What Sunflower Varieties Are There? Detailed Guide to Fertilization Methods and Precautions

Sunflowers originated in South America and were initially grown for ornamental purposes, and later cultivated throughout China. Sunflower seeds are called sunflower seeds, often roasted and eaten as a snack; they are delicious, and can also be pressed into sunflower seed oil for consumption, while the oil residue can be used as feed. So what sunflower varieties are there? How do you fertilize sunflowers? And what precautions should be taken when fertilizing sunflowers?

I. What sunflower varieties are there?

1. The sunflower “Pacino” has a spherical, naturally dwarfed plant form that is very suitable for container planting, with a plant height of only 50 cm. It is dwarf in nature, compact in form, and can produce a large number of branches; these lateral flower heads ensure the plant forms a full round ball. It takes only 60 days from sowing to flowering, and comes in five flower colors: golden yellow with a black center, golden yellow with a yellow center, lemon yellow, red, and red-yellow bicolor.

2. The sunflower “Wow” is a sunflower variety with a large number of gorgeous golden-yellow flowers and green decorative leaves, with a plant height of 90 cm. The luxuriant flowers bloom at the top of the plant, and the black flower center makes the golden-yellow petals stand out even more brightly; its highly decorative dark green leathery leaves are equally charming. It has a relatively long lifespan and usually flowers later than other sunflower varieties, so it is an ideal plant material for bringing colorful touches to late summer.

3. The sunflower “Autumn Time” is a highly groundbreaking sunflower variety, with a plant height of 120 cm. It is the first medium-tall mixed-color sunflower variety, with flower colors including golden yellow, red, and brown. The main stem can produce a large number of branches, making it very suitable for cut flowers.

4. The sunflower “Golden Glory” is a very eye-catching sunflower variety that can grow a large number of golden-yellow flower heads, forming a golden-yellow hedge. It has a plant height of 160 cm and a crown width of 90 cm, with strong branching ability, and the plant is very compact. It flowers extremely profusely, with bright golden-yellow large flowers reaching 15 cm in diameter. It takes only 60 days from sowing to flowering, making it an ideal cut flower variety.

II. How do you fertilize sunflowers?

For sunflowers in the growth period, fertilizer is generally applied once about every 20 days. If before flowering, 2-3 additional applications of dilute phosphorus and potassium fertilizer should be made. The specific fertilization time depends on the planting time of the sunflowers, and after fertilizing, care should be taken to keep the soil moist.

II. What fertilizer should be applied to sunflowers

1. Base fertilizer

Type: mainly organic fertilizer, supplemented by chemical fertilizer.

Fertilization method: before planting the seedlings, mix the fertilizer evenly into the soil, or after planting, dig 2-3 cm holes around the plant and place the fertilizer in them.

Amount: 5-10 g of organic fertilizer per plant. If planting sunflowers on a large scale, how should fertilization be done? The organic fertilizer needed per mu is 1000-2000 kg, and nitrogen fertilizer is 5-8 kg.

2. Seed fertilizer

Type: mainly phosphorus fertilizer

Fertilization method: within 3-5 days after the seeds germinate, sprinkle the fertilizer on the surface of the potting soil, or within 2-3 cm beside the seeds.

3. Topdressing

Type: nitrogen fertilizer, potassium fertilizer, urea, etc.

Fertilization method: dig small holes 10-15 cm away from the sunflower and apply the fertilizer in the small holes. Note that the fertilizer should not come into direct contact with the sunflower's root system.

4. Foliar spraying

After the sunflower buds appear, we also need to carry out foliar spraying, so how should sunflowers be fertilized at this time? Spray a 0.005% solution of zinc, copper, manganese, and molybdenum on the sunflower leaves, which can promote flowering and make the flowers more vivid and the leaves more tender green.

III. Precautions for fertilizing sunflowers

1. Focusing on quantity rather than nutrient content

Some people think that when fertilizing sunflowers, as long as the quantity is sufficient, it is fine, without paying attention to the content of the nutrients it needs. This is a relatively common misunderstanding. When fertilizing sunflowers, attention should be paid to the ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in the fertilizer applied.

2. Sprinkling fertilizer on the plant stem when fertilizing

People think that sprinkling fertilizer on the stem helps the plant absorb nutrients, but in fact this practice is wrong, because the main part of the sunflower that absorbs nutrients is the root hair zone. If it is sprinkled on the stem, it may lead to excessive fertilizer.

3. Waiting until sunflowers show signs of fertilizer deficiency before fertilizing

When we previously introduced what to do when sunflower leaves turn yellow, we mentioned one situation is yellowing due to fertilizer deficiency, and this situation is actually caused by fertilization misunderstanding. Many people think that only when sunflowers show signs of fertilizer deficiency should fertilizer be applied, but doing so will lead to reduced yield.

4. Thinking fertilizer takes effect immediately after application

Some people think that after fertilizing, the fertilizer will take effect immediately. However, the absorption of fertilizer by sunflowers is affected by many factors, such as water, temperature, and so on. Generally, the fertilizer effect can only be seen after 1-2 days.