Grown as short-lived perennials or flowering annuals, snapdragons require little pruning. The most frequent pruning maintenance needed for snapdragons is deadheading, or trimming back spent flower stalks. When flowers are spent and the heat of summer has arrived, snapdragons can be cut back more aggressively to allow the plant to rest and rejuvenate for fall growth.
When to Prune Snapdragons
The best time to deadhead snapdragons for maintenance pruning is when the flower stalks are spent in spring and early summer. If snapdragon flowers are not deadheaded after the blooms are spent, the plant will go to seed or complete its lifecycle and will not continue to produce flowers. Deadheading promotes longer blooming periods. Pruning the plant back to just a few inches above the ground can be done later into summer after your snapdragons have been blooming continuously.
Another time to prune or better yet, pinch your snapdragons, is when they are small seedlings. Pinching back your seedling's tips will promote a bushier habit when the plant matures, with more flower stalks versus just one central leader.
Why Prune Snapdragons
Pruning is a low-key maintenance task that will both tidy the look of your plants and improve their health. Deadheading is a regular garden task that eliminates spent blooms while promoting new growth and new blooms. Deadheading will prolong the flowering period of your snapdragons.
When the summer heat sets in and your snapdragons are no longer putting on new growth, cut back your snapdragons by about one-third, which will make room for summer flowers. This hard pruning also allows your snapdragons time to rejuvenate and prepare for a possible rebloom in late summer to early fall.
How to Prune Snapdragons
Step 1 – Pinch snapdragon stem tips back about an inch or so, just above the next set of true leaves to promote bushier plants
Step 2 – Deadhead spent flowers with clean pruners by cutting the flower stalk down to a point of new growth or buds
Step 3 – Continue deadheading regularly
Step 4 – Cut back snapdragons by about one third when all flowers are spent
Step 5 – Keep watering trimmed plant to encourage fall growth and flowers
Snapdragon Pruning Tips
- Deadhead spent flowers regularly
- Pinch seedlings to encourage bushy habit
- Cut back growth by about one-third in mid-summer to encourage fall growth
 | Author Katie Endicott - Published 7-05-2022 |
