When and how to plant
Spring or early summer, when the soil is starting to warm up, is the best time to sow sunflower seeds. A typical flowering time is about 8-10 weeks.
If you’re sowing seeds in a garden bed, you should aim to place them about 60cm apart and 2cm deep.
Before you plant, give the soil a turnover to loosen the ground. Keep moist until well established, seedlings emerge in 10-14 days.
Staking sunflowers
Your sunflowers can grow anywhere from 1.8 metres to 3 metres tall and they can become top heavy and need staking, which will also protect them in high winds or in the rain.
Sunflowers need a deep, regular watering. This will encourage good root growth and a large, healthy bloom.
The ideal time to water is in the morning, as root rot can set in over cold nights. Sunflowers can also benefit from a liquid fertiliser every two to three weeks, which will boost their height.
