No plant says summer like a sunflower. The bright yellow blooms are like a smile on a stalk.
Each year, the National Garden Bureau selects an annual as the “Annual of the Year.” Winners are chosen because they are popular, easy to grow, widely adaptable, genetically diverse and versatile.
Sunflowers can be annual (Helianthus annuus) or perennial (Helianthus maximiliani), but most modern sunflowers are annuals. Like many other members of the daisy family, sunflowers are heliotropic, meaning the blossoms turn to follow the sun when they’re growing and developing.
Sunflowers, Helianthus, originated in the Americas. Except for three South American species, Helianthus is native to North and Central America. Native Americans grew sunflowers as a food crop for humans and animals. Oil was used for curing skin ailments. Yellow dye was made from flower petals, and black or blue dye from the seeds was used in making clothes.
Sunflowers became increasingly popular on the European and Asian continent, with Russian farmers growing over 2 million acres in the early 19th century (most of which was used to manufacture sunflower oil).
No longer are sunflowers just yellow. There are many colors of sunflower petals, including yellow, red, orange, maroon, cream and brown — with many color variations on the petals. Typically, centers are brown, purple or rusty red. Choose your favorite color to compliment your garden.
Sunflowers are heat tolerant and resistant to most insect pests and disea
ses. Butterflies and bees are attracted to the pollen, and birds — especially yellow finches — love the seeds.
Single Stem vs Branching Sunflowers: Single stem sunflower varieties are best for high-density plantings and produce consistently beautiful flowers on tall stems. Succession planting will be needed for continuous Year of the Sunflower blooms throughout the season. Branching varieties produce flowers on multiple shorter stems throughout the season, which makes them ideal for sunflowers all season long.
How to Grow and Care for Sunflowers:
MVG supplies starter plants, but growing sunflower plants is easiest if you grow them from seed sown directly into the ground.
- Plant seeds after the danger of spring frost has passed and the soil temperature is at least 60 degrees. This will be between March and May, depending on where you live.
- 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. Succession planting, as this is called, will keep you supplied with continuous blooms until first frost.
- To keep your blooms happy and strong for their summer growth, water them once or twice a week, depending on how much rain you get.
- To check the soil for moisture, stick your finger one inch down. If you don’t feel anything wet, give your plants a good inch of water each.
- If wind is a problem as the flowers grow taller, you can stake them. A good trick is to plant sunflowers close to a fence, which can be used for support.
- For branching varieties, pinch the tops when they have four to five sets of true leaves to encourage bushy growth and multiple flower heads.
- Sunflowers don’t need a lot of fertilizer, but a little can help. Phosphorus and potassium can encourage bigger blooms, while nitrogen supports leaf growth.
Growing Tips:
- Plant after the last frost
- Keep seeds moist until germination
- Plant in an area with full sun (at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight)
- Fertilize lightly with a balanced 5-5-5 NPK fertilizer
How long does it take for sunflowers to grow? From the time you put the seed in the soil to bloom ranges between 80 and 120 days, depending on the variety.
Harvesting:
Harvest the seeds after most of the flower petals have died and dropped off. Then, cut off the seed heads and about two inches of stem.
Hang the heads to dry by their stems in a well-ventilated area. Once they are completely dry, rub the flower heads together to loosen them, and the seeds should be easy to extract.
Roasting:
Once your seeds are harvested, you’re ready to begin roasting sunflower seeds! Allowing the seeds to simmer in the salty water gives the seeds time to absorb the flavor.
To a large bowl, add 1/4 cup of kosher salt per quart of water used (enough to cover the seeds), and then stir, cover and allow the seeds to soak overnight. The following day, heat the oven to 300-degrees, pat-dry the seeds with a paper towel, and distribute seeds evenly on a baking tray. Slow-bake them for 30-45 minutes, until you see the shells becoming toasted. Keep an eye on the seeds as they can char quickly!
Raw, unshelled seeds can last in the pantry for 2-3 months, or in the fridge or freezer for up to one year
Roasted, shelled seeds last for 3-4 months in the pantry, and up to a year in the fridge or freezer
Roasted, unshelled seeds last for 4-5 months in the pantry, and for a year in the fridge or freezer
Get creative and try different spices to roast your sunflower or pumpkin seeds. Ranch, Pizza, Dill Pickle, Cinnamon Sugar, Sweet and Spicy. Did you know that sunflower sprouts are edible? So instead of tossing the extra seedlings in the trash, toss them into a salad!
Or, you can also make suet cakes for the winter birds! See Farmer’s Almanac’s how to make homemade suet.
Learn More About the Year of the Sunflower.
- Sunflowers for Bees, Song Birds, and Garden Splendor by Black Gold
- Sunflower Guide – Growing, Caring, & Varieties by Jung Seed
- Easy to Grow Edible Seeds by Territorial Seeds
- Sow and Grow Guide for Sunflowers by Botanical Interests
- How to Choose the Best Sunflower Varieties by Johnny’s Selected Seeds
- 7 Tips For Growing a Sunflower Garden by Ferry-Morse
- Plant a Sunflower House by Kids Gardening
For more information or questions, feel free to stop in at Meadow View or give us a call at 937-845-0093. Happy gardening!
MVG – Helping Our Customers Grow Fine Plants Since 1984!
