It seems as if there are as many reason to grow sunflowers as there are unlike types to try . Sunflowers can produce loads of nutritious pollen and ejaculate to support country insects and wildlife . The impossibly tall kinds can serve as dwell treillage for vining beans , good morning resplendency and more . And some of the smaller , ramify types make eye - popping additions to slew - bloom nosegay .
No matterwhyyou might require to grow your own sunflowers , you ’ll need a garden spot that gets plenty of sunshine . If you have the quad , you could well fill a half - acre field with the nodding , pollyannaish bloom . But , thanks to some of the midget variety now available , you could get just a mates of the beauties on a small - but - cheery balcony instead .
Novelty Varieties
lately , I ’ve been try out with rare and novelty varieties to see just how grandiloquent my sunflowers can originate . Got room to spread out ? ( And maybe some kiddos or neighbors you ’d wish to delight ? )
In that case , you might want to try some of these .
Mammoth Grey Stripe and Mongolian Giant are available in most garden centers and big box stores . Both can bring out monster - sized seeds on blossom chief that are more than a foot widely . While Mammoth Grey Stripe typically reaches 10 to 12 foot tall , I ’ve had Mongolian Giants grow even taller . Although each of these will formulate extra - dense trunks to support their heavy heads , you may need to offer extra support .
I ’ve also had great destiny with two other extra - magniloquent varieties — Skyscraper andEiffel Tower . I ordered both of these through theSeed Savers Exchange . There , participating gardeners share their open - pollinated and heirloom seeds via this online residential district .
Although Exchange involvement was once reserved for Seed Savers Exchange member , it ’s now receptive to the world .
At minimum , Skyscraper can pass 12 human foot . But in racy land — and with a little support as call for — it can soar up beyond that . Skyscraper produces multiple branches of 12- to 14 - in - extensive flowers . As for Eiffel Tower , it ’s a rarer change hailing from the United Kingdom . In the right conditions , it can rise up to 18 feet tall .
If that ’s a little too improbable for you , you might require to try the more diminutiveTall Orange Sunflower . Mine were just over 5 foundation high with fluffy , duplicate blossom .
translate more : Pretty up your plate with some garden - grown eatable flowers !
Helping Birds & Bees
I offer area birds black oil sunflower semen well into spring and sometimes line up voluntary sunflowers develop beneath the affluent . I ’ve successfully transplanted many of these , and the birds flock to the result seed heads in mid- to late summer .
If you go for to attract butterfly , bee and other good insects , you ’ll desire to plant sunflower which extend plenty of pollen . ( Be mindful that some hybrid varieties do not produce pollen . There ’s a whole class of “ pollenless ” sunflowers , in fact . )
The Lemon Queen Sunflower is one reliable nectar - and - pollen - manufacturer that ’s attractive to insects and simple to grow . ( It ’s also the star of theGreat Sunflower Project , a Citizen Science bee - count initiative that ’s been around since 2008 . ) Lemon Queen will grow to be between 5 and seven 7 tall and produces multiple branches of pale yellow efflorescence .
I also really likeThe Birds & Bees mixfrom Renee ’s Garden . The sunflowers range from 6 to 8 base tall and produce nutritious , oil - rich cum . Goldfinches and bumblebees , in peculiar , were some of my most frequent visitors .
Better Bouquets
With flowers of deep Burgundy wine - deep brown and bronze , both the Velvet Queen and Evening Sun sunflower varieties add together dramatic event to cut - flower arrangements . Velvet Queen produces 4 - inch - across-the-board blush and can turn from 5 to 7 feet magniloquent . Evening Sun can arise up to 8 feet grandiloquent .
Its flowers are also slightly heavy .
TheGoldy Honey Bear Sunfloweris also deserving a look . Like Tall Orange , it produces fuzzy , pettable blooms ; however , Goldy Honey Bear is shorter . A pollen - less kind , Goldy Honey Bear produces 5- to 10 - inch , yellow flush on 4 - foot - improbable stalks .
What ’s more , the stems are long enough for function in bouquets .
Read more : Grow these old - fashioned flush in your garden for something ‘ new . ’
Small but Mighty
If you do n’t have much place , you may choose for dwarf variety show likeDwarf Sunspot . It give rise 10 - in , yellow efflorescence but only grows 2 to 3 infantry in high spirits . And the Gold Ring Sunflower is even small , reaching just 20 inches tall with 2- to 4 - inch bloom of youth .
Get Growing
Whichever sunflowers you try , most can tolerate even so - so soil . But they ’ll really fly high in nutrient - robust , well - draining conditions . And , although sunflowers can be transplanted , I ’ve found that mine grow well when I manoeuvre - sow them outdoors . Provided I ’ve included adequate protective covering for them , that is .
To keep rabbits , deer and other nibblers out , I surround my seedlings with plastic cloches and impermanent fencing material . Once my plants are well - established , I simply remove the extra protection .
