Grow sunflowers in soil exposed to direct sunlight and sheltered from wind. Protect your sunflowers by supporting the trunk with a bamboo stake when the sunflower reached 1ft in height. This will help the trunk grow straight and protect the sunflower from wind damage.
If the sunflower matures, the heavy weight of the head on the long handle allows the sunflower vulnerable to wind damage. Because wild sunflower grows only between 2 and 6 ft. high, the chance of damaging winds much less than the single sunflower.
What is the best soil for Growing Sunflowers
Plant your seedlings in soil quality, as my personal favorite - Miracle Grow potting soil that has good water retention, enriched with plant nutrition. Always ensure soil is kept moist and not dry out completely. Consider adding manure to the garden soil where you plan to plant your seeds or seedlings.
Tips for Sunflower Seeds germinate
If you prefer your sunflower seeds germinate before planting in the soil layer at least 10 sheets of absorbent paper towels on a plate or paper towel wet with water. Sprinkle seeds on the wet paper towel before placing them in a warm place such as a dryer. The more sheets of paper towel you use, the better water retention, which means less water will be needed.
Control of seeds with regular watering prevents the paper towel from drying out, especially common in hot environments or direct sunlight. When your sunflower seeds begin to germinate, plant in potting soil mixed with manure in your garden at a depth of 2 inches, line spacing 1 - 2ft apart.
Sow sunflower seeds in pots
If your germinating sunflower seeds in pots, sow a seed in each pot at a depth of 1 cm in 3 inch diameter pots. Use a good quality potting soil like Miracle Grow potting soil before covering the top of the pot with clear plastic film.
When the green leaves appear above ground after germination, remove foil and place in pot near a window that receives the most sunlight throughout the day, if possible. Turn the pot 180 degrees in the morning and again in the evening, checking to make sure the soil is kept moist.
If the pot is too small, or sunflower oil was left in the pot to be long there may be a heavy build-up of the roots in the walls of the pot. Because sunflowers have long taproots can grow 4ft deep, allowing the plant to reach this stage in pots will be a serious impediment to growth.
Overflowing roots can be safely removed by the cutting off of not more than 1/3 with a sharp knife. Break Away and throw dead soil around the roots of sunflower to plant in the garden. Do not forget to ensure that the remaining healthy roots in the process damage.
Sow sunflower seeds in the garden (recommended)
Sow directly in the garden is my favorite method that I have had the most success. Sow sunflower seeds after the last frost is over and nighttime temperatures have increased to more than 5 º or 10 º Celsius. Sow in loose soil at a depth of about 50 mm (2 inches) distance from each other 1 - 2ft each other. Water seeds regularly to 2ft high when the second set of leaves appear. Liquid manure can be added to the water for feeding at this point.
Sunflower Facts
The sunflower (Helianthus annuus) is a fascinating plant to grow, especially for children. Sunflowers can grow to 12ft tall with a head diameter of 30 cm (1 ft).
The head of the sunflower, which is often incorrectly referred to as a flower, consisting of 1000 - 2000 individual flowers. The petals are ribbon flowers around the head.
Sunflowers are one of the fastest growing plants in the world, growing to 30 cm (1 ft) per day.
A fascinating feature of the sunflower is the ability to control the direction of the sun to follow by pointing the sunflower towards the sun. This behavior is called helio-tropism.
Wild sunflowers have smaller seeds, growing multiple branches and / or stems with more than one head. It is only by hundreds of years of painstaking, hand-picked the domestic sunflower seed selection is much greater with a single stem and flower head.
The sunflower is the state flower of Kansas, USA and the national recognized flower for Russia.
According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the biggest sunflower ever grown in 1986 by M Heijms in Oirschot, Netherlandsat a height of 25ft 5.5 inches (776 cm).
The largest sunflower head ever recorded by the Guinness Book of World Records measured 32 1/4 inch (82 cm) in diameter, grown by Emily Martin of Maple Ridge, Canada in the hot summer of 1983.
Although coming from America, 60% of the world population of sunflowers grown in Europe and Russia. Popular types of sunflower growers to start with the highest: Moonwalker, Pastiche, Velvet Queen, and the smaller Russian Giant Teddy Bear and Big Smile species.
Sunflowers are very effective for attracting butterflies, bees and birds.
Sunflowers are used to produce sunflower oil. If a seed, they are used for bird feed and as a healthy snack for children and adults.
Sunflower seeds have a 50% polyunsaturated fat and are rich in Omega-6 which has been proven that the risk of heart disease reduction. Sunflower seeds are rich in calcium along with several other vitamins and minerals.
The scientific name for sunflower, Helianthus is derived from two Greek words, Helios meaning sun and Anthos meaning flower.
Sunflowers are perennial plants that grow each year.
Sunflower seeds are toxic to grass, so they distance themselves from the lawn that would be slain by falling seeds.
Sunflowers: An excellent choice for Kids
Sunflowers are an excellent choice of plants for the children to grow. They are visually attractive, attract a range of insects such as butterflies, bees and birds in addition to being easy to grow.
You can search for friends or neighbors to compete with encouraging, to see who the highest sunflower grow. Personally, I have good memories of a 9-year-old child, competing with my neighbor. If my memory serves me correctly, I managed to three sunflowers grow to a height of about 6ft. Although so young, everything seems bigger at that age, so I may very well be wrong. I know, I would not brag, but of course I won .... natural course. :) Sorry!
The BBSRC (Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council ... phew) have a sunflower growing eBook activity for young children to their sunflowers grow while learning how plants grow.
Sunflower Plant Care
Sunflowers have a lot of water and sunlight, which appear about two weeks and 90 days to fully grow. When using chemical weed control, make sure it is suitable for use on sunflowers or pull weeds by hand. Too much water sunflowers will probably damage inflorescences, especially 20 days before or 20 days after full bloom.
Pour about 2 liters of liquid fertilizer solution every week around the roots of the sunflower, make sure you pour the solution on the trunk as it has been found to cause sunflower stalks rot.
Are you trying to place sunflowers, so that they are as much time as possible in the sun, preferably 6-8 hours or more. If heavy winds are forecast, postpone watering until the wind has passed to the sunflower to prevent from getting blown over.
