How To Grow Sunflowers
Nothing says summer more than a Sunflower. These bright and sunny plants can't help but bring cheer to every place they grow. Providing nectar, pollen, and a place to live these flowers attract native pollinators of all types. They are also a host plant for the Silvery Checkerspot Butterfly.
Instructions
- To Grow: Exposure: Full sun | Zone: 1-10Direct sow mid-April to late May. Starting indoors is possible, but does not gain much time. If sunflowers are allowed to get root-bound, they will lack stability at transplant time and will require staking. Optimal soil temperature for germination: 21-30°C (70-85°F). Seeds should sprout in 10-14 days. Sow seeds 5mm-1cm (¼-½”) deep. Space dwarf varieties 15cm (6”) apart, but give the giants lots of room at 1m (3”) between plants.
Notes
For such a simple, and easy-to-grow plant, you can have a lot of fun with Sunflowers in the garden. If you are not planning on collecting seeds for replanting the following year, you can mix and match varieties with different colors, and sizes, creating fun sunflower tunnels, circles, or other pleasing designs. Just make sure if you are growing plants to feed pollinators, make sure you select varieties that are not pollen-less.
Nectar and pollen production varies depending on the variety but the honey potential is 30-100lbs per acre planted and the pollen potential 200-250 lbs per acre planted. Sunflowers also attract specialist pollinators, called Sunflower bees (Diadasia spp. and Svastra spp.).