Sunflowers are one of the easiest plants to grow. They are a great way to get children into gardening as they can soon see the fruits of their efforts. During the growing season, children will enjoy watching the daily growth in the size of the plant.

Even if you don’t have a garden, you can try growing sunflowers in pots. All you need is a decent size pot, and just take extra care with watering and feeding.

Choose a tall variety such as Russian Giant. Children will get great joy from seeing a sunflower growing taller than themselves.

Sunflowers are generally pest resistance. The most important thing is to protect them against slugs when young.

How Children Can help Grow Sunflowers.

• Choosing packet of seeds.
• Sowing seeds in three inch pots.
• Protect against slugs. Perhaps they could make a beer trap to learn an organic method of dealing with slugs.
• Taking care of watering, on a daily basis.
• Feeding with an organic feed.
• Tieing the sunflower to a stake.

What Children Can learn from Growing Sunflowers

• The basics of gardening.
• What a plant needs to grow – light, water, food, heat.
• The responsibility of looking after their own sunflower
• How Wildlife can benefit from plants such as sunflowers (leave seeds in autumn to be eaten by birds.

Sunflower Competition.

I will never forget, the time at primary school when we had a sunflower competition to see who could grow the tallest sunflower. In April, we were all given a few sunflower seeds, and we had to bring the sunflower into school during September. My sunflower was not very tall. But, I remember almost daily looking after the sunflower, watering and feeding.

How To Grow the Tallest Sunflower

1. Choose Tall Varieties like Russian Giant or the smaller but cuddly Teddy Bear
2. Sow Early in March / April under Glass and keep in warm conditions.
3. If really keen give extra light during early spring months
4. Keep well fed and well watered, (but, don’t get carried away). Follow instructions from a regular liquid feed.
5. Choose a position in full sun.
6. Keep staked to avoid blowing over.

• More sunflower seeds at Thompson & Morgan

Related

• More Tips for Growing Sunflowers
• Sunflower Pictures