I have harvested some of the Snapdragon seeds to try to regrow next year. But do I cut the plants down/pull them out for winter?
I have read about wintering the dahlia – do I cut it down to the roots?
Is it practical to plant bulbs in the fall and then put the snapdragons back in if anything grows from the seeds?
We just did this on a whim this year and I am normally terrible with plants but want nice flowers without a whole lot of work….
reefer_roulette
Snapdragons are an annual in your zone. Once frost hits the plants will die back and you can remove in fall or spring. They will not come back but you can grow from seeds you collected. You might get lucky and they could self seed, but I haven’t had that luck in Zone 5b.
Wintering Dahlia’s requires the root to be dug up and stored in a bag with something like wood shavings over winter in a cool dry area like a basement. Frost will cause the plant to die back and this is when you want to dig it up.
In the spring, replant the Dahlia just like you would any spring bulb.
You can definitely plant bulbs in the fall. There are a ton of fall bulbs and now is the time to order or buy so they’re here in time to plant in October. Not all bulbs need to be dug up each winter either, but Dahlia’s do in your zone.
Head-Archivist
I’ve worked at a garden centre the past few summers. When helping customers plan their garden, I always ask them these questions:
1. **Do you want a perennial or annual?** (Perennial comes back every year, annual is only here for the season)
2. **How much sun does the area get?** ( 6+ hours = full sun, < 4 = full shade). *Some plants can’t take too much direct sunlight.
3. **What is the soil like?** Some plants require certain soil conditions
4. **How long do you want the flowers to bloom?** Annuals typically bloom the entire season but perennials often have a shorter blooming time (e.g. month of June).
5. **How much work do you want to put into the garden?** Do you want to do a lot of deadheading (removing the dead flower head)?
6. **Is there a certain** ***look*** **you’re going for?** i.e. height, climbing, low to the ground, certain colours…etc.
Now to actually answer your question; in your photo I can see lots of sun loving annuals (snapdragons, mandevillas, dahlias). For low-maintenance, sun loving annuals I recommend: calibrachoa (aka ‘million bells’ or ‘super bells’), Persian shield, four O’clocks, coleus (some types), cleome, marigolds, portulaca. For sun loving perennials: lavender (doesn’t have an incredibly long lifespan), tulips, irises, hydrangeas (some types), salvia, sedums, hens & chicks, coneflower.
Not sure how much gardening experience you have, but I know when I started gardening, there was so much info I didn’t know where to start. Answering the questions above helped me navigate & learn more. I’m happy to help out & answer any questions you have! Good luck with your garden!
3 Comments
I have harvested some of the Snapdragon seeds to try to regrow next year. But do I cut the plants down/pull them out for winter?
I have read about wintering the dahlia – do I cut it down to the roots?
Is it practical to plant bulbs in the fall and then put the snapdragons back in if anything grows from the seeds?
We just did this on a whim this year and I am normally terrible with plants but want nice flowers without a whole lot of work….
Snapdragons are an annual in your zone. Once frost hits the plants will die back and you can remove in fall or spring. They will not come back but you can grow from seeds you collected. You might get lucky and they could self seed, but I haven’t had that luck in Zone 5b.
Wintering Dahlia’s requires the root to be dug up and stored in a bag with something like wood shavings over winter in a cool dry area like a basement. Frost will cause the plant to die back and this is when you want to dig it up.
In the spring, replant the Dahlia just like you would any spring bulb.
You can definitely plant bulbs in the fall. There are a ton of fall bulbs and now is the time to order or buy so they’re here in time to plant in October. Not all bulbs need to be dug up each winter either, but Dahlia’s do in your zone.
I’ve worked at a garden centre the past few summers. When helping customers plan their garden, I always ask them these questions:
1. **Do you want a perennial or annual?** (Perennial comes back every year, annual is only here for the season)
2. **How much sun does the area get?** ( 6+ hours = full sun, < 4 = full shade). *Some plants can’t take too much direct sunlight.
3. **What is the soil like?** Some plants require certain soil conditions
4. **How long do you want the flowers to bloom?** Annuals typically bloom the entire season but perennials often have a shorter blooming time (e.g. month of June).
5. **How much work do you want to put into the garden?** Do you want to do a lot of deadheading (removing the dead flower head)?
6. **Is there a certain** ***look*** **you’re going for?** i.e. height, climbing, low to the ground, certain colours…etc.
Now to actually answer your question; in your photo I can see lots of sun loving annuals (snapdragons, mandevillas, dahlias). For low-maintenance, sun loving annuals I recommend: calibrachoa (aka ‘million bells’ or ‘super bells’), Persian shield, four O’clocks, coleus (some types), cleome, marigolds, portulaca. For sun loving perennials: lavender (doesn’t have an incredibly long lifespan), tulips, irises, hydrangeas (some types), salvia, sedums, hens & chicks, coneflower.
Not sure how much gardening experience you have, but I know when I started gardening, there was so much info I didn’t know where to start. Answering the questions above helped me navigate & learn more. I’m happy to help out & answer any questions you have! Good luck with your garden!