🌺 When to Plant Snapdragons

🌸 Flower
Cool Season

Start early indoors; tolerate light frost. Great cut flower

📅 Planting Calendar by USDA Zone

Select your zone to highlight your exact planting dates. Dates are calculated from each zone's average frost dates.

Find my zone
Zone Last Frost Start Indoors Transplant Direct Sow
Zone 2A May 30 Mar 21 May 2 May 16
Zone 3B May 15 Mar 6 Apr 17 May 1
Zone 4A May 8 Feb 27 Apr 10 Apr 24
Zone 4B May 1 Feb 20 Apr 3 Apr 17
Zone 5A Apr 25 Feb 14 Mar 28 Apr 11
Zone 5B Apr 18 Feb 7 Mar 21 Apr 4
Zone 6A Apr 21 Feb 10 Mar 24 Apr 7
Zone 6B Apr 10 Jan 30 Mar 13 Mar 27
Zone 7A Apr 5 Jan 25 Mar 8 Mar 22
Zone 7B Mar 28 Jan 17 Feb 28 Mar 14
Zone 8A Mar 20 Jan 9 Feb 20 Mar 6
Zone 8B Mar 12 Jan 1 Feb 12 Feb 26
Zone 9A Feb 28 Dec 20 Jan 31 Feb 14
Zone 9B Feb 15 Dec 7 Jan 18 Feb 1
Zone 10A Feb 1 Nov 23 Jan 4 Jan 18
Zone 10B Jan 15 Nov 6 Dec 18 Jan 1
Zone 11A Jan 1 Oct 23 Dec 4 Dec 18

Snapdragons are cool-season workhorses that bloom prolifically in spring and fall.

Top Growing Tips

  • Start indoors 8-10 weeks before last frost for earliest blooms
  • Pinch growing tips when 3-4 inches tall to encourage branching
  • Come in every color except blue — great for cutting gardens
  • Often survive mild winters and return as short-lived perennials in zones 7+
  • Deadhead regularly for continuous blooming

Companion Planting

Good companions: other cool-season flowers and vegetables

Avoid planting near: none in particular

Harvest Timeline

Flowering in 70-80 days from seed; excellent cut flowers