Of course, timing is everything.
Learn when to plant sunflowers for optimal growth.
Home gardens plant the ones they love.
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The location should receive full sun for at least 6 hours daily.
Sunflowers prefer fertile, well-tilled soil with good drainage.
In the garden, remove weeds and turn over the soil with a hand cultivator and trowel.
The exact date will depend on yourclimate zone.
Contact your local weather service to get their recommendation on when the last frost is predicted.
(you’ve got the option to always cover tender plants if there is a cold snap.)
Keep the soil moist (not soggy), and you should see growth within 7 to 10 days.
Planting Sunflower Seeds in the Garden
Most gardeners plant sunflowers in rows due to their erect forms.
If you are planting several varieties, verify the tallest cultivars won’t block the sun for shorter cultivars.
To plant seeds, make a trench 1 inch deep in well-tilled soil.
Seed spacing depends on the sunflower variety:
Cover the seeds with one inch of soil and water well.
Keep the soil moist, but not soggy.
Germination takes 7 to 10 days.
Thin the seedlings if necessary.
After that, the plants can tolerate some drier soil.
Since they are fast-growing plants, fertilize sunflowers every two to three weeks with compost or a balanced fertilizer.
you’re able to side-dress the rows or apply a water-soluble fertilizer at the roots.
Control weeds so they don’t compete with the sunflowers for nutrition.
Use a hoe to remove weeds and mulch to help prevent their return.
Powdery mildew is a common sunflower plant disease that forms on lower, older leaves.
It usually occurs from overhead watering and poor air circulation.
You may also see stink bugs, aphids, and caterpillars on the plants.
Manual removal is the best insect control method to avoid killing beneficial insects andpollinators.
For successful succession planting, be sure you have enough space for new growth and avoid overcrowding your garden.
