How to Prune Snapdragons

Blooming throughout the spring and summer, the snapdragon is a low-maintenance plant with large, colorful, narrow flowers and a slight fragrance. A native to the Mediterranean, a snapdragon can grow up to 3 feet tall. The snapdragon loves the sun and thrives in well-fertilized soil. It is deer-resistant and easy to start from seed, although it is self-sowing. Pruning your snapdragon will promote more growth and strengthen the plant overall.

Things You'll Need

• Pruning shears Peat or compost

Instructions

1. Cut the spent bloom of the snapdragon down to the green growth. This will encourage growth of more flower stems through the blooming season.

2. Cut your snapdragon back in the summer with pruning shears after it has stopped blooming and water deeply. This will produce blooms in the fall.

3. Add organic material, such as peat and compost, to your soil when you cut back your snapdragons. This will improve the fertility of the soil the following year.

Tips & Warnings

• When cutting back, you can leave some flower stalks standing so they can self-sow for the following year.