When Is the Best Time to Sow Sunflowers? An Introduction to Sowing Times
Sunflowers can be planted in all four seasons, usually mainly in summer and winter, and the flowering period can last more than two weeks. Besides their appearance resembling the sun, their bright and generous flowers are very suitable for ornamental display. The seeds have even greater economic value, as they can not only be made into the popular sunflower seeds but also pressed into low-cholesterol premium edible sunflower oil. Now let us take a look at when sunflowers should be sown!
Sunflower Sowing Time
The sowing time for sunflowers is March to April, the suitable temperature for sowing is 18-25°C, and they sprout about 5-7 days after sowing. The basic principle for choosing the sowing period is to sow appropriately early or late according to the patterns of saline-alkali occurrence, so that the seedlings avoid saline-alkali damage. Spring or summer sowing is carried out according to the growth period of the variety. The sowing period is adjusted according to the patterns of disease occurrence so that it avoids the season of frequent disease. The sowing period is adjusted according to growth characteristics so that the flowering and grain-filling period avoids high temperatures above 28°C. The sowing method is dibbling, with about 1 cm of soil covering the seeds, and flowering occurs about 50-80 days after sowing, with slight differences in each factor depending on the variety.
Sunflower Growing Environment
1. Temperature: Sunflowers are a warmth-loving yet cold-tolerant crop with strong adaptability to temperature. The seeds have very strong low-temperature tolerance; when the soil temperature is stable above 2°C, the seeds begin to germinate, at 4-5°C they can sprout and take root, and when the soil temperature reaches 8-10°C it can meet the needs of seed germination and seedling emergence. Throughout the entire growth process, sunflowers can grow normally as long as the temperature is not below 10°C.
2. Water: Sunflowers are a crop that consumes a relatively large amount of water. The plants are tall, with many dense leaves, and their water uptake is 1.74 times that of corn. However, because their growth and development mostly coincide with local rainfall and heat, the contradiction between water supply and demand is not prominent, and the water requirements differ greatly at different growth stages. From sowing to budding, little water is needed; from budding to flowering is the peak water-demand period; and from flowering to maturity, the water requirement is also relatively high.
3. Light: Sunflowers are a short-day crop and are not very sensitive to day length. They like sufficient sunlight, and their seedlings, leaves and flower heads all have strong phototropism. With sufficient sunlight, the seedlings grow robustly and can be prevented from becoming leggy. With sufficient sunlight in the middle growth stage, vigorous stem and leaf growth, normal flowering and pollination, and a higher seed-setting rate can be promoted. With sufficient sunlight in the late growth stage, the seeds are plump and full.
4. Soil: Sunflowers have low soil requirements and can grow in all kinds of soil, from fertile soil to dry land, barren land and saline-alkali land. They not only have a strong tolerance to saline-alkali conditions but also possess salt-absorbing properties. At the same time, sunflowers have well-developed root systems and strong drought resistance. Moreover, the roots and stems of sunflowers have well-developed aerenchyma, making them very tolerant of waterlogging.
Sunflower Growth Cycle
1. Seedling stage: From emergence to budding, the sunflower is in the seedling stage, generally requiring 35-50 days, or 28-35 days for summer sowing. This period is the stage of leaf and flower primordium formation and floret differentiation. The seedling stage is the stage in which sunflowers have the strongest drought resistance; above-ground growth is slow, while underground root growth is faster, quickly forming a strong root system.
2. Budding stage: From budding to flowering, sunflowers generally need about 20 days. This is a period when vegetative growth and reproductive growth proceed together, and it is also the most vigorous stage of their life. During this period, fertilizer and water needs are greatest, accounting for about 40-50% of the total fertilizer and water requirement. If the need for water and fertilizer cannot be met in time, yield will be seriously affected.
3. Flowering stage: For a single flower head of a sunflower, from the opening of the ray florets to the completion of the opening of the tubular florets generally takes 6-9 days. From the second to the fifth day is the full-bloom period, mostly opening at 4-6 in the morning, with pollination the next morning. Unpollinated stigmas can remain viable for 7-10 days, but the seed-setting rate from self-pollination is only about 3%, while the seed-setting rate from cross-pollination is high.
4. Maturity stage: The maturity stage of the sunflower refers to the stage from flowering to maturity, 25-55 days for spring sowing and 25-40 days for summer sowing, with differences among varieties. About 15 days after flowering and pollination is the seed formation stage. During the maturity stage, sunflowers need clear weather, a relatively large temperature difference between day and night, and suitable soil moisture.
