summate color and arbitrariness to almost any garden outer space with these low - maintenance , tight - growing , sun - loving salad days .
Sunflowers(Helianthus annuus ) are harbinger of summer , but they are also known for being easy to grow , heat - kind , pest - repellent , and quick to stretch as grandiloquent as the middling grownup . aboriginal to North America , yearly helianthus can grow almost anywhere — so it ’s not rare to find them growing along roadways , fences , and fields across the area .
Depending on your climate , annual sunflowers may begin blooming in late spring or early summer and keep until early fall . prime typically get with bright yellow petals and yellow , orange , or brown centers , but you may also find bloom with flower petal in red , orangish , maroon , and deep brown brown . helianthus make stunning cut flowers , but will attract bees , butterfly , and birdie to your thou for as long as they are allow on the stalk .
Credit: Bill Stites
Where to Plant Annual Sunflower
A breeze to grow from seminal fluid , sunflowers can be planted almost anywhere . For the toll of a packet of seeds , you may enjoy a bevy of these summertime beauties in the newspaper clipping garden , alongside a lustreless service department wall , near a mailbox , at the back of a cottage garden , or near your front door .
essentially , if your garden place has full Dominicus and well - drained soil , you’re able to produce sunflowers . habituate small varieties inlandscape bedsfor a mite of whimsy in summer solstice . Dress up a drab fencing with three rows of sunflowers , beginning with a knee - high variety ( like ' Sunspot ’ nanus sunflower ) up front , a midsize mixture ( like ‘ Taiyo ’ ) in the midriff , and a mammoth variety ( like ' Mongolian Giant ' ) next to the fence .
It should be notice thatHelianthus annuusis considered an invasive weed in parts of Nevada . In Iowa , the common helianthus is classified as a noxious dope . Before planting in these areas check with your local garden file name extension service bureau or cooperative .
Credit: Bill Stites
How and When to Plant Annual Sunflower
Start helianthus plant fromseed indoorssix to eight week before the last hoarfrost or sow in them straight off in the garden once soil has warmed in spring . In the garden , institute your sunflower seed about 1 inch deep and about 6 inch apart . Water as needed to keep the grease moist . Seedlings should emergein about 7 to 10 days ( but may take as retentive as 2 week ) .
When seedlings are about 3 inches tall , thin them so there is one plant every 12 to 18 in . Well - spaced seedlings are key to strong , upright helianthus later on in the time of year . Plants will develop imperfect and wonky stems if they grow too intimately together , or if they do n’t get enough luminance .
If you plant seeds every two weeks or so begin in late leap , you’re able to enjoy fresh crops of annual sunflower until the first icing .
Credit: Bill Stites
Annual Sunflower Care Tips
helianthus are easy to grow in almost any garden and arrive in a broad motley of sizes and colour . A quick looking at the seed rack at your local nursery or an online hunt will give away a legion of colorful helianthus , ranging from petite 2 - base - magniloquent varieties to colossus that stand 10 animal foot tall or more .
Light
As the name implies , annual helianthus prosper in full sun and will fare well if they get at least 6 to 8 hour of direct sunlight each day . In fact , subject area have shownthat growing sunflowers will turn to track the movement of the sunlight throughout the sidereal day . matured helianthus are likely to take root with their blooms facing E . If you choose to stake your sunflowers , invalidate doing so before it becomes necessary ( perhaps when they start to turn ) and essay not to stake the still hunt so tightly that the post restricts the raw movement of the helianthus .
Soil and Water
Sunflowers prefer moist , well - drain soil with a somewhat acidic to alkaline ground pH ( 6.0 to 7.5 ) but are adaptable to almost any dirt condition . In fact , the farsighted pat roots of the sunflower may improve filth conditions in locations where they are planted .
Annual sunflower are also drouth - resistant but will bloom better if water on a regular basis . When your sunflower is untried , water it deeply about once a workweek — or less if the weather is wet . This schedule will encourage your plant ’s roots to grow healthy and solid . Once it is mature , you could irrigate your sunflower just whenever the top 2 inches of stain finger wry . Be aware of overwatering as that can lead to ascendent rot and other problem .
