Sunflowers are the favorites of many gardeners. These flowers compete with the sun and in some neighborhoods there are competitions for the most beautiful and the largest sunflower of the year. Sunflowers are ideal garden plants, but they also thrive in pots and tubs and decorate terraces and balconies. They are absolutely versatile and easy to care for. Sunflowers are annual plants. They are sown and “reaped” in the same year. In a short time they can grow up to three meters high. Even five meters have already been reached. Most stay about two meters, but that’s quite remarkable. There are beautiful varieties, in different colors and also multicolored. The big sun are only pseudo flowers, which consist of more than 15,000 individual flowers. The large flower is constantly leaning towards the sun.
Did you know that …?
Sunflowers don’t just look good. They also ensure healthy air. A sunflower binds the carbon dioxide present in a room of 100 cubic meters per day. In addition, the seeds of the sunflower are extremely useful. They can be used in many ways. If the flower heads remain in the garden, the seeds serve as food for birds. Humans use sunflowers as a source of oil. The seeds are processed during baking and can also be eaten as a snack and go well with salads. Sunflower oil and the seeds are considered extremely healthy in many cultures. We Germans are still lagging behind. Very few will have ever heard of oil pulling, which can be used to detoxify and purify the body and which is very healthy for teeth and oral flora.
sorts
There are many beautiful varieties. But looks are one thing. Sunflower varieties that are pollen-free have come into fashion. Although there is no longer any yellow pollen, pollen-free sunflowers are useless for bees and bumblebees. That’s just a shame and useless. Better to use normal sunflower varieties. Unfortunately, the normal varieties are rather rare to get. Pollen-free seeds are on the rise.
- Orange Mahogany Bicolor – petals orange inside, yellow outside, very large heads – 12 to 18 cm in diameter, divided into multiple stalks, height about 2 meters
- Solar Power – medium yellow petals with a dark orange inner ring, dark heart, medium sized heads, many flower stalks, height about 1.70 m, pollen free
- Velvet Queen – magnificent, velvety red-brown flowers (mahogany to burgundy) with a dark heart, valuable bee plant, well branched, medium-sized flower heads, height about 1.70 metres
- Clarett – velvety shiny flowers in deep dark red to cinnamon brown, good side shoots, low in pollen, flower diameter 12 to 15 cm, height up to 2 metres
- Double Dandy – bright, double, double flowers in dark red, flower diameter about 15 cm, pollen-free variety, well-branched growth, small variety only 60 to 80 centimeters high
- Calypso – two-tone flowers, very long flowering period, pollen-free variety, well branched, height of growth around 1.60 to 2 metres
- Ruby Eclipse – ruby-red flowers with a yellow ring around the dark flower disc and cream-yellow tips, pollen-free variety, height of growth about 1.80 metres
- Magic Roundabout – multicolored flowers (bicolor and tricolor), yellow and orange, large heads, tall variety, height about 2.20 meters
- Italian White – cream-white flowers, dark brown eye, diameter 10 to 12 cm, many flowers, very old variety, flowers for a long time, height about 1.20 meters
- Orange Sun – ball-shaped, double flowers in bright yellow, large heads, 1 to 1.50 meters high
- Garden Statement – lemon yellow petals in two circles around a dark heart, medium sized heads, many flowers, height about 0.80 m
- Titan Giant Sunflower – yellow flowers around a huge brown heart, 40 cm and more in diameter, single-stalked, pollen-free cultivar, 4 to 4.5 meters
- Sunspot – golden yellow flowers around a golden heart, diameter 20 to 30 cm, small variety, about 40 cm but very compact, well branched,
- Teddy bear – densely filled yellow flower heads, diameter 10 to 15 cm, multi-stalked, well branched, height of growth 50 to 70 centimetres
Caring for sunflowers
Sunflowers are grateful flowering plants. They get by with minimal care and often develop into meter-high suns. A good, nutrient-rich plant substrate, sufficient water and fertilizer and as much sun as possible and little wind are also decisive for this. Otherwise the plants are very frugal. Sunflowers in planters rarely reach the size of specimens planted out in the open. This is usually because there is not enough space in a bucket for growth in these dimensions. That’s why you shouldn’t plant sunflowers too densely in the garden.
location
The most important thing about sunflowers is the sun. The location should therefore be chosen as sunny as possible. A wind-protected place is also important so that the stems do not bend or even break off.
