Nothing in nature amply comprehend the fondness and cheer of summertime and fall like the sunflower . Withwarm weather bloomsranging from the lightest yellow to the mystifying flushed and even chocolate brown , they add an element of reverence to nearly any garden space — an element that I ’ve been attempting to copy in my own garden for years . Every outflow , another fresh obstacle got in my way . That is — until now .
This summertime , my side one thousand is lined with 6 to 10 - foot - magniloquent sunflowers . I ’ve enjoyed a number of shiny yellow blooms in the last few weeks , though the torrid show is far from over . For every bud that ’s blossom so far , there are at least three more that have n’t yet . So what did I do otherwise this class ?
To help us pick up how to grow sunflower , I spoke with Teagan Lee Milera , a 6th propagation farmer atLee Farms , which her family owns and operates . She and her sister Kara even runOregon ’s big Sunflower Festival , which takes position every August — so she knows her way around a sunflower field . I ’m here to bring home the bacon a backyard - well-disposed point of persuasion , so you ’re sure to get all the information and ideas for growing your own elephantine - sized sunflower at domicile . get ’s dive in !
Why plant sunflowers?
Who does n’t love the bright , pollyannaish peck of a helianthus in full bloom ? These beauties come in a variety of color and type to keep your garden vibrant , while their familiar yellow profile is n’t hard to notice when seed shopping in the spring or crepuscle . Apart from their popularity in floral transcription , garden beds , and even pumpkin patches , why are sunflowers grow ?
Agriculturally speaking , sunflowers are grown for a variety show of purposes , from the output of nutrient items to the enrichment of the soil they grow in . For the sisters at Lee Farms , helianthus are the principal of “ agritainment ” ( or “ agriculture entertainment ” ) on the Oregon prop . They are , in the words of Lee Milera , “ for visitant experience and enjoyment . ”
“ We dedicate approximately five acres to get sunflowers for the pure aim of entertaining visitors , ” she says . “ Once our fete wraps up , we cut down down the sunflower stems and remnant flower heads and seeds and feed them to our cattle . Sunflowers are an excellent beginning of fat and protein . ”
helianthus seeds are for certain a democratic snack — and a great accession to any salad — while the oil they produce helot as a voguish choice to vegetable or olive crude oil . helianthus oilcan be used as an ingredient in grooming or as nut butter substitutes . It can also be used on its own for fry , sautéing , or scorch a act of delicious foods . Cattle are n’t the only ones who savour a good sunflower snack .
In 2017 , researchers from the University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources dove into canvas thelong - condition benefits of sunflower cropson the soil and surrounding environment . They found that sunflowers improve land condition by breaking it up with their strong taproot system , introducing good fungi and bacteria to the exist nutrients and add more constituent biomass to the soil .
As it turn out , sunflower also containsubstances that are toxicto other plant ( do n’t worry — it ’s not harmful to masses or animals ) . Grass , potatoes , and even weeds may have a harder prison term growing near these bloom , which could be either an advantage or disadvantage in your home garden .
Why didn’t my sunflowers grow?
Since I was a child , I ’ve been enchanted by sunflower . Every spring I would purchase cum and start them in the backyard , only to be swallow up by dashing hopes when they never made it far past the seedling stage . What was I doing wrong ?
My biggest fault were a lack of pest control condition ( I was n’t anexperienced gardenerat the ripe old age of 12 ) and not start my seeds out of doors . Though sunflowers can utterly be start indoors , specially when there ’s still risk of freeze , this pee-pee the growing mental process unnecessarily complex . When planted directly in the dirt , helianthus are hardy and forgive plants . Lee Milera explains that “ you’re able to have pretty pitiful filth calibre and give some sunflower seed down and they will very in all probability grow . Anyone can grow them ! ”
That being said , there are a few things you should know before planting helianthus seed in your garden , especially if you want to spring up the tallest , most intelligent plants .
How to plant sunflowers in your backyard
Though sunflowers are famously low - sustentation when grown in the correct setting , reading up about the Helianthus ( the helianthus ’s Latin byname ) and their basic needs can give you a jump start on the path to a exuberant garden .
How much space does a sunflower plant need?
