The perfect choice for any Sunflower lover, this mixture contains five different varieties for a blaze of bright, sunny beauty in the summer garden or meadow. We’ve included five popular sunflowers: Black Oil, Lemon Queen, Dwarf Sunspot, Dwarf Sungold and Wild Sunflower. All are sturdy-stemmed and long-blooming, standing tall in the garden throughout the season and attracting plentiful pollinators.
Planting sunflower seeds is a relatively simple process that can be done in a few steps:
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Choose a sunny spot: Sunflowers need a lot of sunlight to grow, so choose a spot that gets at least six hours of direct sunlight each day.
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Prepare the soil: Sunflowers grow best in well-drained soil that is rich in organic matter. If your soil is poor, you can improve it by adding compost or other organic matter.
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Sow the seeds: Sunflowers can be sown directly into the ground in the spring, after the last frost. Plant the seeds about 1 inch deep and 6 inches apart. If you want to start the seeds indoors, plant them in peat pots about three weeks before the last expected frost.
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Water the seeds: Keep the soil moist but not waterlogged. Sunflower seeds will germinate in about seven to 10 days.
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Thin the seedlings: Once the seedlings are about 3 inches tall, thin them to 18 to 24 inches apart.
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Care for the plants: Water the sunflowers regularly and fertilize them every few weeks. If the plants are tall, you may need to stake them to keep them upright.
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Harvest the seeds: Sunflowers will start to produce seeds in late summer or early fall. When the back of the flower head turns yellow and the petals start to wilt, cut the head off and hang it upside down to dry. Once the seeds are dry, you can remove them by rubbing them with your hands or using a screen to separate them from the chaff.
