Snapdragons (Antirrhinum) are really 'one off ' flowerers. In the past when I've grown them I've not attempted to prune or remove the seed heads at the end of flowering, just pulled them up and started with new plants the following year.

This link may be of help to you, although I've never grown them in Autumn/Winter and didn't know that was possible.

How To Grow Antirrhinums | Gardening Guide | Gardening Direct

 

Thank you!

 

I've found that if you cut off the main spike as it finishes you get more , as with foxgloves.

They are what is classed as a perennial sub-shrub, which means with the right care over pruning etc you can have quite a large plant in around two years.

Biennial just means they don't flower until their second year. You can get biennial annuals ( Cornflowers etc sown in August/September ) or biennial perennials.

 

Mine here over winter & are definitely much better in their second year of flowering

 

I grow mine from seed and they've always flowered in their first year.

 

Thanks both of you.

 

You're welcome.