Farmette in Bloom

Snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus) start as one of the tiniest seeds, being sown indoors very early in the season. When I tried to grow snapdragons from seed my first season, I had no idea how successful germination would be or not. After starting, growing, and harvesting, I found them entirely easy to start and grow. They are my absolute favorite for spike flowers in arrangements. Their scent is amazing, as well as the array of colors and shapes they come in.

Growing Snapdragons in 7 Easy Steps

1. Select Seed Varieties
2. Calculate Seed Starting Date
3. Sow Seeds Indoors
4. Thin Seedlings
5. Transplant in the Garden
6. Pinching the Stem
7. Harvest the Flower

Why Grow Your Own?

Snapdragons sold at most garden centers and greenhouses are for landscape production, meaning most likely the snapdragons were reproduced through cuttings, not seeds, and they are intended to grow to a shorter height for bedding plants.

Starting to grow snapdragons from seed allow you, the gardener, to decide the varieties specifically for their height for cut flowers. I like using Johnny’s Potomac and Madame Butterfly snapdragon mixes for my garden. These two varieties work greatly with succession planting. So, I plan to have two successions of snapdragons to be planted. The first will be in April before my last average frost, while the second succession will be after my last average frost in May.  You can do more successions; but, I like to keep my backyard garden sweet and simple.  

For bouquets, I love using snaps. They bring out a classy style that works to make sunflowers and zinnias to turn from wildflowers into an elegant display of beauty.

Selecting Seeds and Varieties

Group 1, 2, 3, and 4 Snapdragons

Snapdragons are unique where they are daylight and temperature sensitive.

Let’s begin with the group easiest for beginner gardeners.

If you are a beginner gardener and focus on the summertime garden space, group 4 snapdragons will work the best. These snapdragons prefer long hours of light and high heat.

For spring and fall production, group 2 and 3 snapdragons work best with medium hours of light and medium heat.

This leaves us with group 1 snapdragons that prefer winter-like conditions, between late fall and early spring, of low hours of light and lower temperatures.

Antibes Apricot Variety

After a growing season with numerous mixes and some with specific colors and hues, my best recommendation for someone who loves sunset hues of peaches, pinks, and light golds is Antibes Apricot. I have never swoon over a flower so much as this specific variety of snapdragon. The amazing thing is how much this produces and how many stems are available. Antibes apricot snapdragons have the traditional dragon shape with stems ranging from 28- to 36-inches, and are perfect for the cooler seasons.

Chantilly Variety

The hues in this variety are absolutely amazing. Salmon, pinks, creams, and whites. I love any flower with the peachy tones, and Chantilly Light Salmon from Johnny’s Select Seeds fits into this color scheme perfectly. The florets on the stems differ from other classical varieties. Instead of having the dragon-like floret, Chantilly snapdragons are more trumpeted, like a rhododendron petal. The stems range from 28- to 36-inches and are part of groups 1 and 2 of snapdragons. They like the cooler weather in late-winter and early-spring.

Costa Variety

I always found these ones to tend to look identical to the classic snapdragons; nonetheless, they come in such an array of colors slightly different than other mixes. The velvet of the Costa variety differs from the shade of velvet in Johnny’s Potomac series. Varieties may be purchased individually, or they may be bought in the Costa II Mix. The stems range from 28- to 36-inches in height, which really depends on the growing medium and the growing season. They are a group 2 snapdragon, so they tend to prefer the cooler temperature in spring and fall.

Madame Butterfly Variety

An azalea-type blossom makes these stems stunning. Madame Butterfly has double petals that come in a variety of colors. My favorite hues are pale yellow, white, and pink. Varieties may be purchased individually, or they may be bought in the Madame Butterfly Mix. The stems range from 28- to 36 inches. They are group 3 and 4 snapdragons, so warmer weather matches their temperament.

I love the style of this flower and how they work in bouquets, but one must harvest them at the appropriate time before the bees pollinate them. Once this is done, the florets tend to fall off easily.

