To tell you the truth, I have never grown any before, so I can’t really tell you how to grow sunflowers. I feed them to the birds during the winter and the ones they drop usually sprout, but technically, that’s not me growing them.
Since he doesn’t usually show any interest in the yard and garden, I can’t tell you how excited I was when Mr. Menace commented that he wanted to have sunflowers in the yard. I immediately went out and bought seeds to plant.
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I had already decided that I wanted to make a new flower bed behind the cute little shed and plant my bee balm there. It seemed like the addition of sunflowers would be perfect.
STEP ONE:
So I stuck a few seeds in the ground there behind the shed and in a few days, they began to pop up.
Like most gardeners, I wanted MORE!
So, when we had this garden plot plowed up and I decided to use this back area for flowers, I planted more seeds here by using my finger a stick to poke a hole in the dirt about 1 inch deep, then dropping in a sunflower seed, and covering it back up.
The sunflowers are the largest plants in the photo above that are closest to the camera.
They seem happy in this location and they turn their pretty heads to face the sun at all times of the day.
The sunflowers are the tall plants behind the zinnias that you see blooming on the right of the photo below.
I have been pleased with how well the whole garden has done this year, and I want to add more flowers to the cutting garden next year.
Oh wait, I haven’t finished telling you how to actually grow the sunflowers yet!
Well, actually I have. All you have to do is stick the seeds in the ground and wait. They will do the rest themselves.
There were a few that did not come up, or maybe the birds ate them, so I planted a second time in those places.
We ended up with a bumper crop and I am so pleased.
Have you ever grown sunflowers?
Lisa Hollowell says
Oh I must show Solomon your sunflowers and zinnias pictures! His zinnias are blooming beautifully. And his sunflowers are taller than I am but still haven’t opened! We are checking them every day and have even picked one plant to study for school. (We measure it every few days and have been keeping a chart. He was counting the leaves on it too but gave up on that as there are so many now.) We also planted a row of sunflowers in his pumpkin patch. They have started growing. There is one in there that apparently a bird planted awhile ago because it is blooming beautifully. Sunflowers are just so cheerful! My dad plants some in pots on his deck every year and actually takes time to chase the finches away from them. 🙂
Here’s a hint for you - take the head of one of your big sunflowers and pull all the seeds out and save them in an envelope to plant next spring. That’s what we did last summer with one of Solomon’s. So now all the seeds we planted this year are from that one huge sunflower and we didn’t have to spend any money buying more seeds!
Hmmmm … is there a way to do that with the zinnias?
gwingal says
My sunflowers just started opening! So I bet his open next week. I love that you found a way to incorporate the sunflower into school! Great idea. Also a great idea to save one head for seeds. Thanks! And yes, most flowers produce seeds. Just let a few flowers go to seed and collect the heads before they drop. 🙂
Lisa Hollowell says
Just showed Solomon and he loved the pics!
gwingal says
Thank you Solomon! I wish you could come see my garden and I’d love to come see yours too! xxoo
Carla J Gardiner says
I absolutely love your garden spot. Sunflowers and their seeds are my favorite. I’m not a great gardener, but rather a wanna be. Thanks for the step by step instruction on how to grow a sunflower.
gwingal says
Thanks Carla! I am really enjoying having a bigger garden this year. I do have several step by step instructions on various things if you are interested in giving gardening a shot. I will be adding more too. 🙂
Grammy Dee | Grammy's Grid says
I love them (as you know) and haven’t had any luck with them. Is it too late to try some now here in Tuscaloosa? Yours are awesome! Shared x 4 ♥
gwingal says
No, I think you can still plant them. Just have to make sure they don’t dry out before they get established, but with all the rain we are having hopefully that won’t be a problem. Let me know if you try! 🙂
mommyhon333 says
Nikki, it is so fun how you have really taken your blog in an additional direction with all of your gardening. These photos are frame-worthy! And your sunflowers rival Van Gogh’s. Gorgeous. When I see photos of lovely sprawling yards like yours, I wish we lived somewhere with a little land where plants can actually grow. But they require so much work and TLC and our Saturdays are reserved for baseball only. Beautiful, my friend.
gwingal says
Thanks Leslie. You are so kind. It is a lot of work but it’s how I spend my free time. 🙂
Alana says
Sunflowers reseed so easily that you may not even have to plant next year, unless you want a different variety. For some reason, though, I can not grow them at my house! We can st our community garden plot, though.
gwingal says
Oh yes, they do reseed easily, as my most prolific gardeners are the wild birds in my backyard. I have a ton of sunflowers growing under my feeders! 🙂
Julie says
I used to get the kids to grow a sunflower each when they were small, see which got the tallest etc. I love them. We used to put them along the fence between us and our next door neighbours and they would always face the neighbour!!
I think I need to plan sunflowers for our garden again next year.
gwingal says
Sunflowers are so much fun since they are so BIG and I love the way they turn their heads towards the sun. Great idea to measure them and keep track. 🙂
Mary-The Boondocks Blog says
Sunflowers always put a smile on my face and these are no exception! Oh how I wish I could grow them. Maybe if I ask my gardener dad nicely!
gwingal says
I think there are some smaller varieties Mary! You should look for some that you can grow in a pot. 🙂
cobanibleu says
Sunflowers are the most fun flowers ever!! So fun to grow and watch them grow and open!! Yours are doing fantastic and zinnias are just about my favorite flowers ever!! Such a fun garden!
gwingal says
Thanks Nancy! It has been a fun gardening season. I find myself wanting to enlarge it so I can grow more and more… 🙂
Julie Briones says
How PRETTYYYY! Your garden looks so healthy and vibrant! I hope you show more pics when everything is in full blooom!
gwingal says
Thank you Julie! We have had an abnormal amount of rain this year and the garden had loved it! 🙂
Sylvia Lance says
You have a great garden spot! Perfect for sunflowers! Thanks for joining us #BloggingGrandmothersLinkParty29
gwingal says
Thank you Sylvia! I am so glad to get this large garden spot this year. Thanks for visiting with me. 🙂
notjustpaperandpaint says
I love sunflowers and wish I had a great place for them. Except for just the smallish front yard, most everything else is shady and surrounded by trees. Luckily we have a few fields around here to visit to see all the pretties.
gwingal says
Oh there is nothing better than a field of sunflowers! I saw them once at Biltmore house and was amazed. 🙂