Table of Contents
Plant the seeds no more than an inch deep and about 6 inches apart. Thin the seedlings once they hit 6 inches tall, leaving the strongest plants about 12 inches apart. For continuous blooms, stagger your planting, sowing a new row of seeds every two to three weeks, beginning in the spring.
How do you grow a sunflower step by step?
Put some damp soil in a plastic cup so it almost comes up to the top. Drop a sunflower seed into the hole. Put the cup somewhere sunny – a bright windowsill would be perfect. Your plant should pop up through the soil after about 1 or 2 weeks. When your plant grows too big for the cup, plant it in bigger flowerpots.
How do you take care of a sunflower plant?
Caring for sunflowers Support tall sunflowers with stakes as they grow. Once the flowers appear, feed sunflowers weekly with a high potassium feed (tomato feed is ideal). Water regularly during dry periods, especially the tall varieties, as it’s difficult for them to recover if they are allowed to dry out and wilt.
How long does it take for a sunflower to grow?
Sunflowers grow quickly. Many can achieve up to 12 feet of growth in only 3 months. With the proper growing conditions, sunflowers should reach maturity in 70 to 100 days after planting.
Can sunflowers grow in pots?
Potted sunflowers may seem an unlikely endeavor, however, some of the smaller dwarf varieties do very well as container grown sunflowers, and even the giant cultivars can be grown as container plants. Growing sunflowers in a pot or planter does require some special care though.
Are sunflowers easy to grow?
Growing sunflower plants is easy because they’re heat tolerant, pest resistant and fast growing. They’re native to North America so they can adapt to conditions in most locations. You can use them for cut flowers, leave them on the stalk for a gorgeous outdoor display in your garden, or harvest and eat their seeds.
Can you grow a sunflower in a cup?
To plant sunflower seeds in peat pots or paper cups, put two seeds per pot and just cover them with soil. Water well and keep the soil moist. In a week or two, your seedlings will push through and grow rapidly thereafter. The size of your sunflower varieties will dictate how far apart to plant your sunflower seeds.
Should I soak sunflower seeds before planting?
It is recommended that you only soak most seeds for 12 to 24 hours and no more than 48 hours. After soaking your seeds, they can be planted as directed. The benefit of soaking seeds before planting is that your germination time will be reduced, which means you can have happy, growing plants faster.
How do you take care of a potted sunflower?
Put a saucer or tray underneath each pot and soak the soil with a watering can until the liquid drains from the drainage holes. Avoid getting the foliage wet and always discard the drained water. Water the sunflowers when the top inch of soil is dry. Aim to keep the soil moist — not soggy.
Why is my potted sunflower dying?
Sunflowers can become severely damaged and even die because of mold, mildew, fungi, insects, or abuse. A sunflower will signal that it is dying with stunted growth followed with dropped leaves, the leaves and stem turning yellow, brown, or black, and the petals on the flower head shriveling up.
Do sunflowers only bloom once?
They do not grow and bloom again. These are usually the varieties cultivated for their large size, showy flower heads and edible seeds. A few types of sunflowers, however, can be grown as perennials, which means they will grow more flowers again the next season.
How do you keep sunflowers alive outside?
Add 1 teaspoon of sugar, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and/or 1 tablespoon of vinegar to the water to keep your flowers looking vibrant and healthy. This helps delay sunflowers from wilting. Make sure your sunflowers are not exposed to direct sunlight, cool drafts or heat.
What months do sunflowers bloom?
Annual sunflowers bloom during summer and into autumn. Sow new plants every few weeks and you’ll enjoy non-stop flowers until the first frost. Perennial sunflowers bloom for a period of 8-12 weeks with some beginning as early as July and others finishing as late as October.
Do sunflowers follow the sun?
As the sun moves across the sky as the day goes on, only the younger sunflowers will follow along and pivot to the west. This sun tracking movement is known as heliotropism, and it happens less as sunflowers grow older. Once the sunflower matures, it stops following the sun and just stays facing east.
Do sunflowers grow back?
Sunflowers are either an annual (where they need to be replanted every year) or a perennial (where they will come back every year from the same plant) and telling the difference is not that hard if you know how. Annual sunflowers growing from reseeding will not start to show up until late spring.
What kind of soil do sunflowers need?
Sunflowers prefer a somewhat alkaline soil (pH 6.0 to 7.5) and they’re heavy feeders so make sure you plant them in nutrient-rich soil.
Should you plant sunflowers in your garden?
Sunflowers can help a garden by making certain areas more attractive. For example, a row of sunflowers can add color to a fence or hide a compost pile. Planted closely together in a line, they can provide a windbreak for other plants in the garden if it is in a particularly windy area.