Johnny’s Potomac Variety

This is my favorite variety of snapdragon seeds. It is hybrid variety, but it produces the most beautiful shades of yellow and apple blossom pink than other varieties. One can purchase these in multiple different mixes, including Johnny’s Potomac Custom Mix, Johnny’s Early Sunrise Mix, and/or Johnny’s Potomac Summer Berry Blend. Or one can buy individual varieties. The stems range a little bit taller than other varieties, coming in at 32- to 38-inches in height, and are a group 3-4 snapdragon stem, loving the warmer temperature and the longer daylight hours.

Heirloom Variety

Oh, how I love heirloom seeds. When heirloom plants, in general, love where they are growing, they tend to flourish and drop such healthy seeds that volunteer for the next season. Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds offers a mix called “Tall Deluxe”. These flowers produce stems 30- to 36-inches tall. They have other neat varieties as well, such as Apple blossom, Black Prince, and Bronze Dragon. Other seed companies offer similar varieties, as well.

Calculate Seed Starting Date

When to Start Snapdragon Seeds Indoors?

Snapdragon seed starting date depends on when you want to plant them and when you want them in bloom. I keep my garden rather simple in having a mid-spring planting date for cool-hardy annuals, which is April 15, as well as a late-spring planting date for warm-season annuals, which is May 15. These dates may differ, all depending on where you are located.

To grow snapdragons from seed takes between 8 to 10 weeks to get a head start indoors. To have transplants ready by mid-April, I subtract 10 weeks from that date, which is February 4. I break my seed-starting up into two-week sessions, so for me, as long as I start them between February 1 and 15, I’m good to go.

To have transplants ready by mid-May, which is more for group 4 snapdragons, I will start those seeds 10 weeks beforehand, which is March 6. Anywhere between March 1 and March 15 works for me.

Can Snapdragons Overwinter for Early Blooms?

If you want the earliest snapdragons, these beauties can survive the winter months.

Plan to plant the transplants in late-August or mid-September when the soil is still warm. The rule of thumb is to figure out your average first fall frost date. As an example, mine is the first week of October. The fall planted snapdragons need to be transplanted into the soil 6 to 8 weeks before this tentative date to allow time for the plant to root into the soil. Think end of August or mid-September for my fall transplanting date.

For the transplants to be ready to go, they need to be started 8 to 10 weeks before this date. If my average first fall frost is October 3, then my transplanting date would be August 22 (six weeks ahead), leaving me to start my fall snapdragon seeds June 13 (ten weeks ahead).

Will Snapdragons Survive Winter Without Protection?

Plants are vivacious; they’re full of a desire wanting to live. My extra snapdragons from the 2025 season, I planted out front in my landscape flower bed. That summer, it was the worst drought we had yet at our homestead. The snapdragon plants stayed dormant and didn’t flower that much.

Surviving winter, they are green and looking good where the snow has subsided, while no other plant has sprouted out in new life with the onset of spring. And that’s saying something for having a harsh winter lasting fully from December through February with negative degree days and drifts over three feet in parts of the yard. I’m not quite sure they would have survived in the garden, but they seem to be doing good, up by the house.

If you would like to grow snapdragons over the winter months, use small hoops with a frost cloth, or keep them in a high tunnel. Trial with a few to see if you like the process or you would rather keep to just the spring and summer planning successions. Either way, pick something that works for you and your garden.

Sowing Snapdragon Seeds Indoors

Snapdragon seeds are tiny! One of the smallest seeds I have grown, similar to that of petunias and poppies. I’d love to start these in channel trays sometime, but until then I use my standard 72-cell tray. Using a toothpick dipped in saliva makes it easier to have one or two seeds per cell. Although this is good advice, I like to sprinkle the seeds across all the cells, in the hope that a seed ends up in each cell. Afterwards, I usually thin seedlings and replant them in different cells, if need be.

To start, pre-moisten soil media. I use the all-purpose blend from Lambert, but any seed starting mix will work. If you would like, you could add organic pelletized fertilizer to mix in with the soil medium. I like Espoma brand for this, using either Biotone or GardenTone.

Place the soil medium into the plug cells. Soil media should not be compacted, but it should fill each cell to the top.

