Growing Sunflowers

Writers and poets have tried to capture the beauty of sunflowers in words but having sunflowers in your own garden is such a pleasant experience that it cannot be described in words. Wild varieties of sunflower appear bushy as they are highly branched; but the varieties of sunflower plants, preferred by private gardeners or farmers, have a single-stem and a large seed head. If you want to see your garden brightened up with blooming sunflowers, you can choose any short or tall, yellow or orange variety of annual and perennial sunflower plants.

Sunflower plant belongs to the genus Helianthus ('helios' means 'sun') and species name depends upon the cultivar. High quality vegetable oil, 'sunflower oil' is obtained from sunflower seeds. A single sunflower contains up to 2000 seeds. The seeds are used to produce medicines, paints, animal feeds, bio-diesel, etc. So sunflower is one of the top commercial crops. Growing sunflowers for seeds or for the visual effect, is easy if you have some basic gardening skills. Let us take a look at how to grow sunflowers from seeds.

How to Plant Sunflower Seeds

The bright and attractive outer petals of sunflowers are sterile and known as 'ray flowers'. Thousands of tiny 'disc florets' that make up the circular head are the 'real flowers' and as the flowers mature, they get converted into edible seeds. Sunflower seeds are covered by inedible husk. You need to plant sunflowers every year. The plants belong to the group of annuals. Choose the best quality seeds to have best quality plants and flowers. Tall varieties make good bright screens.

To ensure a good flower show, select a sunny spot, as these sun worshipers flourish well in full sun. Dig deep and add lots of organic compost. You may select a slow releasing fertilizer. Sunflower seeds are large enough to be sown straightaway in the intended location but birds and ants are likely to destroy some of them. So put two to three seeds at a time in one location and then relocate them. If you are thinking of growing sunflowers in pots, you will require very big pots. Sunflowers can grow from 3 to 18 feet tall and their roots need lot of space to spread. Make sure that the soil is rich and well drained. If you want, you may start them indoors and once the seedlings are strong, you may plant them outside.

Growing sunflowers indoors is also possible if you have a sunny corner inside your home. The spot selected should be sunny all day long (or at least most of the day). Sunflower plants need plenty of space to grow. So keep enough distance between two plants. A distance of two to three feet is enough for giant plants, while small varieties can be spaced a feet apart. You should read more on sunflower plants care.

Once the plants start growing, they require very little water. Just keep the soil moist. You should build a berm around where you are growing sunflower plants and apply liquid fertilizer along the berm once in a week. You are supposed to mix organic compounds (to make the soil nutrient rich naturally) and spread mulch on top of the soil (to keep it moist). Pouring fertilizer directly on the stems and roots can damage the plant and hence should be avoided.

According to sunflower facts, sunflower plant starts producing flowers in 90 to 100 days. Giant bright sunflowers attract birds and butterflies and can thus transfer your garden into a 'bird's paradise'. There exist more than sixty different varieties of sunflowers. Popular varieties of sunflower are Teddy Bear Dwarf (2 feet), Giant Gray Stripe (15 feet), Italian White (6 feet) and Orange Sun Bright (6 feet). Just choose any variety of your own choice. If the question 'when to grow sunflowers' is lingering in your mind, then remember that you are supposed to sow the seeds during spring so that the sprouting sunflower seeds and growing plants enjoy a warm environment.

Sunflower plants are usually not affected by diseases. So, what are you waiting for? You can order sunflower seeds from Internet. I am sure you would enjoy the 'heliotropism', sunflower turning and tracking the sun's movement. At sunset, sunflowers return eastward, waiting the sunrise again! Bright yellow sunflowers can completely change the atmosphere of your home and can brighten up your day.