Sunflower happiness
TALL YELLOW: NOW IS THE TIME TO START SOWING SUNFLOWERS Plants grow best in full sun, in prepared soil that drains well.
Sow sunflowers, and you sow happiness. Who can possibly feel down when looking at a garden bed filled with sunflowers, holding their huge yellow heads up to the sun?
September is the beginning of spring, and spring is the time to sow sunflowers. For home gardeners, Kirchhoffs has three different varieties to suit large and small gardens as well as for growing in a container.
The traditional sunflower is “Tall Yellow”, with golden-yellow petals and a dark centre. Plants grow 1m to 1.5m tall and need staking. The flower head is large, about 15cm in diameter and is held very flat and close to the stem.
These sunflowers will do well at the back of a flower bed, or in the veggie garden, where they can be planted as a companion plant with basil and tomatoes. The sunflowers will encourage the pollinators but should be planted behind the tomatoes so that they don’t shade them.
They are, however, bad companions for runner beans and potatoes, because the leaves and stems emit substances that inhibit the growth of these veggies.
The secret with pollinating plants is to plant enough plants to attract the bees, so group your sunflowers together, making it easier for the bees to harvest the pollen.
There is also “Dwarf Sunspot” which has big seed filled heads with yellow petals on dwarf bushes. It grows 40 to 60cm high, which means it can easily be planted in a smaller flower garden, among the veggies in full sun, or in containers.
Sunflower “Cutflower Mixed” is a cut flower variety with large blooms in shades of yellow, red and brown that can be picked for the vase. It also grows tall, 1.8 to 2m high and may need staking. Plants should be spaced 50 to 90cm apart and produces pickable flowers within 70 to 90 days.
How to grow sunflowers
Sunflowers grow best in full sun, in well-prepared soil that drains well. Sow seed directly into the soil, once the risk of frost is over. Sow two seeds together, cover with 15mm of soil, firm down gently and water. Space according to directions on the seed packet and keep the soil consistently moist during germination. It is as simple as that.
Once the seedlings are up, protect them from slugs and snails with an organic snail bait like Ferramol.
Try this: Because sunflower seed is big and easy to sow, let the kids do the sowing. They will love to watch the sunflowers growing and flowering.
For big, be er, best flowers
For the best quality and size of flowers, add some fertiliser when planting so that the roots get a good start and can anchor the plant. The taller varieties must be staked.
Regular watering will encourage good root growth, and that also maintains the quality of the flowers. Although the plants are drought tolerant, the flowers suffer when plants are water stressed. This is especially so for the larger sunflowers with heavy flower heads.
Snack on the seeds
When the season is over, the flower heads dry and turn downwards. The plump seeds can be harvested by cutting off the flower head and hanging it up in a warm, dry place. When the seeds are completely dry, rub two flower heads together to dislodge the seed or brush them off with a stiff bristle brush. Let the loose seeds dry for a few more days and store in an airtight container.
Sowing smiles
Look out for the sunflowers that call attention to the month-long “Kirchhoffs Sowing Smiles” spring campaign during September at independent garden centres throughout South Africa.
It is for all avid gardeners and kids (the next generation of gardeners) who stand a chance of winning prizes which include hampers and gift bags, and a packet of sunflower seed for everyone who takes part in the competition.