How about having hundreds of colorful butterflies, birds, and bees flying around your garden landscape? Try this – grow sunflowers to invite these beautiful airborne creatures into your garden and see the magic!
The fast-growing, luminous yellow blooms of sunflowers are enjoyed for their panoramic beauty and are the source for a tasty treat! Helianthus annus; Sunflowers are both a splendid flower and a magnificent snack producer! Growing sunflowers in your home garden is an experience that gives immense pleasure to everyone. Children are often tempted to grow their own big blooms of sunflowers to compete with their friends.
Sunflower seeds, a tasty and healthy snack are a rich source of vitamins & protein that are essential for the human body. The oil from sunflower seeds enhances immune systems and reduces the risk of various diseases. For bird feeders, the seeds are mixed with high-quality nuts and pallets in seed bars, seed mixes, suet cakes, etc. providing energy to keep birds warm and healthy in freezing months.
Before planting, choose the best variety of sunflower seeds according to your hardiness region. For the successful growth and health of your sunflower plants, sow the seeds directly into the garden beds only after the final frost. You can also germinate the seeds in pots two to three weeks prior to the last frost and the seedlings can later be transplanted into the well-prepared beds.
A well-drained, loose, rich organic soil is preferred to grow sunflower from seed. Sow the seeds two inches deep, one to two feet apart in a row and rows at a distance not more than three to four feet. The availability of regular water and full sun is very essential for the proper growth of Sunflower plants. It takes nearly two weeks for the plants to appear and three months to fully mature. A recommended water-soluble fertilizer would help the flower buds to develop into bigger blooms. Protect your flowers from birds and squirrels with the help of cheesecloth or screen.