Topic: confused re Antirrhinum

[Digeroo]

Bought a pack from Tesco, 20 for £3.  Thought they were hardy, not seem them described as half hardy and they that they are hardy to -8.  Actually thought that they are were a short lived perennial, and certainly self seed.

So can I plant them out now or not?  Bought some dahlias as well but I do not have enough plastic bottles for both.

[johhnyco15]

i can help you with your dahlias if your putting them in the ground just put some straw over the if they are already plants not tubers i wouldnt put them out untill mid may keep them in the greenhouse for a while hope this helps

[Digeroo]

Unfortunately my greenhouse is still in its box.

Many thanks for your reply.

I have plastic bottles lined up for the dahlias.  I think I can manage 20.  I have just tipped them off the early sowing of mangetout.    I pile up the soil round the bottles so basically the plants are below ground level.    Have managed to get courgettes through -4 that way.

I am not sure whether the antirrhinum need the same treatment. 

[ancellsfarmer]

Almost all plants sold as bedding at this time of year have been forced along from the factory and are soft, lush and doubtless treated with growth inhibitor to give them "shelflife" to suit those mass merchandising stores who dabble with such around now. In my view, if they are to stand any chance, they  need growing on in coolish,frost free,  bright light conditions and repotting into some decent compost. The late May bank holiday is a good target date to plant them out. In colder, wetter areas (than N E Hampshire), early June. There ought to be a law against the treatment many plants get; poor ,unsuspecting mites!

[sunloving]

Definitely only half hardy, I'm not planting mine out until after the frosts. In a mild winter adult plants might make it but not young green ones. Keep them covered if you can . X sunloving

[Digeroo]

Thank you for your replies.  I have managed to source enough plastic bottles.  It tends to be windy here too which deals a blow to tender leaves.  I am sure they plants are not hardened off enough.

We are a long way from the sea so we tend to get late frosts here and then it warms up a lot during the day, so the temperature range is large.  IT was -3 a few days ago and then ended up at about 16. 

Seems odd to spray with growth inhibitors.  Surely you want them to grow. 

Now all I need is another 20 bottles for the dahlias,  I was having a silly moment when I bought those.  Actually still in the car.  Got darkened windows, which means it is not so good as a greenhouse.

[ancellsfarmer]

Seems odd to spray with growth inhibitors.  Surely you want them to grow. 

No, if you are a mass merchandiser, all you want is for them to SELL!,
 and to keep them compact, not demanding of water and not responding to chill, poor light,and rough handling, they are "drugged" to keep quiet, so to speak. It takes upto 8 weeks for the plant to recover. The colour of the foliage is characteristically a dull mid green and reverts to the norm for each variety. That is what to look out for.

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[Deb P]

Sounds like plant factory farming put like that.......I hadn't really thought a bout the mechanics of it before now, poor things!

[Pescador]

And another conspiracy theory is started!!

[Digeroo]

The antirrhimums are still alive and perking up slowly look bonny enough at the moment.

The sweet peas which I also bought from Sainsburys are looking very bonny,  They were a particular bargain since there are between 3 and 5 plants in each module 20 modules for £3.   

[irridium]

My snapdragons are self-seeded and has been since I sown the planted out seedlings 10 years ago. I've never had one of mine die off in winter conditions. (They're on a sheltered windowsill).

[Deb P]

I'm growing night and day, but they really seem to be sulking and not growing much! I potted them up into individual pots, so the compost is fresh and other plants are doing ok, but I'm tempted to put them back in the greenhouse at this rate!

[Deb P]

Not sure what I'm doing wrong with my plants, but I've ended up putting them back in the greenhouse. They are all in individual pots and a the biggest is only a few inches high, single stems, I thought I'd be planting them out by now!

[Digeroo]

I planted mine out when I bought them.  And when I said Tesco I actually meant Sainsburys.  I put plastic bottles over for a while but they seem hardly enough.

They are now quite a show and absolutely covered with flowers.  Though seem to be a dwarf variety since they are quite small. 

[Digeroo]

[Deb P]

Oh great, clearly I've discovered another plant I can't seem to grow! I have found a space in the greenhouse for them just to see if I can get them anywhere near flowering...

[Digeroo]

Are you sure they are not too hot?

Mind have been outside for eight weeks now.  Come rain, sun and a few frosts.   They were only protects for a couple of weeks.   I was covering them when frost were due but one night was caught out and they did not mind at all.

And the first ones I planted are doing the best.

And if I could work out how I would have a nice pic of them.

[Deb P]

Mine were outside for about five weeks, and pretty much look the same as they went out. All my other plants  pricked out and potted on are fine, it's just the snapdragons.....sigh.

[Digeroo]

It is very frustrating.  There are a number of things I do not seem to be able to grow.

Put out some dahlias and have one puny little flower.  The rest have completely gone.

Biggest disappointment is that the snap dragons are all of eight inches tall.  Rather expected a couple of feet or more.  Though I have fed them.

[Deb P]

Ah, now dahlias I can grow! I've been growing them from seed for the last three years and am building up quite a collection now! This year I have grown Bishop's Children and pom pom types from seed, I keep them in pots until they flower and I see what colour they are, they either plant them up colour coordinated in large pots or out at the lottie.