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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To tell you all to plant these?

30 replies

BigOldBlue1 · 23/08/2023 15:09

I bought a small snapdragon, put it in a container and in just two months it exploded, its now 3 times the size it originally was with absolutely zero care.

The really great thing is the bees are in love with it! You cant see as most of them have gone inside the flowers, but there's usually about 5 or 6 at a time digging into it from dawn to dusk, its lovely to see.

I also read that wasps and honey bees can't get into the flowers: the only ones strong enough to open the jaws are bumblebees.

PLANT SNAPDRAGONS!

To tell you all to plant these?
OP posts:
Original poster
BigOldBlue1 · 23/08/2023 15:11

Sorry guys but I'm a bit obsessed with it. I really love it 😍

To tell you all to plant these?
OP posts:
Mojodojocasahaus · 23/08/2023 15:13

I love them, they were my grandma’s favourites and they are so reliable. YANBU

SeulementUneFois · 23/08/2023 15:14

Love them.
And yes have a few.

bobby81 · 23/08/2023 15:14

Thanks for this, I'm not a great gardener but would love to encourage more bees & insects so I'll give it a go :)

Original poster
BigOldBlue1 · 23/08/2023 15:18

I tried to take a cutting from it but it's not working. It has been like this for about a week now: not dead yet but the leaves all wilted and sad :-/

What will happen if I just leave this mother snapdragon over the winter and don't touch it? Will it come back next year?

To tell you all to plant these?
OP posts:
VeridicalVagabond · 23/08/2023 15:24

Oh I love snap dragons. We tend to stop dead heading them in early autumn and let the seed heads form, then they just reseed themselves for flowering the following year. They're very low maintenance, lovely plants. And bees do adore them.

CheerfulBunny · 23/08/2023 15:34

Sometimes they survive the winter - I believe they are a short lived perennial which are usually grown as an annual (I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong). I've had one in the border survive the winter and flourish the following summer.

RoyKentFanclub · 23/08/2023 15:38

You’re best to treat them like annuals and collect the seed

RoyKentFanclub · 23/08/2023 15:38

But your cutting is way too big and has too many leaves on it anyway

JanieEyre · 23/08/2023 15:39

I'm up for that. I'm hopeless with plants but it sounds like it'll survive my lack of ministrations, and I'm all in favour of things that bees like.

KeziaOAP · 23/08/2023 15:39

Cut mine back after flowering after saving the seed, usually have a second flush of flowers.

Original poster
BigOldBlue1 · 23/08/2023 15:40

@RoyKentFanclub
Really? I'll try again. Should it only have 3 or 4 leaves then?

OP posts:
Original poster
BigOldBlue1 · 23/08/2023 15:41

@KeziaOAP
How do you save the seed? You mean you keep the cut off flowers and wait for them to dry out? And how far should you cut them down?

OP posts:
CheeseCakeSunflowers · 23/08/2023 15:44

As a child I use to love pressing on the side of the flower with my fingers and making the dragon snap his mouth open and shut.

Nannyfannybanny · 23/08/2023 15:45

Unlikely to get a cutting to strike. There are few perennial Snapdragon s not many. We have a shingle area next to our drive,they seed themselves every year. It's full of them now. I have no idea how to post a picture. They inbreed,and come up some fabulous colours. You can save the seed.this shingle area,is an extra car parking space. Proper sub base,no soil,no idea how they grow and survive there.

Original poster
BigOldBlue1 · 23/08/2023 15:48

@VeridicalVagabond
So you just let the flowers dry and fall off onto the soil, and they just seed themselves that way? That sounds great!

OP posts:
KeziaOAP · 23/08/2023 15:51

Should be able to see seed in pods on flower spike, they are quite tiny shake the stalks into envelope to save seed. Sow into trays or pots of soil. Have some old woody plants cut back to 6 inches which are now sprouting again.

Growlybear83 · 23/08/2023 15:53

I agree OP. Ive always loved snapdragons and I've had loads this year in all different sizes and colours. They've done really well during hot and dry periods and they're so bright and cheerful.

KeziaOAP · 23/08/2023 15:54

@Nannyfannybanny gravel drive edge is where they do well for me over 30 years seeding profically.

Growlybear83 · 23/08/2023 15:54

I cut mine right back in the autumn and quite a high proportion of them come back the next year if the winter isn't too harsh.

Fairyliz · 23/08/2023 15:54

CheerfulBunny · 23/08/2023 15:34

Sometimes they survive the winter - I believe they are a short lived perennial which are usually grown as an annual (I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong). I've had one in the border survive the winter and flourish the following summer.

Yes this is right. I have had them survive mild winters.

Stratocumulus · 23/08/2023 16:30

The RHS website is a very helpful place to look for amazing gardening advice. You’ve spurred me to plant some in my patch now.

FrenchBoule · 23/08/2023 16:44

I have heaps of them in all colours. Yellow,dark red and magenta are particularly striking.
Flower of my childhood,we used to squueze tyem on the sides to open and „talk”.
Love watching the bees disappear inside the flower and whole thing shaking as they do their job.

They are very hardy and will survive anywhere. Just like nasturtium the poorer the soil the better they are. They grow even in a gravel. They self seed everywhere so I have some growing in the gaps between paving slabs.

Love them.

Tiddlywinks63 · 23/08/2023 16:50

BigOldBlue1 · 23/08/2023 15:48

@VeridicalVagabond
So you just let the flowers dry and fall off onto the soil, and they just seed themselves that way? That sounds great!

Yep! I have probably 30-40 of various colours from white to dark red, apricot, lemon yellow and pink. They pop up everywhere, including in cracks in the patio.
i scatter the seed heads literally anywhere in the garden, full sun and shade.
They’re often scented too! My favourite flower.