Growing sunflowers
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Sunflowers like full sun.
When you plant them, plant each seed about 1 inch deep and at lest six inches apart. These seeds have an 80% chance of germinating so, you might plant two seeds for every one plant that you want. You can always thin them after they come up. Be sure to water them after planting. It usually takes a week or so for the seedlings to appear. This seems to depend alot on how warm it is. You can start your sunflower indoors. We like to use pots made out of peat because you can transfer them straight into the soil when it's warmed up. |
 ,Photo from About My Area |
If you are going to grow your sunflower in a pot, it's best to have a pot at least 15" deep. The deeper and larger the better because these plants like to send their roots out, out, out....
You'll want to keep the soil moist and fertilize them every other week. I usually water them heavily once a week when they are getting started (about a month) and then water a little bit every day.
Comments
My father grows them on his
My father grows them on his farm - great plants.
Our cat (yes, CAT) loves the seeds.
We grow them not exactly as you said
but i'll try your method too and tell which works better ;)
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when to plant
I live in Santa Cruz CA (cental CA) and dont see any info on when to plant or even if it will work in my area as I live in the fog belt. I planted them in the ground about a month ago and the biggest one is only 30" tall, is there enough time for them to flower this season?
Protecting seedlings
I have been a particapant for 2 days now, I am an avid vegitable gardener. I have yet to plant my sunflower seeds, and plan to do so this week. After reading some of the comments about disapearing seedlings I may have a soloution. The little critters and birds seem to love cucumber and watermelon seedlings, I was having a real tough time growing them to 3-4 inches. I came up with a soloution that may work with sunflowers as well. I plant the seeds as normal in the ground, then I cut the top and bottom off of pint clear water bottles (remove the labels I cut them with a large scissors) I then twist the cut bottle into the soil surrounding the seed. I water directly into the bottle (sparingly) and moisten the outer soil. They seem to act as a fence so the field mice are not able to penetrate them, and are deep enough so even the blue jays are not able to reach in and grab them. A side benefit is they act like a little green house, the sprouts grow well. I remove the bottles carefully when the leaves are apprx. 1" accross and are too tough for the mice to eat, by that time the birds have lost interest. It works for all my other seedlings and may work for Sunflowers, hope this helps.
Thanks for sharing
Thanks for sharing such nice and helpful information. Sunflowers and Roses are my favorite flowers. I have a small rooftop garden. Your tips will surely help me. Waiting for more.
bees
Help! Just discovered a huge bee hive in my tree. There must be hundreds of them. How should i handle it? Please advise asap. L.T. In Concord Ca. email Lidiacass@yahoo.com.
seeds
how do I get the seeds? would someone please direct me? thank you
My Dad has been a bee keeper
My Dad has been a bee keeper by hobby since he was 12 years old (he is now 83). Although I'm not as adjusted to bee stings as he is, I have a great knowledge and respect for what bees do to continue to polinate. We planted many different types of sunflowers last year. They were absolutely beautiful, with the exception of a gopher chomping some of the sunflowers off at the base.
Lisa Reed
gold coast plant hire
Valuable information and excellent design i got here! I would like to thank you for sharing your thoughts.
gold coast plant hire
Only one lone plant!
Dear Gretchen,
I have a million plants in my yard (not kidding! gardening is so my passion) so I think I was just too non-chalant when I planted your seeds. I should have given them a better effort. I only have one plant coming up and have been waiting for it to flower to finally do this count. Fortunately I have 4 of the other 5 plants you accept so I will do some data on those instead, had I realized I could have sent in some already. Please give me a second chance for next year!
Anna
I dont know what happened....
I had 10 seeds sprout out of 15 seeds and was ecstatic....
I transplanted them into my garden and I lost 2.... down to 8
A freakish HOT spell hit and despite watering and extreme attention I lost 4 more.... down to 4
then one morning mysteriously 2 more were just gone.... down to 2
I suspected the wee beasts got interested....
I put up a small fence to "protect" my garden and that worked for everything except the peppers what ever it was took the fence as a challenge and ate the tops off about 29 young pepper plants .... I had 1 hidden survivor....
I like to experiment with placement and since this is the gardens first year it has a bit of a chaos lay out at times. I believe this is also what saved my last 2 sunflowers.
Then this morning as I was going out to water and i was sad to see my last 2 fell victim....
Their little tops chomped rite off.....
