How to Grow:
Sunflowers can be planted by seed indoors up to 4-6 weeks before your last spring frost and outdoors 2 weeks before your last spring frost. You can see specific dates for your location using our FREE iOS, Android, and Universal Web App.
Sunflower seeds are planted 1/2 inch deep, 1 per square foot, in the full sun. Take care to notice what plants are around the area as well, see the companion plant section below. Your seeds should sprout within 7-10 days. You will need to provide your sunflowers with consistent moisture.
Companion Plants:
Companion planting is a vital part of organic gardening. Companion plants assist in the growth of others by attracting beneficial insects, repelling pests, or providing nutrients, shade, or support. There are also plants that do not like being next to each other. Some plants get too tall and can provide too much shade for your plant. Sometimes certain plants attract the same pests, so it is important to try and separate these. Herbs are especially great companion plants because they help to repel pests from your other plants!
| Good | Bad | |
| Artichokes | Nasturtiums | Mustard Greens |
| Corn | Oregano | Pumpkin |
| Cucumbers | Rhubarb | |
| Marigolds | Tarragon | |
| Marjoram | ||
See companion plants for 80+ foods in our FREE iOS, Android, and Universal Web app!
Pests:
Pests can be one of the most difficult challenges you face in the garden. We strive to grow food without the use of pesticide and luckily there are natural solutions for most of these nasty pests! The pests listed below are common pests for sunflowers:
Learn more about how to manage pests and attract beneficial insects in our FREE iOS, Android, and Universal Web App!
Harvesting:
Sunflowers will be ready to harvest in approximately 50-100 days. Once sunflowers start to hunch over it is a sign that the seeds are dried and ready to be harvested. To harvest the seeds, simply cut the head of the flower off and hang them in a warm, dry place to cure for several weeks. once they are completely dry, it is easy to just rub the flower head and brush the seeds out of the flower. The seeds can be stored in a mason jar.
Cooking & Eating!
Learn more about growing over 80 different foods, including how to manage various pests in our FREE iOS, Android, or new Universal Web App!
2 thoughts on “Sunflowers: How to Grow and When to Plant Sunflower Seeds in Your Backyard or Patio Garden!”
My first sunflowers made quite an impression, although I did not continue grow them like my nasturtiums. There were not so many varieties back then. Those that I grew a few years ago were the smaller and more colorful sort that are nice cut flowers. They make my garden look more Okie. I would like to grow the sunflower that is the state flower of Kansas, although I am not certain there is an exact species.