- Warm and sunny location
- A place that is not too windy is important, because the stems bend quite easily.
- The plants are ideally placed in front of a wall or a fence or a trellis, to which they can be tied as a support.
- Sufficient space is important. There should not be more than four plants per square meter.
- Large varieties should have a distance of 70 to 80 cm from each other, small ones about half.
plant substrate
The substrate is also crucial for healthy, stable and large sunflowers. It is important that it is nutritious. The more nutritious, the better the growth of the plants.
- Nutritious soil is important.
- Deep, humus-rich and nutrient-rich soil is ideal.
- If the substrate is sandy and very permeable, more fertilizer must be used.
- It is good to mix compost or horn shavings into sandy soil.
plant
In most cases, a sunflower is grown from seed. But of course you can also buy a flower and then plant it. Sunflowers are popular little gifts. Already in the spring they are offered in bloom. To enjoy these specimens for longer, you can plant them out in the garden. Then there is also a chance to be able to harvest cores.
There is nothing special to consider when planting. The bale should be sufficiently watered. Don’t set the flower too deep, but also not too high. Water well after planting. That’s it.
watering and fertilizing
Sunflowers need plenty of water and fertilizer so that they bloom particularly beautifully and for a long time. Potted plants in particular should not be forgotten, otherwise they will quickly say goodbye. The soil should never dry out completely. Planted sunflowers cope much better with a lack of water. However, this should not happen often, as it hinders good and even growth.
- In sunny and warm weather, the flowers need water every day.
- The plants are very thirsty, especially in the bucket, but do not tolerate waterlogging.
- In extreme cases, sunflowers need a dose of water in the morning and evening.
- A lack of water can easily be recognized by hanging heads and leaves.
- Use liquid fertilizer once or twice a week when watering.
- It is best to fertilize with an emphasis on nitrogen. But potassium and boron are also important so that the stems are stable and the plant has strength, not just growing in length.
- Nettle manure is ideal for sunflowers. They get a real boost and stay healthy.
- With too little and wrong fertilizer, the flower heads remain small.
To cut
A cut is not necessary, because sunflowers are only one year old. In autumn you can simply pull the stalk out of the ground with a tug. Shake off the soil and discard the stems and leaves.
multiply
Sunflowers are sown. It’s very easy and hassle-free. Although it is possible to bring the flowers forward in the house, it is actually not necessary. You can save yourself the work. I’ve been doing this for years too and now that I sow directly outdoors I’m having more success. It takes about 11 weeks to flower. If you want to enjoy a long flowering period, sow staggered. Do not put all the seeds into the ground at the same time, but always at intervals of, for example, a week.
- Sow at soil temperatures of 7 to 8° C, which are usually the beginning of April.
- Row spacing of 75 cm
- Planting distance 45 cm
- Sowing depth 4 to 6 cm
- If you sow in the tub, you have to sort out weaker specimens later. A maximum of two plants should be left in a pot with a diameter of 35 cm.
- Solitary plants are best.
diseases and pests
Many sunflowers break off. The heads are too heavy for the stems. But if this is only kinked and not broken off properly, you can still save everything. One must splint the stem. The best way to do this is with bamboo sticks that are attached to the break point with packing tape. Mostly they continue to grow flowers well.
Sunflowers are actually quite robust and healthy. Nevertheless, there are some pathogens that can infect the plants.
The pests are mainly aphids, spider mites, thrips and aphids. Every now and then cicadas, leaf bugs and leaf miners appear.
Fungi – Various fungi can occur. Unfavorable weather and site conditions are usually responsible. Many lead to root or root collar rot. The best known is the Verticillium wilt. Fighting is not possible. Leaf spot pathogens occur quite frequently, including fungi. They mostly occur in humid weather. Powdery mildew is also not uncommon. It arises on the leaves. Downy mildew can be found under the leaves.
Sunflowers for potted plants
There are now some sunflower species that are particularly suitable for cultivation in planters. But what you should know is that the seeds of these specially bred varieties should not be eaten. They are treated with growth regulator hormones to artificially keep the plants at a height of 30cm.
When keeping buckets, it is important to choose a large container. There must be plenty of soil to store water and nutrients. It is ideal if there is a hand’s breadth of space between the root ball and the edge of the container on all sides.
