Sunflowers how tall

Planting from the end of May in the northern hemisphere and end of October in the southern hemisphere will ensure you catch the best of summer sunshine and warmth, and miss the last of the winters ground frost. Allow a width of around 2 feet from another sunflower or other plants. Plant in an area of soil that is well-drained, and at least 2 feet in depth. Sunflowers are generally deep-rooted plants.

They need to be provided with a sufficient anchor to support the height and they can be thirsty friends. So ideally, the ground needs to have been left fallow for a year before-hand so that groundwater stocks can be replenished.

Or, ensure you thoroughly water your sunflower to provide sufficient nourishment. The path to sunlight is obviously a factor. For best results, ensure your little yellow sunflower friend can see the sun from as far in the East as possible in the early part of the day. To as far as possible to the West. If this is not possible, then at least try to ensure it has a good amount of sun as early as possible in the day and for as much of the day as possible.

If planting out shortly after rooting, ensure you provide it with sufficient netting or protection from rodents and insects to enable it to establish. Keep weeds at bay and water frequently. As mentioned, for a full guide, see HERE. In Conclusion Sunflowers are tall mainly because they evolved that way. Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published.

When and How to Water Them. All rights reserved. Content Protected! One of the most sought-after colored sunflowers, Moulin Rouge sunflowers grow to about 4 feet tall. They're known for their burgundy red petals that are resistant to fading from the sun. For a multicolored sunflower, try planting Strawberry Blonde sunflowers, which can grow to about 5 feet tall. The petals fade from a creamy white into a reddish-pink closer to the center. As one of the darkest sunflowers, Chianti sunflowers are known for their deep red wine colored petals.

They grow to about 4 to 6 feet tall, produce multiple flowers per stem, and are pollen-free. Growing to about 5 feet tall, Italian White sunflowers are a favorite among bees and butterflies. Their petals are more slender and less crowded than traditional sunflowers and boast a creamy color. These autumn-hued sunflowers will make a great transition into your fall garden. Earthwalker sunflowers grow to between 6 to 9 feet tall and have petals with dark, earthy hues like brown, red, and gold.

Country Life. Design Ideas. Home Maintenance. Country Living Shop. Shopping Guides. United States. Type keyword s to search. Today's Top Stories. Makeover Takeover: Colonial Comeback.

Treat Your Family to Homemade Cupcakes. Sunflowers are heavy feeders, so the soil needs to be nutrient-rich with organic matter or composted aged manure. Or, work in a slow release granular fertilizer 8 inches deep into your soil. If possible, plant sunflowers in a spot that is sheltered from strong winds, perhaps along a fence or near a building. Larger varieties may become top-heavy and a strong wind can be devastating. Before planting, decide whether or not you want to grow a fun sunflower tower.

If you wish, you can plant multiple seeds and thin them to the strongest contenders when the plants are six inches tall.

Give plants plenty of room, especially for low-growing varieties that will branch out. Make rows about 30 inches apart. For very small varieties, plant closer together. A light application of fertilizer mixed in at planting time will encourage strong root growth to protect them from blowing over in the wind. Experiment with plantings staggered over 5 to 6 weeks to keep enjoying continuous blooms. If you see birds scratching around for the seeds, spread netting over the planted area until seeds germinate.

See more ways to keep birds away from your garden. Check out this video to learn how to plant sunflowers:. Caring for Sunflowers While the plant is small, water around the root zone, about 3 to 4 inches from the plant. To protect the plant, it may help to put snail or slug bait around the stem. Once the plant is established, water deeply though infrequently to encourage deep rooting.

Unless the weather is exceptionally wet or dry, water once a week with several gallons of water. Feed plants only sparingly; overfertilization can cause stems to break in the fall. 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.

Birds and squirrels will show interest in the seeds. If you plan to use the seeds, deter critters with barrier devices.

As seed heads mature and flowers droop, you can cover each one with white polyspun garden fleece. If you have deer , keep them at bay with a tall wire barrier. Curious deer may bite the heads off of young sunflowers. Sunflowers are relatively insect-free. A small gray moth sometimes lays its eggs in the blossoms. Pick the worms from the plants. Downy mildew , rust , and powdery mildew can also affect the plants. If fungal diseases are spotted early, spray with a general garden fungicide.

Cutting Sunflowers for Bouquets For indoor bouquets, cut the main stem just before its flower bud has a chance to open to encourage side blooms. Cut stems early in the morning. Harvesting flowers during middle of the day may lead to flower wilting. Handle sunflowers gently. The flowers should last at least a week in water at room temperature. Arrange sunflowers in tall containers that provide good support for their heavy heads, and change the water every day to keep them fresh.

Harvesting Sunflower Seeds At the end of the season, harvest sunflower seeds for a tasty snack and or to replant or to feed the birds in the winter! Let the flower dry on or off the stem until the back of the head turns brown, the foliage turns yellow, the petals die down, and the seeds look plump and somewhat loose.

With sharp scissors or pruners, cut the head off the plant about 6 inches below the flower head. Place in a container to catch loose seeds. Lie the sunflower head on a flat, clean surface and grab a bowl to hold the seeds. To remove the seeds, simply rub your hand over the seeded area and pull them off the plant or you can use a fork.

Another way to remove them is to rub the head of the sunflower across an old washboard or something similar. Just grip the head and rub it across the board as if you were washing clothes.

If you are going to harvest the seeds for roasting, you can cover the flowers with a light fabric such as cheesecloth and a rubber band to protect the heads from the birds. Rinse sunflower seeds before laying out to dry for several hours or overnight. Learn how to roast seeds in the cooking notes below. Its seeds are excellent for snacks and bird feeders, too.

The big, no-mess, pollenless flowers have rich, golden-yellow rays and green-yellow centers. The fluffy, deep-gold, 5-inch blossoms last for days in a vase. Some cultures see sunflowers as a symbol of courage.

Dwarf sunflowers provide the beauty of sunflowers with little care, other than consistent watering. All sunflowers follow the path of the sun when they are young and typically face east when they bloom. Planting them on the northern or western side of your property allows you to view them when in bloom. Regardless of their size, sunflowers prefer a sunny location that receives six to eight hours of direct sunlight a day.

Although they will tolerate nearly any soil, they prefer evenly moist, fertile, well-drained soil with a pH between 6. Nannette Richford is an avid gardener, teacher and nature enthusiast with more than four years' experience in online writing. By Nannette Richford.