Tips for Growing Sunflowers
Sunflowers can be excellent fun to grow. Given the right conditions they can grow quickly and provide excellent height and flower in late autumn.
Sunflowers are considered easy to grow and are often considered to be a good plant for children. However, to get the best out of sunflowers requires a few careful points.
Choose the right variety. If you want to grow a tall sunflower try a specific variety such as
- H. ‘Moonwalker’: grown for its yellow face with a chocolate-dark centre; reaches a height of 1.2m to 1.5m (4ft to 5ft).
- H. ‘Russian Giant’: If you are just interested in height and entering the record books.
Grow as a Fence. Sunflowers can make an excellent impromptu screen for late summer. The height can divide a garden creating a natural sense of rooms. – something top garden designers often go for.
- H. ‘Pastiche’: available in mixed shades of reds, and yellows. The flowers appear on multi-stemmed plants that make an effective multicoloured fence in late summer – from 1.2m to 1.5m (4ft to 5ft) high.
Proper Staking. Preventing sunflowers from falling over is one of the great challenges of growing them. Individually, you need a strong cane well dugg into the soil. If you grow sunflowers in blocks it will be easier to provide staking for the group; they will give each other support as they grow.
Feeding. Sunflowers enjoy a rich well fed soil. If going for height, use a nitrogen based fertiliser, switching to potash (tomato food) as the buds begin to appear.
Watering. Sunflowers don’t like drying out and they can soon start to wither. Make sure they are well watered; each watering should aim to reach its roots, rather than just touching the surface.
Starting in pots. To get the best start for sunflowers sow 2cm deep just covering with soil and place in a 3 inch pot. When big enough you can plant out, hardening off if necessary.
Best Location. Sunflowers like a sunny position and preferably not too windy.
Sunflower seeds at Thompson & Morgan
Gardeners Tips » Plants and Seeds For Kids said,
April 30, 2008 @ 8:35 am
[...] Giant Sunflowers – Giant sunflowers offer a great quick growing plant. Kids love to see plants grow taller than themselves. See also tips on growing sunflowers [...]
stuart said,
October 9, 2008 @ 1:04 am
Now my sunflower has died off, do I cut it down to ground level & leave until next year or
raise to avoid frosts?
Regards
admin said,
October 13, 2008 @ 11:09 am
Most sunflowers are annuals and you have probably seen the last of your plant. Dig it up and compost it cutting the thick stalk into short lengths. Sow new seeds next year.
Best Sunflower Photos said,
March 19, 2009 @ 1:34 pm
[...] Tips for Growing Sunflowers at Gardeners Tips [...]
alison said,
May 30, 2009 @ 4:35 am
something is killing the leaves…..what can i use to save the plants?
admin said,
June 2, 2009 @ 1:15 am
You will loose some leaves lower down the stalk – that is normal. Water or lack of is a great killer followed by slugs and snails – it is hard to see which may be responsible. I doubt the plant is infected with fungus and hope the hot weather is too the Sunflowers liking.
Colin Barkley said,
June 29, 2009 @ 2:07 am
i have multiple heads on my sunflower if one head dies do i cut it off to allow others to live
joanne said,
July 11, 2009 @ 10:40 am
my sunflowers are getting quite big now and the leaves are starting to dry out and turn yellow are you supposed to pull the leaves of as they grow?
Sunflower Pictures | Gardeners Tips said,
July 25, 2009 @ 3:06 am
[...] Tips on Growing sunflowers [...]
gerilynn said,
July 28, 2009 @ 5:32 pm
Does cutting the leaves off a sunflower plant help them grow taller?
admin said,
August 2, 2009 @ 2:13 am
Not significantly. Leaves help plants to grow by changing sunlight into food by photosynthesis
Gemma said,
August 5, 2009 @ 8:53 am
I am growing sunflowers with my kids and i was wondering do we need sticks to hold them upright? or is it just a case of plently of watering so they won’t wilt.x
admin said,
August 7, 2009 @ 5:17 am
They should be OK except in windy locations. You need a tall, firm stake and a loose tie around the stalk of the Sunflower near the top
david said,
August 7, 2009 @ 12:55 pm
something is killing my flowers they were ok then 2 drooped they are staked and i noticed ants and wasps at the bottom of the stem possibly eating it any tips
Marie said,
August 11, 2009 @ 7:05 am
Hi there, my sunflower is all stalk and no head – is there any tip for encouraging it to flower? It’s currently potbound and in an office (competition rules) so I know it’s not in the best environment!
admin said,
August 12, 2009 @ 1:18 pm
Not the best environment but if others follow the rules you may still win. They are not called fluorescent tubeflowers or windowsill orchids.
Sunny Flowers | Gardeners Tips said,
October 9, 2009 @ 1:29 am
[...] is another daisy like flower called Gerbera that, like the Sunflower, will stay open but likes a lot of Sun to flower [...]
Nickie Blatch said,
January 20, 2010 @ 11:17 am
I’ve just been told that we’re holding a wedding reception here on June 12th, and the bride wants sunflowers as decorations – what are the chances if I start now??!! Any advice as to which variety grow fast, and I don’t need huge ones, would be good,
admin said,
January 21, 2010 @ 1:32 am
It will be hard going (and that is only the wedding). In the UK you could try Solar Eclipse sown now and kept under bright natural lights as long as possible. I dare not suggest putting the wedding back.
They would make startling buttonholes!