The Reality of the Rhythms
Snapdragons, Celosia, and Shifting My Focus
I started my first seeds of the season this past weekend. Because I’m starting a little later than planned, I’ve had to narrow my focus. Eucalyptus, Foxglove, and Verbena are going to have to wait until next year. They're all best started around 10-12 weeks before the last frost date. The Farmers' Almanac has my estimated last frost May 25, but I always go by my own estimate which is around Mother's Day. Even going by the Almanac I'm only 9 weeks out, and my personal target is even closer.
I'm disappointed I wasn't able to get them sown in time, especially Foxglove as it's always been one of my favorites. This was going to be my first time trying to grow Eucalyptus from seed. Since it needs quite a bit of time to get established with such a short growing season so I want to make sure when I grow it, I give it the head start it deserves.
However, not willing to go a season without that perfect muted green foliage and incredible scent (both fresh and dried), I made a quick order to Sunny Meadows for some of their Eucalyptus 'Baby Blue' plugs. I ordered these same plugs last year and I was very happy with them. They looked great upon arrival and grew beautifully.
This Weekend's Focus: Celosia and Snapdragons
Velvety textures and vibrant hues. This bucket of last year’s Celosia is why I’m trialing even more varieties this season.
Celosia:
I plan on filling one 20x3' bed with celosia. I grew quite a few varieties last year and I’m trying a bunch more this season. It makes such a great cut flower for fresh bouquets or for using in dried arrangements when the growing season is over. I also love the strong, straight stems – makes it very easy to work with.
Varieties I’m Growing: Cramer's Burgundy, Cramer's Rose, Celway Purple, Celway Red, Celway Terracotta, Shimmer, Ruby Parfait, Sunday Bright Pink, Crystal Beauty, Flamingo Feather, and Sunday Gold.
Last season’s Snapdragons. Sowing now to bring these colors back to the field.
Snapdragons:
I’m planning two 20x3' beds with Snapdragons. The seeds that were sown this weekend are for transplanting out early May. They’re all Group 2: Double Frappe Light Pink, Bridal Pink, Avignon Apricot, Avignon Pink, Costa Rose.
I’m going to sow the Group 3-4 varieties around April 13th for a summer flush. I had thought about doing a round of planting for a fall flush, but heard they don’t perform well. Maybe because in order for them to be blooming in the fall they would need to be transplanted out when it’s still warmer and longer days which isn’t ideal for the early groups.
Instead of pulling my first sowing of Snapdragons when they're done blooming, I'm going to try cutting them back hard, maybe a dash of kelp, and see if they come back with a nice flush when the weather cools again. I don't think the stems will be as long as the first ones, more like 12-18", but that's ok with me. I'm excited to experiment and see what happens.
Snapdragon Groups
I've been diving into the world of Snapdragon groups. While it can get a bit technical, here is my takeaway for how it works in the field.
There are groups 1-4 (I have heard of groups 5 and 0, but I haven't seen any seeds with these numbers), and a variety can also fall under two groups. For example: the Chantilly varieties are group 1-2, meaning they can handle a wider range of light and temperatures than a variety that is strictly group 1.
The lower group numbers (1, 1-2, 2) are better suited for cooler temperatures and shorter days (lower light). In my climate these make for good spring blooms.
The higher numbers (3, 3-4, 4) do best in warmer temps, and longer days (higher light) conditions. These would be the summer loving blooms.
It’s not that Snapdragons grown outside of the conditions for their group won’t bloom, but they won’t perform as well (e.g., weak stems) as those that are grown under the temperature and day length they were bred for.
I’ll be sharing more of the journey as these seedlings (and others!) take off. If you want to see how the Celosia and Snapdragons fare, be sure to check back.
Happy sowing!