Sunflowers are possible the flower that represents summer the best. Aside from the traditional sunflower – they come in a variety of colors, textures, & heights. They make a great cut flower, a dramatic addition to the garden, & are a source of a tasty snack! Sunflowers are annual plants (meaning they are not hardy in our area) that are best grown from seed.
Plant seeds after the danger of frost has passed by placing them about 1″ into the soil and 12″ apart.
- Light: 6-8 hours of direct sunlight
- Soil: Sunflowers have deep tap roots and are heavy feeders so provide them with in rich, well-drained, loose soil.
- Water: Water the soil 3-4″ around the roots when they are younger but once established it is better to water deeper and more infrequently to encourage strong tap roots.
Short, compact varieties can be grown in containers as long as they are deep enough for the tap root. Ultra tall varieties 8+ feet should be planted along a fence or sheltered area to protect high gusts from tipping them over.
Helpful tips:
- Plant sunflowers seed in succession meaning a new crop every 2-3 weeks. This will give you blooms over different periods of times.
- If plants get downy mildew then spray with a garden fungicide.
We have different varieties of Sunflower seeds to choose from!