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    Home » Home and Garden » Gardening

    5 Tips on How to Grow Sunflowers in Your Garden

    Published: Jun 9, 2016 · Modified: Feb 11, 2021 by Lois · This post may contain affiliate links · 17 Comments

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    Here are 5 easy tips to help you grow beautiful sunflowers in your garden this year! 

    Today I am sharing with you 5 Tips on How to Grow Sunflowers in your Garden this summer. These are tips that I have learned over the years of planting sunflowers in our very own garden here at Walking on Sunshine.

    Who doesn't love a beautiful field of sunflowers? For as long as I can remember I have loved sunflowers. Here's a photo of my niece, Gracie, standing besides one of our biggest sunflowers ever last summer.

    Gracie standing next to our largest sunflower.

    5 Tips on How to Grow Sunflowers in Your Garden

    • Sunflowers are easy to grow and will brighten up any garden with their large  heads and petals. Sunflower seeds can be harvested to enjoy as a snack! Although most sunflowers are yellow, there are varieties that range in color from red to orange.
    • Sunflowers are very hardy plants.  Some varieties can grow up to 15 feet tall so make sure you find an area that can accommodate  their size.  Sunflowers LOVE warm climates with full sunshine during the day.
    • If possible, plant the sunflowers on the north side of your garden.  This prevents the large sunflower stalks from shading other plants in the garden.  Be mindful that you may have to stake the sunflowers as they grow to keep them from falling over.

    Type of Soil

    • Sunflowers prefer a slightly acidic soil but they are also pretty resilient and can grow in most types of soil.
    • Make sure the soil drains well.  
    • Even though sunflowers are pretty resilient they can be harmed when the soil is flooded.
    Sunflower head just forming.

    How to Plant

    • Plant the sunflower seeds when the soil temperatures have warmed.  
    • Make sure you plant the seeds at least 6 inches apart and cover the seeds with ¼ inch of soil.  
    • Keep the soil moist and the seeds should sprout in 10 to 14 days.
    Sunflower head getting bigger.

    How to Water

    • Sunflowers are hardy plants! 
    • Only water the sunflowers when the top of the soil is dry to the touch.  
    • Sunflowers are drought tolerant and do not grow well in waterlogged soil, so be careful.
    Sunflower head getting ready to open.

    When to Harvest

    • Sunflowers are ready for harvesting when the back of the flower has turned from green to yellow or even brown.  
    • Cut the flower head at the base and hang so it completely drys out.  
    • When the seeds are completely dry, you can harvest them for planting next year or to enjoy as a snack.

    I think this is one of my favorite photos from our garden last year.  I love how the sunflowers are forming and getting ready to bloom. 

    A group of sunflowers getting ready to bloom.

    Enjoy

    • My final tip isn't really on how to grow sunflowers, but rather how to enjoy them!  
    • Once they've grown take a lot of photos and step back and enjoy the beauty in your garden!
    • Fill up a mason jar with a few of your sunflowers.
    Sunflower with bees from our garden.

    More Beautiful Gardening Tips and Ideas: 

    • How to Grow Hostas
    • Tips on Growing Tomatoes
    • Mistakes to Avoid when Growing Tomatoes in Containers
    • Outdoor Gardening Inspiration
    • How to Build your First Garden
    • How to Grow Mint in your Garden
    Sunflowers growing in the vegetable garden.
    Easy Tips on Growing Sunflowers in Your Garden from Walking on Sunshine Recipes

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Linda Norton says

      November 28, 2021 at 11:12 pm

      One year I saved the sunflower seeds to replant next year and stored them in the freezer. When I planted they never came up. Would that be because of the freezer?

      Reply
      • Lois says

        November 29, 2021 at 3:52 pm

        I think the freezer might have killed the seeds. You can always dry the seeds and then store them in paper envelopes. Thank you for visiting.

        Reply
    2. Buy Seeds says

      December 11, 2020 at 9:40 am

      We love the tips about harvesting, and we'll let our customers know about it.
      thanks.

      Reply
    3. Bernie Jesmer says

      June 15, 2019 at 8:52 am

      One of my favorites is to grow sunflowers,The problem I have is getting my share before the birds get to them but I don't mine shareing lol.

      Reply
    4. Lauren | Mom Home Guide says

      May 25, 2019 at 2:15 pm

      Great tips! Pinning!

      Reply
      • Lois says

        May 25, 2019 at 2:22 pm

        Thank you!

        Reply
    5. Kim says

      April 21, 2019 at 4:47 pm

      Have you ever had to deal with the fuzzy black caterpillars on your sunflowers? Completely destroyed mine! I don’t know how to stop them.

      Reply
      • Lois says

        April 21, 2019 at 5:22 pm

        No! I haven't had that problem! We did get a bug in the sunflowers one year and nearly destroyed everything. The bug chewed the plants down to the ground! But the sunflowers just started growing again and didn't get as big as they normally would, but they were still pretty. I'm sorry I can't help you with this problem! Thank you for visiting.

        Reply
    6. nihal says

      September 17, 2018 at 8:27 am

      Many thanks for sharing these useful information about planting and taking care of sunflowers with us

      Reply
    7. Carolyn Hughes says

      April 12, 2018 at 6:24 pm

      REALLY LOVE SUNFLOWERS SO WENT RIGHT TO YOUR PAGE- LIKED IT A LOT.
      From Southern British Columbia in Canada's Only TRUE DESERT.

      Reply
      • Lois says

        April 12, 2018 at 7:52 pm

        Thanks! Sunflowers are one of my favorite flowers to grow as well.

        Reply
    8. Paris Rivera says

      April 09, 2018 at 7:54 pm

      What kind of sunflowers are you growing, i know they vary in size and color but what type of seed did you buy to get them to grow that tall and full?

      Reply
      • Lois says

        April 09, 2018 at 9:17 pm

        I usually pick out different packets of seeds every year. I don't really pay that much attention to the type or brand. I'll make sure to take notes this year as to the name and type of seeds we plant. Thanks for visiting Paris!

        Reply
    9. Ron Rogers says

      June 19, 2017 at 10:03 am

      Thank you

      Reply
      • Sean Goulding says

        December 22, 2018 at 7:22 pm

        I sowed in Australia this year when I came home to Ireland I sowed the same variety great fun

        Reply
    10. aginglikeafinewine.com says

      June 25, 2016 at 2:24 pm

      Though I have never grown sunflowers (not sure why!), I would like to try them one day. Thank you for sharing this very helpful info.

      Reply
    11. Olga says

      June 15, 2016 at 2:14 am

      Love it! My pumpkin likes sunflowers...I wonder if I could grow them?

      Reply

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