Dreaming of FLOWERS and the coming growing season: Appleblossom Snapdragons

I just started to grow Snapdragons about 3 years ago and oh my, I LOVE them so much.  Here on our farm I will only grow Appleblossom Snapdragons. Why? Because snapdragons cross pollinate freely and I love the Appleblossom color so much that I don't want any accidents. So I save the seeds and I start them from seed each year and/or I lift them from the many seedlings that were self sown in our high tunnel--as is the case with the Appleblossom Snapdragon pictured here. It's sitting so pretty tucked in among the Tuscan Kale last spring. The picture below shows Appleblossom Snapdragons inter-planted with red zinnia outside in our front garden area.

I'm super excited because this is the first year that we will be selling Apple Blossom Snapdragons as nursery plant starts. Snapdragons make a wonderful cut flower and have a great vase life of approximately 7 - 10 days.  They can get really tall -- from 12 inches to 60 inches depending how you maintain the plant; stems can be as long as the full height of the plants. Stems vary in length at 12-36".

Space plant starts approximately 4-12" apart in rich/amended, well-drained, moist soil. pH: Neutral soil is preferred. Harvest stems when florets on lower 1/3- 1/2 of the spike are open.