Everything you need to know about sunflowers
If you love your garden but need advice on how to keep it looking lush and welcoming all year round, top head gardener Tom Brown can help. In this regular column he demystifies common gardening problems, explains what to tackle when, and shows how to make every moment on the plot more fun and productive. Happy gardening!
When and how can I start to grow sunflowers?
Sowing sunflowers from mid-April onwards is about the right time. Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) detest cold and cannot be planted out until all risk of frost has passed, so if you start too early you’ll be nursing triffids on your windowsill for weeks. The joy of growing sunflowers is that the seeds are large and easy to handle so they make a great project for kids, too.
To grow sunflowers, fill a small 9cm pot with peat-free compost to the top. Use the base of a second pot to press down and level the compost by a couple of centimetres. This allows room for watering later on when the plants are bigger. Take two seeds and push them into the compost by 2-3cm (as a general rule, the larger the seed, the deeper it needs to be buried).
Stand the pots in a tray of water until the moisture reaches the top of the compost then remove them; repeat this process, when necessary, to prevent the compost from drying out. Place pots on a sunny windowsill or in a greenhouse and you should see germination in a couple of weeks.
If both seeds grow, cut the weaker one at the base to focus on a single plant per pot. These can stay in their pots until the end of May when they’re ready for the garden. Choose a sunny spot with reasonable soil and keep plants well watered for the best results. Taller types will need a bamboo cane or hazel pole for support.
My top five sunflowers to try:
‘Sonja’ – a medium-sized sunflower, great for cutting.
‘Alchemy’ – silver foliage and bright yellow flowers make this a talking point for the back of the border.
‘Ms Mars’ – an unusual dwarf variety.
‘Valentine’ – pale yellow flowers with a dark centre, elegant and tall.
‘Infrared’ – a very consistent dark red flower and huge plant, 10-12ft tall.
Seed suppliers include Chilterns, Thompson & Morgan and Plants of Distinction.