When it comes to sunflowers , according to the sisters at Lee Farms , place and stain requirements are minimal . As Teagan Lee Milera said , you may practically toss away down some cum and wait for them to get ! In fact , it ’s not rare for sunflowers to plant themselves : they ’ll often spud beneath bird feeders since minuscule sunflower seeds are a popular component in bird feed .
For the idealistic status , however , your garden filth should be warm with at least modal drainage . The seeding pro at Burpee admit that youngsunflowers can survive a frostor two , peculiarly in localisation where the grow season is brusque — but this does n’t mean they should . If you may , hold back until your soil temperature are at least 65 degrees . In place like California ’s Sacramento Valley and mellow desert , you could in all probability maturate sunflowers year - round , though locales such as New England will have to stick closer to a traditional saltation - declension schedule .
When I implant what would become this summer ’s dreamlike sunflower forest — I plantedthese seedsin late springiness — I survey the directions on the seed mail boat to a T. I sowed each semen about 8 inch apart in a checker board design ( row are the most popular , and well-off proficiency ) and covered each with an column inch of soil .
Though Lee Milera is good in sound out sunflowers do n’t need a lot of space to start growing , their theme may diffuse out further from the stalk than you look . My fully maturate sunflowers are space at least two feet apart , which required some thinning as they grew — but more on that later .
How much water does a sunflower plant need?
Sunflowers are forgiving and drouth - tolerant , which makes them a heavy plus to any one thousand in the dry American West . They originated in the plains — which tend to be wry — from as far north as Canada to as far to the south as Mexico , though they can hold hardiness zones 2 - 11 ( viaMissouri Botanical Garden ) .
With sunflowers , overwatering can be more harmful to the plant than under - lacrimation . Pooling of weewee can head to root rot , even when helianthus are fully originate ; though their specific urine needs change a bit reckon on their stage of growing , more water should be given when they ’re first planted . you could reduce this to once or twice a hebdomad once the plant are established . According to SF Gate , infrequent but deep watering is idealto boost mystifying theme growth , though more water can be impart in the 20 day before and after flowering for healthy blush .
When watering , ensure that several inch of the soil is soaked through . This may take several gallons for more than one plant . One way to ascertain right watering is to use helianthus breederDr . Tom Heaton ’s prize - acquire technique : dig a moat around each sunflower — about 18 inches in diam and 4 inches deep . When you water your plant , water directly into this moat to assure the tooth root are hydrated .
try out to water your sunflowers in the morning or evening , when they can soak up the most water without sunshine evaporating it . Keep an optic on your sunflowers to approximate whether you ’re giving them the appropriate amount of urine . wilt parting and flowers is a good indicator of under - watering , while overwatering may lead in yellowing or browning leaf in addition to wilting .
How much light does a sunflower plant need?
These plants are named “ helianthus ” for a reason : they love the light . These beauties do best in full Dominicus , which is any touch that puzzle six or more hour of direct sunlight per day . This is n’t to say that Helianthus ca n’t develop in fond shade , though the single that do tend to acquire few and small blossom . plant repose in the wraith may not need as much water , either .
fix is key to guaranteeing enough sunlight for your flowers . Once you find the perfect spot , though , Mother Nature will do the rest for you .
Pest control for sunflowers
When I arise sunflower in past years , I was n’t prepared to protect them from birds and insects who bonk them just as much as I do . Any seedlings that survive transplant were quickly gobble up by thirsty caterpillars or completely tear out of the soil by hiss . It was queerly relieve to listen that even Lee Farms has trouble verify pests on their helianthus . Luckily , Lee Milera was generous enough to share their strategy :
“ We release ladybugs every summer into the fields which have a small but worthy impact , ” she explains . “ If we find a vast plague of sunflower beetle or Japanese mallet then we might dust someSevin pesticide powderon that area of the field . Typically , we do n’t practice pesticide . ”
Sevin is a pop name - firebrand insecticide that ’s available at most menage improvement and garden stores . Its master element — carabyl — isEPA - approvedfor safe use on garden plants , fruits , and vegetables , though it should still be used with utmost caution .
A homemade option for caterpillar dissuasion is a chili powder / pee premix , which I used this twelvemonth at the first sign of the zodiac of insect damage to my seedlings . Some plant can be hurt by chili powder , so it ’s always impertinent to give this strategy a test before going all out .
