When to Plant Sunflower Seeds | How to Grow Sunflower

Sunflowers are highly pigmented, tall, and vibrant flowers. There are several varieties of sunflowers found. The one most commonly cultivated is 6ft -7ft big in size. Sunflowers are grown on a large scale due to their high market demand in various countries. This article will cover the topic – When to plant sunflower seeds and provide you with tips for better growth of your sunflowers.

Sunflowers belong to the daisy family hence contribute to the beauty of your garden. If you want to plant it in your garden, you can either grow a big sunflower or a miniature one. As its flowers stay fresh for weeks, they are great as a houseplant.

When to Plant Sunflower Seeds

Sunflowers are beautiful, tall plants that are great for adding color to your garden. They can grow up to six feet tall and are easy to grow, but before you can watch them in your garden, you need to know when the best time is for planting sunflower seeds and other factors affect sunflowers’ growth.

The initial step for planting the seeds is to prepare your soil mix by adding compost or manure and watering it. Then, leave it for a little time to settle so that the weeds start to grow. At this point, you can plant your sunflower seeds! They should be at least one inch deep and two inches apart in rows about twelve inches apart.

After watering, your seeds will start to germinate, and you will see little green stems appear from them. The next step is thinning (removing weak seedlings) out so there isn’t too much competition between the seedlings. You can do this by taking out the weakest-looking ones when they are about 2 to 3 inches tall. Then you will have a beautiful flower in just a few months!

Temperature Conditions

The best time to plant the sunflower seeds is when the soil temperature is around 60 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, which means that you can’t plant them too early in the spring. The seeds will rot before they even grow because the soil is still cold! There isn’t a specific temperature to avoid as  it’s more about avoiding hot weather, which tends to dry out your plants.

Climate Conditions

Soil preference and climate will vary depending on where you live in the world. But when in doubt, plant your sunflower seeds around May or June in most places! Then all you will need is a little bit of watering and time to watch them grow.

How to Grow Sunflower from Seed

Below are the steps that will help you grow sunflowers from seeds.

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1. Select fresh sunflowers seeds either at your local gardening center or buy them from an online store. Fresh seeds are recommended for use because the chances of germination for old seeds are very low.
2. Fill the pot with the soil or potting soil up to an inch below the top. The amount of soil needed depends on your container size. You can plant one or two seeds in each planter, depending on the type of sunflower you’ve chosen to grow. 
3. Water the soil until it’s nice and damp but not soggy. Water requirements depend on the climate and temperature conditions of your region. But a good rule is to let the soil dry out a bit before watering again. Sunlight intensity will also affect the water requirements of the plant.
4. Plant seeds about 1-2 inches deep from the top. A bigger sunflower plant can be achieved by planting a seed deeper, but a deep-planted seed will take longer to sprout because it’s harder for sunlight and water to reach down to the bottom. 
5. Cover the seeds with the potting soil up to an inch. Water the container thoroughly.
6. Keep the soil moist and ensure the plant gets enough sunlight throughout its growing process. At the initial stage, keep the pot in a semi-shaded area away from the direct sunlight.
7. If the temperature outside is very high, keep the seeds indoors until they are at least 3-4 inches tall. The time duration required for the seeds to germinate and grow depends on the quality of seeds and climate conditions. In about 7 – 10 days the new shoots will appear.

Best time to Plant Sunflowers from Seeds

Sunflowers majorly are summer plants. For that reason, the seeds should be sowed around May – June. If grown indoors, the plant should be providing with the artificial grow light to eliminate any sunlight deficiency.  When to plant sunflower seeds is a very important factor that determines the upright growth of the plant. 

Sunflower Plant Care

Sunflowers do not require much care or attention to grow, and very little care can help a sunflower plant grow well.

• It is always better to choose fresh seeds to pot as they have higher chances of germination.
• Sunflowers love moist soil. Using coconut peat can help the soil to hold moisture for a long period.
• At the initial stage of growth, the seedling should be protected from the direct sun rays.
• Sunflowers do not require any additional fertilizer, yet a small amount of NPK fertilizer can be added to the soil to boost the plant’s growth.
• While repotting plants in the ground, there should be a good gap between each plant so that the roots can grow better without tangling up with each other.
• Sunflowers require at least 6 – 8 hours of sunlight during the flowering season.

Conclusion

Having sunflowers in your garden can increase its beauty and make it even more appealing, as it gives us a sense of summer. Besides its beauty, there are several other uses of sunflowers. Growing sunflowers is not a tedious job if you know the right time when to plant sunflower seeds.

We have mentioned several factors to help you grow your sunflowers from the seeds in the quick guide. Being a gardener I have provided you with all the information good to my knowledge, if you still have any doubts about the topic, please feel free to contact us.