Temperature and Humidity
helianthus are somewhat cold tolerant , but do n’t do well in frost atmospheric condition . For that cause , it ’s best to plant them only after the peril of frost has expire . The sweet spot for sunflower is when temperatures remain between 68- and 80 - degrees Fahrenheit . The summer - loving yearly are liberal of the season ’s highest temperatures , but when the thermometer tips above 95 ° atomic number 9 , you may notice some wilting and curling of the leaf and flower petal .
Sunflowers can also tolerate eminent humidity levels if they are imbed in well - draining soil and have mint of melodic phrase circulation to guard off antecedent decomposition and other fungal diseases .
Fertilizer
Annual helianthus like nutrient - rich stain and a springtime lotion of slow - liberation fertilizer that contains nitrogen , daystar , and potassium can help encourage blooms and goodly growth . If your dirt is already rich and loamy , you may not need to affix it with fertilizer at all . If you choose to use plant food , use it several inches aside from the groundwork of the plant and espouse the recording label ’s statement to avoid overfeeding . Excessive or incorrect use of fertilizer may induce the plant life ’s stalks to wilt or break .
Pruning
one-year sunflowers do not need rationalize , but you could deadhead the flower ( ideally before they produce seeds ) if you do not want ego - seeding to occur . If you wish to snub sunflower for bouquets , cut them early in the forenoon and before the petals have to the full opened from the font of the bloom . Cut the stems at a 45 - degree slant and verify each efflorescence has around 24 inch of base . Place your cut blossom in a bucketful of hot piss ( yes , hot ) and keep them in collateral light for several hour while they hock up the urine . After 6 to 24 hours , you’re able to move them to your bouquet or agreement .
Dwarf annual sunflowers , however , may do good from being pinch back at the jump of the develop season before prime buds come forth . This will help persuade lush growth . you could also deadhead the flush of the nanus annual after they fleet to encourage more peak .
Potting and Repotting
Sunflowers make great container flora — especially the dwarf sort . you’re able to also grow the midsize ( 3 to 6 foot)sunflowers in containers , but you will need a container tumid enough to admit both the mature height of the industrial plant and the long pat root . For midsize sunflowers , that signify selecting a pot that is at least 10 to 12 inches in diam ( or a 7 - to-10 - gallon Mary Jane ) . gnome motley should fare well in a 6 - in mountain ( for a single plant ) or a gallon size container ( for two to three works ) .
Choose a pot that has ample drain and is made from a stuff that will help the soil keep on its moisture — like credit card , metal , or glazed terra - cotta . Fill the container two - thirds of the direction with a productive , loamy potting mixture , moisten the soil , and add your semen . If you are institute multiple sunflowers , place the seeds close to 4 inches apart . Cover the ejaculate with more potting mix , tamp the soil down , and water again . point your container in an area that is protected from hard wind and receives 6 to 8 time of day of full sunlight each 24-hour interval . Keep the grunge equally moist , but not stiff , and the seeds should lead off to shoot in 7 to 14 24-hour interval .
Annual sunflowers dislike have their roots touch , so it ’s good to quash transplanting or repot them , if potential . If you must transfer yours , do it in mid to late spring ( before the growth time of year is in full swing ) to minimize transplant shock .
How to Propagate Annual Sunflower
The easy means to propagate annual sunflower is via seed . To harvest seeds from a mature helianthus plant , cut the whole flowerhead from its husk ( with approximately 12 inches of prow ) and wrap it in cheesecloth or a mesh bag to becharm any errant seeded player . Hang the flower head in a warm , teetotal lieu away from hungry squirrel and insects and take into account the flowerhead to dry out entirely . you may also locate a mesh old bag over the flowerhead while it is still on the stalk and leave it to dry in berth . If you are not straight - sow your seeds , save them in a cool , ironical emplacement to found the next spring .
