How to grow: SUNFLOWERS

This year we've decided to grow sunflowers for many of reasons including the tasty seeds and their beautify. We didnt do any research on them and just kind of figured it out ourselves. This is what we found out:

WHEN TO START SEEDS:

When I think of sunflowers I think of SUMMER flowers, but it all reality they are a SPRING flower.

Starting in January you will want to put the NON-GMO & ORGANIC sunflower seeds in pots and keep them inside...

They will get really tall and it will seem a bit of an over-kill.. but thats okay!

PLANTING THE SEEDS: 

After the last frost transfer your baby sunflowers into the plants (this should be around February if living in Florida) .. remember they like full sun!

** Sunflowers love the sun! Plant them in full sun for the best results... however if unable too plant them in the most sunny spot of your yard and there "heads" will chase the sun... Pretty cool!**

GROWING THE PLANTS:

Sunflowers are FAST growers.. you can see changes overnight!

Water the plants at least twice a week or as you see fit with the temperature rising (in FL its been UBBER hot so we've been watering everyday)

The plants will keep growing and growing until the temperature is just right. It will be about 2-3 months. In the middle of MAY.. every sunflower no matter how big or little will bloom its flower.

FLOWERS AND SEEDS:

The flowers will last a few weeks

** THE FLOWERS COME IN ALL DIFFERENT SHAPES AND SIZES.. INTERESTING TO SEE**

When the flowers start to look like they are crying is when they are getting ready to drop their seeds. (their seeds are developing)

You can tell when a sunflower is ready to be harvested for seeds by 

1. when the whole stem turns yellow

2.The seeds start to darken

3. bird start to steal seeds (my fave! LOL)

PESTS:

The BIGGEST pest we have with sunflowers are DEER!!!
They will eat all the leaves off of the sunflower.. BUT if it is early enough in the season sunflowers WILL grow a second head.... (if its late in the season, you just lost a plant :( )

The bug that you have to look out for is the STINK BUG

Though, they wont harm your plant or do damage... they can make it look ugly /:

ADVANTAGES TO HAVING SUNFLOWERS IN YOUR YARD:

I just HAD to put this in there!!!

EVERY SINGLE PEST AND BAD BUG IN YOUR! GARDEN ARE ATTRACTED TO SUNFLOWERS... meaninggggg.... THEY WILL LEAVE YOUR CROPS ALONE AND GO TO YOUR SUNFLOWERS...andddd... IT DOESNT HURT YOUR SUNFLOWER!!

PICTURES:

**Interesting fact: our largest sunflower was 11 ft 3 in tall! and the largest sunflower recorded was  27 ft tall!**