How to Grow Sunflowers? A Complete Guide to Planting Methods and Precautions
When it comes to sunflowers, you are surely no stranger to them; they are all too common in everyday life. Sunflowers are quite common in our lives, and their seeds are the sunflower seeds we often eat, which have extremely high nutritional value. So how do you grow sunflowers? Friends who have never grown them are surely puzzled, so let us teach you the tricks for growing sunflowers!
How to Grow Sunflowers
1. Seed selection. Prepare sunflower seeds. Sunflowers come in different varieties. If you want to plant them in a flower pot, you can use seeds of small ornamental sunflowers; if you are planting in a large flower bed or yard, it is recommended to use the edible type.
2. Sowing. It is recommended to sow in April, when the temperature is about 20°C. Be sure to keep the seeds fresh and do not let them get moldy. Bury the seeds in the soil; they will sprout in about 3 days and can be transplanted in about 5 days.
3. Transplanting. Once the sunflower seeds sprout and push through the soil surface and open their cotyledons, they can be transplanted into a large pot. After transplanting, water thoroughly to settle the roots; be sure to water thoroughly. It is recommended to place them indoors in a sunny spot. If you want to put them under the sun, you will need to water frequently.
4. Care. When about 3 to 4 pairs of true leaves have grown, spray some potassium dihydrogen phosphate on the leaves every few days to promote plant growth. Sunflowers need fertilizing during growth; at this time be sure to use only decomposed organic fertilizer.
Sunflower Planting Methods and Precautions
For raising seedlings, plug trays and nutrient pots can be used. The seedling substrate can be prepared from peat, vermiculite and sand in a 2:1:1 ratio, and a little organic fertilizer can be mixed in at the same time. Potted sunflower seeds are relatively small and have relatively weak soil-pushing ability, so do not sow too deep; generally about 1 cm is enough. After sowing, cover with soil and press lightly. If raising seedlings in winter or spring, you can cover with film to keep warm and shorten the emergence time. Keep the soil moist after sowing; in summer, seedlings generally emerge in 3 to 5 days, and in winter and spring, generally in 5 to 10 days.
Transplanting as early as possible can shorten the seedling recovery time and also prevent the appearance of “leggy seedlings.” The plants can be transplanted once they grow 1 pair of true leaves. Two weeks after sowing, sunflower seedlings can grow a strong root system. The root system of sunflower seedlings is very strong, which is the basis for ensuring a relatively high transplant survival rate.
Water and fertilizer management: after planting, water should be appropriately controlled to prevent excessive vegetative growth. After budding, water appropriately according to plant growth to meet its growth needs. It is not recommended to apply base fertilizer, so as not to make the stems too thick due to excessive fertility; you can topdress according to plant growth conditions or apply fertilizer by foliar spraying.
Pest and disease control: the incidence of pests and diseases in sunflowers is relatively low. The main diseases are bacterial leaf spot, rust, stem rot, powdery mildew and black spot; the main pests are aphids, mirid bugs, red spider mites and beetles, etc. If they occur, control can be carried out according to the symptoms.
Sunflower Blooming Period Management Methods
1. Ensure sufficient water and fertilizer supply
From budding to flowering, this period is an important period in a sunflower's life. During this period, the plant's water requirement accounts for 60% of the entire growth period. If the water supply is insufficient, it will cause poor seed development. Therefore, during this period, ensure a sufficient water supply, apply fertilizer appropriately together with watering, and apply urea plus diammonium once a week.
2. Carry out artificial supplementary pollination
If what you are growing at home is ornamental sunflowers, this step can be omitted. Under natural conditions, sunflowers rely on bees and other insects to complete pollination. To increase the pollination rate of sunflowers grown at home, you can pollinate by hand. Make a powder puff from cotton cloth, cardboard and cotton wadding (the shape of a makeup powder puff is fine; you can use a powder puff directly, but its small size makes pollination rather troublesome). Prepare the pollen in advance, sprinkle it on the pollination puff, and gently press it onto the flower head. Choose the pollination time between 9 and 12 o'clock, when the dew has just dried and there is more pollen. Usually pollination should be carried out 2 to 3 times.
3. Carry out control of sunflower moth borers
Sunflower flowering attracts many insects, mainly the sunflower moth. The sunflower moth feeds on sunflower seeds and forms crisscrossing tunnels in the flower head. In rainy weather, the flower head will gradually rot. The sunflower flowering period coincides with the active period of the sunflower moth, which hides during the day and is active at night. Talc powder can be diluted into a dust formulation and sprayed on, once every 2 to 3 days.
From the above, you surely know how to grow sunflowers now! Although we see sunflowers often, we have rarely grown them. If you have the chance, you can grow some together with the children in your family! Watch the sunflowers slowly sprout, grow, bloom and bear seeds, and feel the miracle of life!