When Is the Best Time to Plant Sunflowers? Sunflower Planting Time and Methods
When it comes to sunflowers, everyone is surely familiar with them. The sunflower is an annual herbaceous plant of the genus Helianthus in the Asteraceae family. It not only has high ornamental value but is also an important oil crop in our country, with high planting value, which has also attracted many farmers to grow it. So, when is the best time to plant sunflowers? How should they be planted? Below is an introduction to the planting time and methods of sunflowers. Let us take a look together.
Image: Sunflower
I. Sunflower Planting Time
The sowing time for sunflowers is March-April, the suitable temperature for sowing is 18-25°C, and they sprout about 5-7 days after sowing. The basic principle for choosing the sowing period is to sow appropriately early or late according to the patterns of saline-alkali occurrence, so that the seedlings avoid saline-alkali damage. Spring or summer sowing is carried out according to the growth period of the variety. The sowing period is adjusted according to the patterns of disease occurrence so that it avoids the season of frequent disease. The sowing period is adjusted according to growth characteristics so that the flowering and grain-filling period avoids high temperatures above 28°C. The sowing method is dibbling, with about 1 cm of soil covering the seeds, and flowering occurs about 50-80 days after sowing, with slight differences in each factor depending on the variety.
Image: Sunflower
II. Sunflower Planting Methods
1. Site selection and land preparation:For sunflower cultivation, choose a plot with level land, medium fertility, convenient irrigation and drainage, and relatively low soil clay content; continuous cropping is not advisable. They reproduce by seed, and peat soil is suitable for sowing. Before sowing, mix the seeds with New High-Lipid Film, which can repel underground pests, isolate viral infection, and increase the seed germination rate.
2. Timely sowing:The sowing time for sunflowers is generally March-April, the suitable temperature for sowing is 18-25°C, and they usually sprout about 5-7 days after sowing. The basic principle for choosing the sowing period is to sow appropriately early or late according to the patterns of saline-alkali occurrence, so that the seedlings avoid saline-alkali damage. Spring or summer sowing is carried out according to the growth period of the variety.
3. Field inspection and reseeding:Sunflowers are a dicotyledonous crop, and it is rather difficult for them to push through the soil and emerge. In addition, poor land preparation or sowing quality, or surface soil crusting after rain following sowing, or damage by diseases, insects, rodents, birds and the like, can easily cause missing plants and broken rows. To ensure full emergence after one sowing, fields and rows must be checked one by one during the emergence period, and timely reseeding must be done where plants are missing in patches or rows.
4. Thinning and final singling:In sunflower cultivation, thinning should be done early to prevent seedlings from crowding one another, which would affect the cultivation of robust seedlings and even later yield. As for saline-alkali land and plots with severe pest damage, the time for final singling can be appropriately postponed. At the same time, sunflowers should also be singled early, which is conducive to cultivating robust seedlings and also to flower head development. Final singling should be carried out when there are 2 pairs of true leaves.
Image: Sunflower
5. Cultivation and weeding:Sunflowers are generally cultivated 2-3 times, which serves to weed and loosen the soil, break up crusting, conserve water, reduce evaporation, and lessen saline-alkali damage. The first cultivation is carried out at the 1-2 pairs of true leaves stage together with thinning and final singling, the second cultivation is carried out 1 week after final singling, and the third cultivation is completed before row closing together with furrowing, earthing up, and fertilizing.
6. Furrow application of topdressing:Sunflowers relatively prefer fertilizer, and furrow topdressing is usually carried out at the third cultivation, mainly with nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer, applying 5 kg of diammonium phosphate and 10 kg of urea per mu, mixed evenly and then applied to the soil. Furrowing and earthing up can effectively ensure the growth and development of secondary roots, prevent lodging, and reduce basal branching below the cotyledon node.
7. Timely irrigation:Sunflowers are irrigated by the furrow method. For varieties generally 1.5 m tall, the first watering should be done at the bud stage, the second at the early flowering stage, and the third at the grain-filling stage. For varieties about 2 m tall, the first watering is done 4-5 days before flowering (in severe drought, irrigation is advanced), the second 6-7 days after the first watering, and the third at the grain-filling stage.
8. Pollination management:Sunflowers have a low seed-setting rate from self-pollination and a high seed-setting rate from cross-pollination. During cultivation, artificial supplementary pollination should be carried out in time, using methods such as touching flower heads, powder puffs, and cotton gloves to transfer pollen, or collecting pollen from the father parent and gently dabbing it onto the stigma of the mother parent with a small brush. Pollination is carried out 3-4 times during the full-bloom period.
[Editor's Concluding Remarks]Sunflowers are cultivated in all parts of our country and have high cultivation value. The above has introduced the planting time and methods of sunflowers for everyone, and we hope it can be of help to you!
