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 Plant
Sunflowers for a Season of Enjoyment
By Melinda Myers
[June 07, 2025]
Sunflowers are one of those happy plants many
gardeners can’t resist planting. Kids love to watch the plants reach
for the sky and everyone enjoys all the visitors. You are likely to
see hummingbirds, bees and other pollinators on the flowers,
songbirds munching on the seeds, and squirrels practicing acrobatic
contortions as they try to gain their fair share of the harvest.
What we call the flower is made of 1,000 to 2,000 individual
flowers. The large petals are, in fact, infertile ray flowers that
do not develop into seeds. The center consists of fertile disk
flowers that develop into seeds after pollination occurs.
These versatile flowers tolerate a wide range of
soils around the world and are drought tolerant. It is not
surprising they have been used by people for more than four thousand
years. Native Americans used the flowers for pigments, seeds for
food, the dried stems for construction and fuel. Today millions of
acres of sunflowers are grown for the edible seeds, oil, and
birdseed. |
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There is still time to plant sunflowers. Just check
the seed packet for the number of days from planting seed until
bloom. You’ll find varieties that mature in as few as 55 days while
others need as many as 120 days to flower. Start planting sunflower
seeds directly in the garden after the danger of frost has passed
and soil is about 60°F. Extend the bloom time by making additional
plantings, allowing enough time for the plants to flower before the
first fall frost.
Protect seeds and seedlings from birds and other critters. Cover the
area with a floating row cover, a spun fabric that lets air, light
and water through to the plants, or some type of netting or screen.
Plant the seeds one to two inches deep and six inches apart in rows
two to three feet apart. Remove every other seedling once they are
several inches tall.
Protect young plants from deer if needed. These critters can quickly
destroy young plants so consider using a repellent or fencing if
deer are a problem in your area.
Water often enough to keep the soil moist around the seeds and young
seedlings. Gradually extend the time between watering to encourage
the plants to grow a robust root system. Continue to water
thoroughly as needed throughout the growing season. Fertilize at
planting and make a second application mid-summer if needed. Follow
the fertilizer label directions for proper timing and rates.
Staking isn’t usually needed to support even the taller varieties
unless they are growing sunflowers in a windy location or are
overcrowded. Use a metal or wood stake placed close to the stem if
you need to stake the plants. Secure the plant to the stake using
twine or soft ties made from cloth.
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As the flowers appear, watch them track the sun from
east to west and return facing east each morning. Scientists
recently discovered the young plant’s sun-tracking, also called
heliotropism, is tied to the plant’s circadian rhythms. One side of
the stem elongates during the day and the other side at night,
directing the flower toward the sun. As the flowers mature, they
stay facing east, helping to attract pollinators like bees to the
warmer flower surface.
Enjoy watching your sunflowers sprout, grow and flower. Take time to
observe the many visitors to the blooms and be sure to harvest a few
seeds for snacking.
Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books,
including the Midwest Gardener’s Handbook, 2nd Edition and Small
Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything”
instant video and DVD series and the nationally syndicated Melinda’s
Garden Moment TV & radio program. Myers is a columnist and
contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine and was commissioned
by Summit for her expertise to write this article. Myers’ website is www.MelindaMyers.com.
[Photo courtesy of MelindaMyers.com] |