“ Another trick we apply , ” break Lee Milera,“is to roll the rows with a tractor implement after planting the seeded player so that chick ca n’t see the precise cable of rows , which helps eliminate shuttlecock and squirrels from eat on the seed before they germinate . ”
Luckily , the Lee Farms sunflower field is large enough that pest usually do n’t pose a significant problem . For those of us without tractors at plate , hang shiny or reflective objects nearby , likereflective pinwheel wind collector , is another method to use .
Weed control for sunflowers
pot control is the big obstruction that both Teagan Lee Milera and her kinsperson have faced on their five - Accho helianthus mend . “ We practice a lot of compost in our fields and with the productive compost material , also come a short ton of sess ! ” So what can be done to help ?
“ After we plant our helianthus seeds , we use a pre - emergent element , ” she explains . “ This helps with some green goddess control ; however , we employ such a mild form ( Prowl at a very low rate ) that we still have many widow’s weeds to control . ” Prowl is a water - based pendimethalin herbicide that help with weed control , though it hold the same factor as the well - bang brand name , Preen .
weedkiller sure enough are n’t the only way to control the mien of weeds . “ We then start pulling pot by deal , ” say Lee Milera , “ and civilize with a tractor in between the row to uproot gage . We sometimes even pout in between the rows . ”
When in uncertainty , some backbreaking weed commit gets the job done . This twelvemonth , I pulled every sprout by mitt and never feel overwhelmed as long as I weeded regularly . You do n’t needfully need fancy equipment to keep your sunflowers pest - free , though it surely make it more commodious .
How to help sunflowers grow tall
Dr. Tom Heaton , sunflower breeder extraordinaire , pen that the marvelous , most impressive sunflower wo n’t be found in a muckle . That ’s not to say they wo n’t grow , but with a deep root system of rules needed to cast anchor them , sunflowers in pots will be very limited in sizing . Instead , sample planting them right away in the terra firma whenever you ’re ready .
As Teagan Lee Milera shared , Lee Farms utilize compost in the soil to help enrich flora from the very beginning of their life cycles . In addition to being environmentally friendly , composting is a great way to append nutrients and anatomical structure to your soil — and the plants that call it home .
As your sunflowers turn , you might require to ply them with some surplus stability . marvelous plants with surface - level ascendant are especially tender to wind , which means that drier sunflowers are more likely to need a little assistance . A childlike garden interest will do just fine , though you may involve to upgrade as your sunflower gains height .
If you embed multiple seeds in one location or notice your sunflowers are growing nigh together , you may have to do some deliberate thinning . This can be a hard thing for a works parent to do , but it ’s necessary for the level-headed increase of most plants .
When your seedling develop their first unfeigned leaves , thin out them until plants are spaced 1 to 2 feet apart , depending on the expected ( and desire ) size of the mature flora . Many larger varieties can grow closer together but will mature with much minor buds . Branching varieties of sunflower will have a go at it having more blank to themselves , so it ’s best to cognise what you ’re plant .
What to do with your sunflower
As yoursunflowers bloom , you ’re face with many alternative — just what should you do with your stunning new foliage ? Helianthus makes the double-dyed gain to any floral arrangement , or even displayed on their own . For tips on cutting and display your sunflowers , as well as drying and harvesting the seeds , break outthis helpful webpagefrom Lee Farms ’ annual Oregon Sunflower Festival .
Though many factors finally affect a plant ’s achiever , growing helianthus in the right conditions can be as easy as pie . It ’s all about knowing what to look for in your technique , your timing , and — of line — your environment . With any fortune and a bit of hard work , your yard will be brimming with luscious summertime and autumn blooms — all thanks to you .
For sunflower enthusiasts in the westerly United States , theOregon Sunflower Festivalis the place to be . Lee Farms opens their farm and sphere to the public every weekend in August ( include Fridays ) from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. purely for the celebration of these sunny blooms .
Every ticket , which should be purchased in advance to reduce crowding , includes one U - Pick bloom from the sunflower field , a scenic hayride out to a helianthus maze , and access to live music , food , and beverages , as well as over 120 acres of beautiful farmland to visit . The space is also open around sunset for picture taking , though reservation are require .
set aside your ticket now atoregonsunflowerfestival.comif you ’re concerned in a summertime treat . you may also catch up on the amazing work of Teagan Lee Milera and her kin onLee Farms ’ Website , or over on theFestival ’s Instagram page .
felicitous planting !
