How to Grow Sunflowers from Seeds

Sunflower is an annual plant with large or small yellow flowers that bloom in the summer. Sunflowers are loved for their beauty and also for their ease of growing. The process of sowing sunflower seeds in the spring is exciting for both children and adults. You can grow sunflowers from seeds with minimal time and preparation.

Table of Contents

Sowing sunflower seeds

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Check the outdoor temperature. Although you can start sowing seeds indoors, sunflowers will do best when sown directly into the ground. Sunflower roots are very sensitive to movement, so the plant can die when removed and replanted. The plants grow best in temperatures of 18–33ºC, but you can plant when the outdoor temperatures are slightly lower, when the last frost has passed. ^{[1] X Research Source}

Usually sunflowers grow to their full potential and give seeds after 80-120 days, depending on the cultivar. ^{[2] X Research Source} If the growing season is shorter in your area, plant sunflowers 2 weeks before the last frost; most seeds can survive. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

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Choose sunflower varieties. There are many varieties of sunflowers and hybrids; Most gardeners will only notice a few properties of plants that are often described on seed packaging or in online listings. You need to pay attention to the maximum height of the plant, as there are tiny varieties that are less than 30 cm tall and giant varieties that can be over 4.5 m tall. You also need to decide whether to plant sunflowers with only one stem and one flower or one with many branches divided into branches with many smaller flowers.

Roasted sunflower seeds cannot be grown, but you can plant bird feed sunflower seeds if the outer shell is still intact. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

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Wrap the seeds in a damp paper towel. Moisten the paper towel but don’t get it soggy or dripping. Place the sunflower seeds in half of the paper, then fold them over to seal the seeds.

If you have a lot of seeds and don’t mind a low success rate, you can skip the above step and plant the seeds straight into the ground. Seeds sown directly into the ground usually take 11 days to germinate out of the ground. ^{[5] X Research Sources}
If the growing season is longer in your area, try sowing your seeds in batches, 2 weeks apart, so you’ll have a flower garden for longer.

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Place the tissue in a plastic bag. Place a damp paper towel in a plastic bag. ^{[6] X Research Source} Check every day or two, and continue checking once the seeds have begun to germinate. Usually you will see sprouts sprouting within 48 hours. ^{[7] X Research Source} Now you can plant.

For best results, you need to keep the tissue above 10ºC. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

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Press the edge of the seed pod (if necessary). If the seeds do not germinate after two or three days, you can try using a nail clipper to press away the edge of the shell. ^{[9] X Research Source} Be careful not to break the seeds inside. Add a few drops of water if the tissue is too dry.

Sowing sunflower seeds

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Choose a sunny spot. Sunflowers grow best when they receive 6-8 hours of sunlight per day. ^{[10] X Research Source} Choose a location with direct sunlight for most of the day.

Unless your garden is often hit by strong winds, you should plant sunflowers away from trees, walls, and other objects that can block sunlight.

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Check for drainage deep in the soil. Sunflower roots grow deep into the ground and can rot if exposed to waterlogged soil. Dig a hole about 60 cm deep to test the firmness and compaction of the soil. ^{[11] X Research Source} If at all possible, you should try adding compost to the soil to increase drainage.

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Consider soil quality. Sunflowers are not too picky plants and can grow in medium garden soil without much adjustment. If the soil is poor in nutrients or if you want to stimulate better plant growth, you can add more fertile humus to the planting area. It is rare to need to adjust the pH in the soil, but if a pH test kit is available, you can adjust the pH between 6.0 and 7.2. ^{[12] X Research Source}

Fertile soil should be reserved for giant sunflower varieties, as they require more nutrients. ^{[13] X Research Source}

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Sow sunflower seeds about 2.5 cm deep and about 15 cm apart . Sow the seeds into holes or grooves 2.5 cm deep, or 5 cm deep if the soil is loose and sandy. ^{[14] X Research Source} Sow the seeds at least 15 cm apart to give them enough room to grow. If you only have a few seeds and don’t want to get rid of the weak ones, you should plant them about 30cm apart or 45cm apart for giant sunflower varieties. ^{[15] X Research Source} Cover the seeds with soil after sowing.

If planting in bulk, it is recommended that you sow the seeds in grooves about 75 cm apart or keep a distance that is convenient to use agricultural machines. ^{[16] X Research Source}^{[17] X Research Source}

Sunflower care

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Keep the soil moist around the young plants. Maintain moisture in the soil but don’t let it get soggy until the plants have sprouted and emerged from the ground. ^{[18] X Research Source} When the seedlings are small and fragile, you need to water about 7.5 -10 cm away from the plants to stimulate root growth and avoid drifting the seedlings. ^{[19] X Research Source}

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Protect plants from pests. Birds, squirrels, and snails love sunflower seeds and can dig up the seeds before they even germinate. Cover the ground with a net to combat this without hindering germination. Place a snail bait or use a snail repellent around to create a barrier to protect the planting area. ^{[20] X Research Sources}

If there are deer in the area, you should use trellis to fence when the tree begins to produce leaves. You can use a 90cm wide trellis fence around the tree and use a bamboo tree or 1.8m high wooden stake to attach the trellis when the tree grows tall. Thus, the deer cannot destroy the tree. ^{[21] X Research Source}

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Water every week for mature plants. Once the stem has formed and taken root, you need to reduce the frequency of watering to once a week. Water thoroughly each week and increase watering when the weather is dry. Sunflowers need more water than most other annual flowers. ^{[22] X Research Source}

The period before and after flowering is very important, and a lack of water can derail this process. ^{[23] X Research Source} Continue watering the plants every week as flower buds begin to form.

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Remove trees (optional). When the plants are about 7.5 cm tall, you should remove the smaller and weaker flowering plants so that the remaining plants are at least 30 cm apart. This spacing gives larger and healthier plants more space and nutrients to grow taller and bloom bigger.

Skip this step if you want small flowers to fit in your bouquet or if you’ve planted them the right way from the start.

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Apply little or no fertilizer. If you grow sunflowers just for the sake of it, you should not fertilize, because the plant can grow well without fertilizer, moreover, the plant can be damaged if applied too much. If you want to grow very tall sunflowers or plant a lot to harvest, you can dilute the fertilizer in water and pour it into the “moat” around the tree, away from the base of the tree. ^{[24] X Research Source} A balanced nitrogen fertilizer is usually the best choice. ^{[25] X Research Sources}

Another option is to fertilize the soil once with a slow-release fertilizer.

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Plug in poles if necessary. When sunflowers are more than 90 cm tall or for varieties with many branches, you may need to plant stakes to support the plant. ^{[26] X Research Source} Use cloth or soft material to loosely tie the stem to the stake.

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Harvest sunflower seeds (optional) . Sunflowers usually last for about 30-45 days. Towards the end of this period, the blue calyx will begin to turn brown. ^{[27] X Research Source} If you want to harvest sunflower seeds for roasting or for planting next season, cover the flowers with paper bags to prevent birds. Cut in when the flowers are completely dry.

If left to the wild, sunflower seeds will fall to the ground and sprout next season. However, harvesting will protect the seeds from pests.

Advice

Sunflowers are annual plants and will die after the flowers have faded.

Warning

Sunflowers secrete chemicals that can inhibit the growth of potatoes or beans and can even kill weeds if grown naturally. However, these chemicals are not harmful. ^{[28] X Research Sources}
Do not plant sunflowers against brick structures as the stems can get in between the bricks and damage the structure.

Steps

Sowing sunflower seeds

Sowing sunflower seeds

Sunflower care

Advice

Warning

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