I do have bees ... there are even positively identified Carpenter Bees but the only other appropriate plant I have is Rosemary ... soon as they start hitting it I will start posting data....*sigh*
Sun flowers
I havent purchased the Lemon Queen seeds yet, but I'm surprised there is so much trouble growing sunflowers. Back in Kansas they were weeds and grew like crazy. Have seen a few nice ones in Yucaipa and will plant mine soon if it's not too late.
case of the disappearing sunflower plants
Dear Gretchen,
I received my seeds (many thanks!) and planted them on April 26th. Over a dozen seedlings came up, however, one by one they disappeared. White-crowned sparrows live in the ceramic tiles of my neighbor's house & I wonder if they were the culprits... I put mesh over the seedlings and still they disappeared. One day my children discovered a deep hole near where another seedling had disappeared.
We would like to contribute to the study, however at the moment we have one 19-inch sunflower plant and a 3-inch one. Would you advise planting more seeds or is it too late? Will data from 1 or 2 sunflowers still be valuable?
Rebekah, Josiah & Sasha
Bee-lovers in Richmond, CA
Trouble with plants groing
Hi all,
I am having trouble after germination with my plants dying. I started growing in peat pods and when the plants have grown around 10" I would transplant to a pot. After placing in the new pot and watering I would place in the sun to start placing the pot outside to statrt acclimating it to the weather. Then within a week the plants would die. I have tried growing all types of flowers and other plants which have resulted in the ame fate. I am wondering if anyone can help with some suggestions who have the same weather type as I ( dry heat, no humidity and full sun).The plants seem to dry out really quick no matter how much and how often I water.
Thanks for any help.
Paul
trouble with plants growing
You might try transplanting your plants a bit younger, say at four to six inches instead of ten inches. Less leaf area means less water lost on a hot sunny day, which means a better chance of making it.
If you are starting your plants indoors, suggest you start 'acclimating them to the weather' BEFORE transplanting. Put them outdoors during the day, still in their peat pots, for several days, and take them in again at night. This is called "hardening off." It toughens up the plants to get them ready for the great outdoors. http://www.ehow.com/how_12176_harden-seedlings.html
Also, suggest you try putting your pots of newly-transplanted plants in partial shade for a week before you put them in full sun. Transplanting is a shock. They need time to grow more roots, so they can take up water faster than they'll lose it. Transplant them on a cloudy or rainy day if possible, so there's less shock.
If your plants 'dry out really quick,' perhaps your soil is low on organic matter, which acts like a sponge to hold water. Suggest you try mixing some peat moss into the soil (say, 1/3 peat moss to 2/3 soil) in some of your pots before transplanting this year and see what happens.
Also, it may be that you're using dirt from the garden in your pots. If so, suggest you try a good potting soil mix from a garden center this year in some of your pots, and compare results.
It's also possible you're watering your plants so much that they're drowning. Do your pots have drainage holes? If not, they should.
Ann Knudson
Bismarck, ND
late bloomer
I just read about the project in the Chronicle and would very much like to participate. I hope it is not too late to join in. After several years in a foggy belt of SF, I've just moved to a sunny spot in North Berkeley where sunflowers would do very well.
Your not the only one
I read the article as well and immediately had to sign up. The article implied it wasn't too late to join in I certainly hope that is the case.
Sunflower Project
My sunflower seeds never came up last year. I look forward to trying again this year.
Bee Course
Will the Bee Course offered this year, and if so, could you please send me info. Also, can I get seeds for this year to grow?
Seeds
Have not reeived my seeds. Is there a problem?
May your days always be sunny,
Susette
seeds not germinating
I recieved my packet of seeds at least 2 months ago. I planted them over a week ago indoors. One seed germinated. Please send me another packet with better germination rate.
shoot!
You must have gotten one of the bad seed packets. Apologies. I've dropped a new one in the mail to you today.
Bees
Have seen several "bumble bees" out in the garden, are you concerned about these also, or just wanting information on the "honey bees'?
Also, is there competition between the bumblee bees, yellow jackets and honey bees? Know all do pollinate somewhat, thanks, L. Selkowe ( amylvs@aol.com)
We want to know about all bees
Yes, definitely tell us about any other bees. We don't want to know about yellow jackets though - they are wasps. It's been difficult to tell whether there is competition among bees that has a negative effect. The most recent work that I've seen shows that bumble bees produce fewer offspring when near honey bees. We also know that when other bees are around, honey bees become much better pollinators. They move more quickly from flower to flower!