Farming Sunflower: Seed to Harvest

The sunflower is an annual plant with a sizeable daisy-like flower face. Sunflowers are heliotropic, which means that they turn their flowers to follow the movement of the Sun across the sky from east to west and then return at night to face the east, ready again for the morning sun. There are tons of varieties of sunflowers available today, so there’s bound to be one that fits your garden. Sunflowers are easy to grow from seed and fun for all the family.

Sunflower Cultivation

Choose a planting site in your garden with fertile soil. Sow sunflower seeds directly in your outdoor garden when the risk of frost has passed in late spring. Sunflowers should be planted 1 to 1½ inches deep and about 6 inches apart after the soil has thoroughly warmed. If you wish, you can plant multiple seeds and thin them to the strongest contenders when the plants are six inches tall. A light application of fertilizer mixed in at planting time will encourage strong root growth to protect them from blowing over in the wind.

If you see birds scratching around for the seeds, spread netting over the planted area until the seeds germinate. Protect the young plants from slugs and snails, and water regularly. Tall species and cultivars require support. Bamboo stakes are a good choice for any plant that has a strong, single stem and needs support for a short period of time.

Harvesting

Sunflowers reach full maturity in around three months. The flower head will also point towards the ground when the plant begins to wane and die. At this point, cut off the flower heads and hang them in a cool, dry area for a week. To remove the seeds, rub your hand over the seeded area and pull them off the plant or you can use a fork.

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