Open a packet of snapdragon seeds. Dump these seeds into your non-dominate hand. Use your dominant hand to pinch and pick up a few seeds at a time. Sprinkle seeds in different cells by running your fingers together for the seeds to drop.

Do not cover seeds. Snapdragon seeds need light to germinate. Place the seed tray underneath a grow light. Heat mats are optional. They will germinate without one, being cool-hardy flowers; overall, they prefer cooler temperatures. I do use humidity domes until everything is at the true leaf stage; nevertheless, this is due to my basement staying drier than other environments due to the dehumidifier.

Seeds will typically germinate after 7-14 days at 70-75°F, according to Johnny’s Select Seeds.

Thin Seedlings

With sprinkling seeds across the surface, some cells end up with just one seed, while other cells, well, end up with six or seven. Whoops! That’s way too many per cell. But it happens. The end goal is to have just one snapdragon per cell to effectively grow snapdragons from seed.

Some cells have no snapdragons, so, some seedlings will need to be pulled and transplanted there.

I wait to thin seedlings until they have reached their true leaf stage. Seedlings should have miniature leaves that resemble the leaves of a fully grown adult snapdragon.

Transplant in the Garden

Excitement starts to come at full speed ahead during this season of growing snapdragons from seed! For my growing season, April 15, approximately, is my time to plant my cool-hardy annuals. Snapdragons, this is their time! Greener grass. Daffodils and some tulips in bloom. Longer sunlight hours, especially in the evenings. What glorious spring days!!!

Tips on Planting Snapdragons

• Make sure to grab the transplant with all its roots
• Root system should be sturdy and be able to keep all the potting mix
• Transplants should be large enough with a few sets of leaves
• Plant in well-draining soil for springtime
• Space 6-9 inches apart
• Snapdragons can survive cooler temperatures and light frosts

Pinching the Stem

I always felt that this step breaks a beginner gardener’s heart. To take a pair of snips and cut the top of our growing plants.

But, why? Why take the top of a healthy plant?

When we do this, it encourages the plant to begin branching. So, any plant that will produce more blooms will benefit from this step, including our snapdragons. It’s all apart of how to grow snapdragons from seed.

For a few weeks, snapdragons will acclimate to their new outdoors environments and begin to grow vigorously. Once, snapdragons are about six-inches tall, cut the top of the plant, right above a node and a set of leaves. You should leave about three to four sets of leaves on the plant.

Harvesting Snapdragons

Snapdragons are a stem that need to be harvested at the right time. Other flowers can be a little early or a little late, but with snapdragons, if they’re harvested a little late, the florets will begin to fall off of them. Yikes, yes, it happens.

It is best to harvest snaps with one to two florets on the stem has opened. Another way to think about this is when a third to a half of the florets on the spike are open. The top florets will be closed, but if you wait any longer the bees will start pollinating them and the flowers won’t be in their prime for harvesting.

Supplies for Cutting Flowers

• Flower Snips
• Flower Bucket, filled with clean water
• Rubber Bands

When to Harvest Snapdragons

Harvest in cooler temperatures. Some flower gardeners harvest first thing in the morning. I like to harvest in the evenings when it feels like everything is slowing down on the homestead, but early enough the nighttime mosquitos are not biting me!

How to Harvest Stems

Cut the stem above a node and/or a set of leaves near the bottom of the stem. Once you have a handful, place the stems in a bucket of clean water. If you would like, keep them together with a rubber band around the stems. Take the flowers indoors to rest before arranging them in bouquets.

Where you cut, more stems should branch out of them for a late summer harvest, if you would like to keep them in the ground. I always like doing this because it is so fun to have the snapdragons blooming in October for the last hoorah of flowers before winter comes.

Create Beauty

Snapdragons are one of my most favorite spike flowers. All the florets in all the varieties are beautiful, and I can’t choose which one is my favorite, so I tend to grow all the varieties. But even with the classic snapdragon look, all the colors to choose to grow, it’s impossible to pick just one for my favorite. Maybe any white variety because it will go with any bouquet.

In bouquets, they add a classiness that other stems flowers just don’t have. With growing them farm fresh, they tend to have a faint scent compared to the imported, florist ones, who are lacking the smell.

Happy growing! 😊