How to Plant Sunflower Seeds? Sunflower Sowing Time and Methods
As we all know, sunflower seeds have high economic value. They can not only be made into delicious sunflower seeds but also be pressed into premium edible sunflower oil. At the same time, seed propagation is also one of the main propagation methods of sunflowers. So, how are sunflower seeds planted? The sowing time and methods of sunflowers are introduced below.
Image: Sunflower
I. Sunflower Sowing Time
The sowing time for sunflowers is March to April, the suitable temperature for sowing is 18-25°C, and they sprout about 5-7 days after sowing. The basic principle for choosing the sowing period is to sow appropriately early or late according to the patterns of saline-alkali occurrence, so that the seedlings avoid saline-alkali damage. Spring or summer sowing is carried out according to the growth period of the variety. The sowing period is adjusted according to the patterns of disease occurrence so that it avoids the season of frequent disease. The sowing period is adjusted according to growth characteristics so that the flowering and grain-filling period avoids high temperatures above 28°C. The sowing method is dibbling, with about 1 cm of soil covering the seeds, and flowering occurs about 50-80 days after sowing, with slight differences in each factor depending on the variety.
Image: Sunflower
II. Sunflower Sowing Methods
1. Site selection and land preparation:For sunflower cultivation, choose a plot with level land, medium fertility, convenient irrigation and drainage, and relatively low soil clay content; continuous cropping is not advisable. They reproduce by seed, and peat soil is suitable for sowing. Before sowing, mix the seeds with New High-Lipid Film, which can repel underground pests, isolate viral infection, and increase the seed germination rate.
2. Timely sowing:The sowing time for sunflowers is generally March to April, the suitable temperature for sowing is 18-25°C, and they usually sprout about 5-7 days after sowing. The basic principle for choosing the sowing period is to sow appropriately early or late according to the patterns of saline-alkali occurrence, so that the seedlings avoid saline-alkali damage. Spring or summer sowing is carried out according to the growth period of the variety.
3. Field inspection and reseeding:Sunflowers are a dicotyledonous crop, and it is rather difficult for them to push through the soil and emerge. In addition, poor land preparation or sowing quality, or surface soil crusting after rain following sowing, or damage by diseases, insects, rodents, birds and the like, can easily cause missing plants and broken rows. To ensure full emergence after one sowing, fields and rows must be checked one by one during the emergence period, and timely reseeding must be done where plants are missing in patches or rows.
4. Thinning and final singling:In sunflower cultivation, thinning should be done early to prevent seedlings from crowding one another, which would affect the cultivation of robust seedlings and even later yield. As for saline-alkali land and plots with severe pest damage, the time for final singling can be appropriately postponed. At the same time, sunflowers should also be singled early, which is conducive to cultivating robust seedlings and also to flower head development. Final singling should be carried out when there are 2 pairs of true leaves.
Image: Sunflower
5. Cultivation and weeding:Sunflowers are generally cultivated 2-3 times, which serves to weed and loosen the soil, break up crusting, conserve water, reduce evaporation, and lessen saline-alkali damage. The first cultivation is carried out at the 1-2 pairs of true leaves stage together with thinning and final singling, the second cultivation is carried out 1 week after final singling, and the third cultivation is completed before row closing together with furrowing, earthing up, and fertilizing.
6. Furrow application of topdressing:Sunflowers relatively prefer fertilizer, and furrow topdressing is usually carried out at the third cultivation, mainly with nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer, applying 5 kg of diammonium phosphate and 10 kg of urea per mu, mixed evenly and then applied to the soil. Furrowing and earthing up can effectively ensure the growth and development of secondary roots, prevent lodging, and reduce basal branching below the cotyledon node.
7. Timely irrigation:Sunflowers are irrigated by the furrow method. For varieties generally 1.5 m tall, the first watering should be done at the bud stage, the second at the early flowering stage, and the third at the grain-filling stage. For varieties about 2 m tall, the first watering is done 4-5 days before flowering (in severe drought, irrigation is advanced), the second 6-7 days after the first watering, and the third at the grain-filling stage.
8. Branch protection:Sunflowers have the habit of growing branches from the leaf axils, mostly appearing from the budding to flowering stage, consuming nutrients in vain and greatly affecting yield and quality. At this stage, pruning must be done at least 3 times. Pruning should be "early and small"; tender small branches can be wiped off with a touch, saving effort and not damaging the stems and leaves. Take great care that the middle and upper leaves absolutely must not be removed. As for the lower old leaves in the late growth stage, a small portion can be removed to facilitate ventilation and light penetration and reduce pests and diseases.
[Editor's Concluding Remarks]Sowing propagation is the main propagation method of sunflowers and is directly related to the success of sunflower planting. The above has introduced the sowing time and methods of sunflowers for everyone, and we hope it can help you!