Pests and Problems
Sunflowers are susceptible to issues with sunflower moths . These small , grizzly pestis position eggs on the helianthus that develop into larvae which feed on the flowerheads and tunnel through seed . Otherwise , insect - type pests tend to leave sunflowers alone . Birds , squirrels , and other modest rodents , however , are live to be a pain in the neck — particularly while you are trying to shoot new plant . Use a layer of net — like cheesecloth , garden sheepskin , or mesh bags — to dissuade seed - thieving critter from disrupting your crop . Deer are also prone to nibble on the new and established blossom principal . employ deer - resistant fencing or constitute a barrier ofdeer - repellent shrubsto keep them at alcove .
helianthus can also have issues with radical rot , powdery mildew , downy mold , and rust .
Types of Annual Sunflower
‘Autumn Beauty’ Sunflower
ThisHelianthusvariety endure large reddish - orange flowers on 5 - infantry - tall plants in zone 2 - 11 .
‘Evening Sun’ Sunflower
Helianthus’Evening Sun ' deliver ruby - burnt sienna flowers on large , 6- to 8 - foot - marvellous plants in zones 2 - 11 .
‘Gloriosa’ Sunflower
This type ofHelianthusbears magnanimous carmine - Orange River efflorescence on 8 - foot - tall plant with multiple branches in zones 3 - 10 .
‘Italian White’ Sunflower
Helianthus’Italian White ' bears creamy - white flower on 5 - infantry - tall plants in zone 4 - 9 .
‘Music Box’ Dwarf Sunflower
This dwarfHelianthuscultivar behave red and yellow-bellied flowers on 3 - understructure - tall works in zones 3 - 10 .
Sunbeam Sunflower
Helianthus’Sunbeam ' bears pollenless yellow flush with yellow shopping mall on 6 - foot - tall plants in zones 3 - 11 .
‘Teddy Bear’ Double Sunflower
ThisHelianthusvariety bears interesting double yellow flowers on dwarf 3 - foot - marvelous plants .
‘Velvet Queen’ Sunflower
Helianthus’Velvet Queen ' bears rich , rust - red flowers shadow with bronze on plants that produce 5 feet marvellous in zones 2 - 11 .
Companion Plants for Annual Sunflower
Castor Bean
Plant acastor beanand then stand back . This is one of the quickest - grow , gargantuan annuals in the garden , rivaled only perhaps by gargantuan sunflowers . By midsummer , you ’ll have a huge ( it can remove up to 20 human foot ) tropical works sporting Burgundy wine foliage . It ’s a great plant to grow with kids . Be deliberate , though . The seeds are super toxic . Wait to engraft it out of doors after all danger of Robert Lee Frost has passed ; beaver bean hates cool conditions and wo n’t develop well until temperature heat up in summertime .
Corn
Cornand sunflowers grow surprisingly well together — specially since sunflowers be given to attract ladybugs which feed on corn - damage pests like aphids , soupcon , and fruit flies . You will often find battlefield of corn surrounded by rows of sunflowers for this very understanding . That , and because birds are less likely to attack clavus plant when there are tasty sunflower seeds to eat nearby .
Kiss-Me-Over-the-Garden-Gate
adjudicate this delicious flush togrow something differentand striking in your garden . You do n’t see this old - fashioned plant as often as you used to , but when you do it is salient . Chain of finespun pinkish flower give ear down from magniloquent radical that can reach 12 ( or more ) feet tall on this fast - growing yearbook . It ’s great for make a ready privacy screen or making a bold statement in big containers . Kiss - me - over - the - garden - logic gate can , however , self - seed in the garden .
Nasturtiums
Like sunflowers , nasturtiumsgrow in force in full sun and are excellent at suppressing locoweed and appeal pollinators . The tight - develop annuals ( or perennials in zone 9 - 11 ) provide pretty lotus - like foliage even when the bright orange , pink , reddish , white-hot , and chickenhearted bloom are not in season . you could bump climbing , trailing , or mound cultivar that shape well in garden beds or container . Nasturtiums also do well as edging plants and can be used to surround veggie gardens as a innate pest deterrent .
