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by Nancy Garrison, Horticultural Advisor, Santa Clara, County, 1986 Sunflowers are exceptionally easy to grow. Just follow these guidelines and then check out the 2001 Sunflower Field Trials . Plant- Grow at least two feet apart. Keep soil moist until after germination; then water less frequently as plants grow larger. Regular deep irrigation encourages stronger plants and deeper root systems. Such plants will be less apt to need staking. Mulching will help keep down weeds and conserve water. Sunflowers are somewhat drought tolerant, but flowers and seed production are better with adequate watering. No fertilizer necessary in good garden soil. Sunflowers grown in home gardens generally have few if any pest or disease problems. Remember sunflowers like the summer heat. Our planting here was done on May 3rd. We sowed the seeds directly in the soil. The blossoms generally face east. Keep that in mind when choosing a planting location. If growing for seeds, the heads may need to bagged to protect them from bird damage. To harvest heads for seeds, cut the stems when dry but before the seeds begin to fall out. If you need to harvest before the stems and heads are dry, hang them up indoors to complete drying. WHY GROW SUNFLOWERS?
SOURCES OF SUNFLOWER SEEDS W. ATLEE BURPEE & CO., 300 Park Avenue, 300 Park Avenue, Warminster, PA 18991 THE COUNTRY GARDEN, Rt. 2, Box 455A, Crivitz, WI 54114 NATIVE SEEDS SEARCH, 3950 W. New York Drive, Tucson, AZ 85745 PARK SEED CO, Greenwood, SC 29647-0001 STOKES, P.O. Box 548, Buffalo, NY 14240-0548 |
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