How to Grow Sunflowers

If you’re getting ready to plant sunflowers, you’ll need the following:

• Watering can
• Wood mulch
• Flower seeds
• Flower fertilizer
• Gardening gloves
• Fungicide
• Garden tools
• Garden stakes
• Netting

If you are choosing sunflower seeds or plants that grow on tall stalks, sunflower varieties like “Mammoth,” “Autumn Beauty” and “Teddy Bear” are great options.

Sunflowers thrive in warm weather and on sunny days. In late spring or early summer, choose a location with direct sunlight and good drainage. The ideal spot will get between six and eight hours of sun each day.

Be sure to choose a planting area for your sunflowers that has a lot of space. Their roots are long and stretch out far.

As with any plant, shelter your sunflowers from strong winds or harsh weather conditions that may slow down or stop the growing process. The biggest varieties of sunflowers can be more than 10 feet tall. The taller the plants are, the more protection they will need from the wind. A fence can help shield sunflowers from the strong gusts.

Though sunflower seedlings are available, growing sunflowers from seeds is the better option.

Wait until spring frost has lifted in your region before planting sunflowers. The right time to plant could be as early as March or as late as May.

• Allow plenty of space between the rows of sunflower seeds. Plant large variety sunflower seeds at least 6 inches apart.
• For smaller blooms, seeds should be planted 2 or 3 inches apart.
• Press each seed 2 inches deep into the soil.
• Water the seeds as soon as you plant them.

If you’d like plants that bloom throughout the summer, plant a few rows of sunflowers as soon as possible in the spring. Then a few weeks later, plant a few more rows of seeds. This staggered planting will extend the blooming season.

The time from when you plant the seeds until the sunflowers bloom will vary. Some seeds may bloom in 70 or 80 days. Others may take up to 120 days.

Your sunflowers will bloom big with enough water and the right nutrients in the soil. Water your sunflowers once a week. Use 3 to 4 gallons of water per plant.

Add fertilizer to make the sunflowers strong at the roots. For additional nutrients, you can add plant food to the soil. Feed your sunflowers only as needed. Too much plant food or fertilizer can cause growing stems to break.

Tip: If you’re growing sunflowers in a new garden or in-ground planting area, add plant food to the native soil before planting. Amending the soil will ensure your sunflowers have the nutrients to grow tall and strong.

Barriers can help protect your sunflowers as they grow. Sunflowers attract pests like birds, squirrels and deer. Keep them at bay with tall netting and wire barriers or garden fleece, a thin fabric intended for horticultural use.

Keep fungicide handy in case rust or mildew begin to threaten the plant. Follow the instructions that come with the fungicide product you select.

Mulching the area after the sunflower plants grow significantly will help the soil retain moisture. A layer of mulch can also help prevent weed growth.

Sunflowers look great in a bouquet of fresh-cut flowers. They can last up to a week in a vase with water at room temperature.

Try these tips for long-lasting cut sunflowers:

• Cut flowers early in the morning.
• Select blooms when the petals just start to open.
• Plunge freshly cut blooms into warm water.
• Arrange blooms in a vase with fresh water. Trim any leaves that are below the waterline.
• Check the water in the vase daily. Refresh it often.