Sunflower: how to plant at home and in open ground, growing technology

Content

1 Is it possible to plant sunflowers
2 Sunflower growing conditions
3 How to grow a sunflower seed
4 When to plant sunflowers in open ground
5 Where to plant sunflowers
6 Growing and caring for sunflowers in open ground
7 Sunflower propagation
8 Diseases and pests of sunflowers
9 Harvesting sunflowers
10 How to grow homemade sunflowers
11 Useful tips
12 Conclusion

Planting sunflowers from seeds in the countryside is a simple matter that does not require special skills or effort. In addition to a good harvest, this crop will serve as an attractive decoration for the site and create additional color on it. Decorative varieties are used to decorate front gardens and flower beds, and are also planted at home as indoor plants.

Recently, sunflowers have been used in landscape design.

Is it possible to plant sunflowers

Sunflower is a beautiful annual that produces tasty seeds and delights the eye with bright blooms. Usually fields are sown with it for use in industrial production, but the desire to grow the crop on a personal plot is also not prohibited. The main thing is to follow all the rules when planting and choose the appropriate variety. Edible sunflowers are used to obtain seeds, and decorative sunflowers are used to decorate the site.

Sunflower growing conditions

Sunflower is unpretentious in care, tolerates light frosts well (up to -5 ⁰C) and drought, does not require special growing conditions. There are no difficulties with planting the plant either. Almost any soil is suitable, practically no fertilizer is required, the main condition is a sufficient amount of sunlight.

Sunflowers are planted in a well-lit place

How to grow a sunflower seed

A mandatory procedure before growing sunflower seeds is their calibration (specimens must be full-sized, whole, not fried) and dressing. Seedlings are a favorite delicacy of birds and rodents. To scare away eaters, planting material must be treated with a special powder or solution before sowing. The dressing mixture can be purchased at a garden center or prepared at home. The solution, which is often used by summer residents, is made as follows:

Peel the head of garlic and pass through a press.
Combine the mixture with onion peels.
Pour boiling water (2 liters) over the mixture.
Leave for 24 hours.
Strain.

For a positive effect, the seeds are kept in a garlic solution for 12 hours.

Some gardeners resort to seed germination before planting sunflowers. To do this, they are wrapped in a damp cloth, placed in a bag and put in a warm place for two days.

When to plant sunflowers in open ground

Sowing of sunflower seeds begins in late April and until mid-May. It is desirable that the earth at this moment be warmed to a temperature of +10-12 degrees Celsius.

Each variety requires a different amount of time to ripen. It can take 70-150 days from sowing to harvest. Sunflower seedlings appear two weeks after planting.

Where to plant sunflowers

An excellent place for planting sunflowers will be an area where cabbage, grain crops and corn were previously grown. It is desirable that the soil for the plant be chernozem, loam and chestnut soil with a pH of 5-6. It is also acceptable to use sandstone and wetlands with a pH of 4.

Many gardeners plant plants along fences and against the walls of buildings, providing them with protection from the wind.

Important! Where the sunflower grew, it is not recommended to plant it for another 7 years.

The larger the gap between plants, the wider their caps grow.

Growing and caring for sunflowers in open ground

Anyone can grow a sunflower from an ordinary seed in their dacha. Planting and caring for the crop requires virtually no effort; it grows very quickly. As a result, a small seed produces a tasty and attractive-looking garden decoration.

Selection and preparation of a landing site

Open areas that are well lit by sunlight are best suited for growing sunflowers. But at the same time they must be protected from wind and drafts. Before sowing the seeds, the bed must be dug up. Simultaneously with this process, it is advisable to fertilize the soil with nitrogen-phosphorus fertilizers.

Sunflower planting technology

To plant sunflowers, use a hoe to make holes at a distance of at least 30 cm from each other. This period is determined depending on the variety and number of sunflowers planned to be grown. It is calculated according to the following scheme:

When planting low-growing varieties, seeds are planted at a distance of 40 cm.
When growing medium varieties, a gap of 50 cm is maintained between seeds.
When sowing large plants, the distance is left at least 80-90 cm.

The planting material is deepened into the ground by 6-8 cm. Experienced gardeners advise placing 3 seeds in the holes, and compacting the soil well after planting.

Comment! If a large area is planted, a roller is used to compact the soil.

Watering and fertilizing

In order for the sunflower harvest to be of high quality, the gardener should make some efforts. The crop needs timely watering, loosening, weed control, and tying up the trunks is of great importance. Despite the fact that the plant is strong and can withstand the weight of the heads well, there is a danger of breaking during windy conditions.

