One of the many flowers that we are growing in our garden this year is the sunflower.
This flower is easy to plant and it does well on it's own, so there is very little
maintenance. My son has taken the pleasure of planting his own sunflowers
around a couple of flower beds and he is a proud little gardener as he watches
them grow.
If you want to grow your own sunflowers, here is what you need to do:
Buy a packet of sunflower seeds
from your local garden store.
from your local garden store.
Sunflower seeds
are best sown outdoors directly into the garden.
are best sown outdoors directly into the garden.
For individual planting, put the seedling or seeds in just about any sunny location.
Make sure they are visible from your deck, porch and windows;
you will want a good view for these lovely flowers.
Whether you plant directly outdoors or transplant them,
make the final spacing as follows:
- Giants: Space three feet apart in rows three to four feet apart.
- Regular/Intermediate sizes: Space two feet apart in rows three feet apart.
- Miniatures: Space one foot apart in rows three feet apart.
Poke your finger into the soil making a small hole in the
ground and plant one seed then cover with soil.After planting, cover them with a screen,
as the birds and animals love to dig the seeds out.
You can also start them in a seedbed and transfer them when they are small.
Sunflower plants grow well in average to rich soils. They need to grow their roots deep and wide, to enable them to withstand strong winds. If you have a choice, sandy soils are not recommended, as they are easily uprooted in loose soil. Rich soil is important when growing giant varieties.
You can protect the sunflowers against birds and squirrels by covering the entire flower with an old nylon stocking, a cheese cloth bag or any other covering that allows light and especially air to flow through. Do not use plastic bags, it will rot your plant.
These lovelies have grown pretty fast in our yard.
Do you know that sunflowers face the direction of the rising sun?These flowers will make your yard look beautiful and you may also
use them to adorn your home with cuttings.
Hope that you enjoy growing your own sunflowers this summer.
