How To Grow Sunflowers In Your Garden Successfully
Sunflowers can brighten up any garden. They are cheerful, beautiful and can bring a smile to anyone’s face. And contrary to popular belief, they come in a lot more colors than just bright yellow. There are also orange, red, green, and even white varieties of this wonderful flower. Sunflowers are annuals that can grow from two to ten feet tall, which makes them one tall flower. They have either single or double petals and produce yummy seeds you can bake and eat as a snack. This flower also has a long blooming season, so you will be able to enjoy its beauty all summer. Sunflowers are also very heat-tolerant making them a great choice if you live in a warmer climate. So, if this plant sounds like something you would like to have in your garden, read on. We will tell you all about how to grow sunflowers successfully.
Sunflowers can brighten up any garden
In this article
How To Grow Sunflowers
Sunflowers are one of our favorite summer flowers. They are simply breathtaking. And they are also great a cut flower choice for arrangements. This means you can make beautiful bouquets with them and bring their beauty inside. Pollinators, like bees, also love sunflowers, so by adding them to your garden you will be making it more pollinator-friendly. Not only is this plant heat-tolerant it is also resistant to a variety of pests. Amazing! There truly is no downside to adding this flower to your garden. It’s beauty and benefits are worth all the love and work put into growing it. So, let’s see how you can grow your very own sunflowers.
Sunflowers are one of our favorite summer flowers
#Types of sunflowers
There are a lot of different varieties when it comes to sunflowers. Which ones is the best for you depends on what you are looking for. Choose by color, by how high they grow, how long they take to mature and so on. Scout your local gardening stores for seeds and make sure to read the descriptions and instructions correctly to get all the information you need. Pay special attention to how long it will take for the sunflower to bloom, as some can take only fifty days while other one hundred and twenty.
There are a lot of different varieties when it comes to sunflowers
#When to plant
In general sunflowers should be planted in late spring. You can sow them from the end of March to May, depending on what the weather where you live is. They need to be planted before the soil reaches around seventy degrees. At that point the seeds will begin to germinate, that’s why it is important to have them in the ground before then. If you want a longer harvest time, gardeners recommend planting new seeds every few weeks up until mid-summer.
You can sow the seeds from the end of March to May
#Growing conditions
In order for your sunflowers to thrive, they need to have certain needs met. These plants love getting from six to eight hours of sun every day, so you must place them in a sunny spot. Once sunflowers are established they are pretty drought resistant. However, it’s very much recommended to water them every few days and not let them dry out. You can also fertilize your flowers with compost or an all-purpose garden fertilizer for an extra nutrient boost. It’s also important that you keep the garden beds free of any weeds and other plants which may compete with them for nutrients. If you have a taller variety, you may also need to support them with a garden cane.
These plants love getting from six to eight hours of sun every day
#How to plant
There are two ways you can go about planting your sunflowers. You can either sow them directly into the ground or into individual pots for transplantation later on. Each method has its own benefits and drawbacks. Sowing straight into the ground is less work and lets the plants establish their roots directly into the area. However, the outside conditions may not be favorable. Starting sunflowers in pots lets you control the environment but is a bit more work and effort. You can choose according to your circumstances.
There are two ways you can go about planting your sunflowers
#Sowing into the ground
If you decide to sow the seeds directly into the ground, make sure you do it after all the potential dangerous of frost have passed. Then depending on your flower variety, you will need to take a different approach. If you chose sunflowers that stay shorter than five feet – plant the seeds six to twelve inches apart. If you chose the taller varieties – eighteen to twenty-four inches apart. The seeds need to be planted an inch or two deep into the soil. Water them regularly until they sprout.
The seeds need to be planted an inch or two deep
#Starting in a pot
If you decide to start the seeds in pots, you need to sow each individual seed in its own pot. The containers need to be around three inches deep and filled with soil and compost. Plant the seed around half an inch deep into the soil and water it well. Then cover the pots with plastic bags or put them in the greenhouse in a cool, yet bright spot. Once your seeds have germinated, make sure to keep them well-watered until you put them in the ground. Once the risk of frost has passed and the weather conditions are stable (around early June), you can transplant them into the garden.
The containers need to be around three inches deep and filled with soil and compost
#Pest problems
Not only we humans are attracted to sunflowers. A lot of pesky animals including deer, snails, beetles, and chipmunks like to feast on your beautiful sunflowers. That’s why it is vital to be on the watch for any pests that may be coming for your flowers. If you have a lot of digging rodents in your area, you can easily outsmart them by starting your sunflowers in pots and then transplanting them, as they like to dig up seeds and not whole plants. You can keep deer out by planting deer-repelling plants or using other repellents. Then for beetles and aphids you will need to check up on your plant regularly and act as necessary if you find anything.
Deer, snails, beetles, and chipmunks like to feast on your beautiful sunflowers
#Harvest
After enjoying the beauty of your sunflowers all summer long, it comes time for harvest. When you notice your sunflower heads have nodded downward and the petals have fallen off, it’s time to cut off the sunflower and leave around a foot of stem. The next step is to find a dry place in your home with low humidity where you can hang the heads upside down to dry. This process may take a couple of weeks. Once the sunflower has dried thoroughly, you can start rubbing your hand over the seeds and they should start falling out. Collect the seeds. You can bake with salt for your own enjoyment or add some to your bird feeder.
Start rubbing your hand over the seeds and they should start falling out
This was everything you need to know when it comes to how to grow sunflowers successfully. We hope you found this article useful. Now you can start growing these beauties and enjoy their striking yellow colors and delicious seeds.
This was everything you need to know when it comes to how to grow sunflowers successfully
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