Watering sunflowers should be frequent. Since the crop is large in size and has large leaves, it requires a lot of moisture to fill the seeds. Fertilizing is carried out after abundant watering and removal of weeds. The first time fertilizer is applied to increase the vegetative mass, a couple of weeks after the emergence of seedlings. Use nitrogen fertilizers, for example, urea (2 tablespoons per 10 liters of water). After 3 weeks, potassium fertilizers are applied; they will contribute to the formation of full seed pods. After another 20 days, it is advisable to feed the sunflowers with potassium fertilizer in combination with phosphorus.

Attention! The crop does not really like nitrogen, so you cannot overdo it with this fertilizer.

To prevent the sunflower trunk from breaking, it needs to be tied up

Sunflower propagation

Annual sunflower varieties reproduce well by seeds. You can buy them in a specialized store or assemble them yourself. To do this, the heads at the stage of seed ripening need to be protected from birds (tied with gauze). When the time comes, the inflorescences must be cut and dried in a ventilated area. Then remove the seeds and store them.

The crop is considered cross-pollinated. To avoid baskets with empty and small seeds, it is not advisable to take planting material from sunflowers planted three years in a row.

Comment! Sunflower seeds remain viable for 5 years after collection.

Diseases and pests of sunflowers

Sunflower is considered a crop resistant to pests and diseases. Most often they are attacked by birds that use the seeds as food. Among the insects that harm the plant are the cotton bollworm. She feeds on the flowers and leaves of the sunflower, because of this it begins to weaken and becomes vulnerable. To prevent the appearance of insects, it is necessary to regularly weed the area. If the parasite has already attacked, the plants should be treated with insecticides. The procedure must be completed a month before harvest.

It is necessary to choose varieties that are resistant to parasites and diseases.

Another pest that can attack a plant is the moth. Its caterpillars gnaw and eat the contents of the seeds. Insecticides are also used to combat it.

Among the diseases affecting the crop are:

gray and white rot;
Phomopsis.

Timely weeding, regular watering and treatment with fungicides help fight diseases.

Important! The seeds of hybrid sunflower varieties have a hard shell that pests cannot chew through.

Harvesting sunflowers

Sunflowers ripen unevenly, but usually this occurs 2-3 weeks after the central part of the inflorescence blooms. This happens differently in all regions, from approximately August 15 to the end of September. As soon as the plant begins to dry out, the head bends and hangs, and almost all the leaves have fallen off, it is time to harvest.The seeds need to be cut off, covered with a cloth and left to dry for a couple of days. After this, remove the seeds, wash and dry them, remove spoiled seeds and debris, and pour the whole ones into a container or paper bag.

Important! In order for the seeds to bring maximum benefit, they must be eaten raw or slightly dried.

How to grow homemade sunflowers

Sunflowers can be grown at home as a houseplant. Despite the fact that the crop grows tall, there are decorative varieties that allow planting in pots.

The container for homemade sunflowers is selected based on the size of the adult plant, preferably with a large radius (from 40 cm) and drainage holes. It is disinfected before use. The soil should be loose, well-drained, with a supply of nutrients. Before planting, you need to lay a layer of pebbles, expanded clay or perlite on the bottom of the container, then fill it with soil and water it. Plant the seeds to a depth of 2-3 cm, 2 pieces per hole.

When caring for a decorative sunflower, you need to provide it with constant humidity and long daylight hours. In the warm season, it is better to place the plant on a balcony or loggia.

Comment! It is not recommended to plant sunflowers in a container with a small radius.

Decorative sunflower varieties can be grown in flowerpots and pots

Useful tips

When growing sunflowers, experienced gardeners advise not to neglect the basic rules for their care:

At first, it is advisable to protect the seedlings from high temperatures. Heat has a negative effect on young shoots.
When two true leaves appear on a sunflower, thinning is necessary. Leave the strongest sprout and cut off the excess ones.
The crop is not demanding on the soil, but for its good development it is better to choose a site with fertile, slightly acidic soil.
It is not recommended to plant sunflowers in beds where beets, legumes and tomatoes previously grew.
Watering the crop must be done at the root. Preferably in the morning or evening hours.
Applying potassium fertilizers will help attract bees to the sunflowers, which pollinate them.

Conclusion

Planting sunflowers from seeds in your dacha is not difficult. The main thing is to choose the right place for them, treat the seeds before sowing and provide timely care. Due to its resistance to cold and drought, sunflowers can be planted in almost all countries of the world. Since its seeds contain a large number of microelements, planting not only creates decoration, but also brings benefits.