Do I need to pinch the snapdragon and how is it right

Tell me if you need to pinch the snapdragon? I sowed seeds for seedlings very successfully, everyone sprouted. But there are some weird, thin bushes. I thought that they didn’t have enough light, put it under the lamp, but the situation remained almost unchanged. Maybe pinch the tops? I always do this with petunias seedlings, and the bushes are lush.

Long and colorful flowering of snapdragons attracts more and more flower growers. Most often it is planted in seedlings in order to see lush spike-shaped inflorescences as early as possible. One of the most common questions that arises when growing a plant is whether to pinch a snapdragon. The seeds have good enough germination, and the seedlings appear together in a pot. But small plants are fragile and often reluctant to "mature". What to do, if seedling grows in one stem and how to get lush bushes?

Snapdragon flower is called for the original structure of flowers. In the scientific literature, it is known as antirrinum.

Do I need to pinch the snapdragon

First of all, in relation to antirrinum seedlings, two types of pinching can be carried out:

1. Shortening the central root. This procedure can only be carried out on strong seedlings - weak plants may not survive it. Root pinching should be done while picking seedlings from a common container into separate pots. It is convenient to use a spoon by grabbing a bush with it and pressing the bottom of the spine. As a result, he will disappear. At the same time, it is impossible to remove more than 30% of its length.
2. Plucking the top of the bush in order to form side shoots.

Thus, pinching will help the snapdragon build a more developed root system. In addition, the bushes are more branchy and lush than without this procedure.

When and how to properly pinch antirrinum seedlings

With the shortening of the roots, everything is clear, now - as for the pinching of the tops of the shoots. After the appearance of 5 true leaves from each seedling, it is necessary to remove what grows higher. You can use scissors or just pinch off with your nails. As a result, the plants will begin to actively form side branches and bush. So they get a more beautiful, lush, shape, which means they will give more inflorescences.

Another interesting point: if the lateral branches develop rapidly and lengthen, they can also be pinched. But letting the seedlings grow on their own, it is quite possible to get a "one-legged" bush with a bare stem and a bunch of leaves on the crown.

What happens to the seedlings of snapdragons after pinching - video