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ðŸŒŧ On Growing Sunflowers

Some sunflower varieties are specifically designed to be grown in containers. Since summer 2020, I have been growing many varieties of sunflowers in containers. In my experience, any variety of sunflower can be grown in a container. Non-container sunflowers that are grown in containers may not live their best life:

  • their stalks may be shorter and thinner
  • their flower heads may be smaller

In the ground, sunflowers are pretty hardy. In containers: the smaller the container, the more frequently you will have to water.

Yes, you can grow a mammoth sunflower in an eight inch pot. It almost certainly won't get to 16' tall but it just may bloom.

Choosing a container

Pots for plants are a bit expensive. Some are beautiful and may be worth it to you.

You can get 10 15-gallon grow bags for approximately $31 USD on Amazon. I highly recommend these:

  • the price per container can't be beat
  • they are perfectly sized for container sunflowers
  • they permit drainage

For $3 per plant: you really can't go wrong with these. They aren't super amazing looking but the flower is the star! Beyond that:

  • these 16" pots are $20 at Home Depot (as of this writing) and are also excellent! They are a bit bigger.

In summer 2022, I started using hanging baskets for some sunflowers. Sunflowers grown in hanging baskets will be pretty smalll so I tried to use these for dwarf sunflowers and tried to find large hanging baskets.

  • these large hanging baskets are $4 at Home Depot as of this writing

Needs

Sun

They need a lot of sun.

I recommend carefully observing the path of the sun in your garden/patio area for several days during the summer to see what parts are in sun or in shade over the course of the day. This might be interesting if you live near buildings with interesting shapes.

Water

Standard gardening tips apply. Here are some important ones in case this is all new to you:

  • It's best to water in the early mornings and then on hot afternoons as necessary.
    • I try not to water after 5pm. Here's why: you want there to be enough daylight and heat left for the water to begin to be evaporated. As the temperature drops overnight, your plants won't be happy about being soaking wet in the dark. There is a risk that they will rot. You are also likely to find mushrooms in your soil in the morning if you have wet soil overnight.

Gardening can feel a bit like a guessing game.

  • It's noon and my plants look a little bit wilted. It was supposed to rain already, there are clouds but they are not ominous yet. Should I water?

🛠ïļ Tools and Techniques

  • Plant ties
  • Cinderblocks
  • Plant tape
  • Sticks

In addition to growing sunflowers, I love keeping succulents year round. ðŸŠī