Zinnia
Want dissolute color for just pennies?Plant zinnias ! A packet of seeds will fill an area with gorgeous prime in an awe-inspiring raiment of shapes and colors — even green ! And it will materialise in just weeks . There are countless types of zinnias , let in midget , marvellous , quill - leaf cactus , spider , and multicolor type . you’re able to also recover particular seed blends for cutting , for attracting butterfly , and more . Zinnias are so highly attractive to butterflies that you’re able to number on having these fluttering guests dining in your garden every afternoon . To maximize butterfly trial , industrial plant scads of marvellous , crimson or red-hot pinkish zinnias in a large plot of ground . ' Big Red ' is especially prissy for this and the prime are excellent for burn . Zinnias grow quickly from seed sow right in the primer coat and fare best in full sun with juiceless to well - debilitate soil .
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes , but not all variety show will acquire viable seeds . There are a number of sterile cultivar that have been developed to produce long - hold out blooms , but no seeds . These cultivar are commonly used in the cut prime industry . The turgid - lead varieties ( like ' Giant Grey Stripe ' , ‘ Titan ’ , and ' Mammoth Russian ' ) tend to be more successful at produce cum . These sunflower form a single large flower head atop a fore that may reach 10 feet or more . To glean , allow the semen head of these diverseness to start to dry and turn over white-livered before cutting the school principal off the stalk . hive away the head in a dry , well - ventilated place where the seeds can fully age . Seeds are ready to store or use up when the disk at the back of the flower has turned dour brown .
Technically , yes . It is possible . If you choose to , be mindful that giant cultivars ( like ‘ Mongolian ’ Giant ) can grow as improbable as 10 fundament with tap roots that extend as far as 6 feet deep . To accommodate a plant this size , you will need a very big ( 10 - congius or larger ) container and a organization of backing to keep it from toppling over .
Look at the seed label ( if you have it ) . While the botanic nameHelianthuscan refer to either annuals orperennials , annual sunflower are further defined by the latter half of their botanical name , annuus(which stand for annual ) . If you do n’t have the seed or works label , you’re able to spot the difference by noting the growth substance abuse and shape of your plants . yearly sunflowers lean to bloom a little later in the leap and will get much faster than perennials . annual also develop their bloom atop one main stalk as opposed to shape clumps of root and bloom . ultimately , yearbook have a rich taproots to support their tall stem while perennial sunflower develop an intricate system of genus Tuber and rhizomes that assist them survive the winter .
Credit: Bill Stites
Yes . sunflower have mysterious , sturdy strike roots that can give out up compacted territory , ameliorate the land structure , and express heavy metal ( like lead story , atomic number 30 , chromium , atomic number 48 , copper , arsenic , and manganese ) from the soil . Sunflowers can also deter weeds as their seeds create an allelopathic consequence — which is basically a biological chemical substance reaction that explain why some industrial plant wo n’t grow around others . This upshot has downsides , too . Since sunflowers are allelopathic , they can dissuade desired plants ( like grass ) from growing nearby . Potatoes and pole beans are also susceptible to the allelopathic result of sunflowers , so quash planting them in close proximity . pea and sweet peas , however , are o.k. to spring up as acompanion plant to sunflower .
Checklist of the Non - native plant of Southern Nevada . University of Nevada , Reno , College of Agriculture , Biotechnology & Natural Resources Extension .
Hartzler B , Anderson M. Common helianthus . Common sunflower | Integrated Crop Management . Accessed August 5 , 2024 . https://crops.extension.iastate.edu/encyclopedia/common-sunflower .
Credit: Charles Mann
Allelopathy . UF / IFAS Extension Gardening Solutions . Accessed August 5 , 2024 . https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/care/weeds-and-invasive-plants/allelopathy/#:~:text=Allelopathy%20explains%20why%20some%20plants,sometimes%20referred%20to%20as%20allelochemicals .
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