PREMIER SEEDS DIRECT Giant Sunflower - Mongolian Giant - 30 Seeds

Product Information

Just as important as knowing which sunflower varieties to choose is knowing which ones to avoid if you’re aiming for competition-level height. The following popular varieties will stay on the small side, so it’s best to avoid them if you’re looking to grow giant sunflowers: Sunflowers also perform well when transplanted. They grow great in our heavy-duty seed starting trays. Transplants are ready to go in the ground when plants can be easily pulled from the seed starting trays. For increased storage potential, harvest sunflowers when blooms are closed. Blooms will then open when cut and placed into a container with water. Mongolian Giant Sunflower Planting Information Pacino’– 12 to 16 inches tall Potted sunflowers make excellent patio decor, but don’t expect them to grow very tall. 2. Enrich the soil before planting and keep it well-fed.

Pike’s Peak Sunflower plants grow up to 15 feet tall. The flower heads are about 14″ wide and contain very long edible seeds. Pike’s Peak Sunflowers take about 100 days (3.3 months) to reach maturity after planting the seeds. 7. Sunzilla sunflowerFeed often and water regularly. While the plant is small, water around the root zone, about 3-4 in. from the plant with about 2 gallons of properly diluted liquid fertilizer solution per week. For larger plants, scrape out a small doughnut-shaped moat about 18 inches around the plant and about four inches deep. Pour several gallons of properly diluted fertilizer into the moat every week. Sunflower roots can grow to 4 feet below the soil surface. Avoid pouring fertilizer directly on the stems, since this can cause them to rot.

You should sow your sunflowers outdoors after your last expected frost date, as long as night temperatures aren’t forecast to fall below 50F. So depending on what USDA zone you’re gardening in, this may be anywhere from early April (if you’re in a warmer climate) to early June (if you’re gardening further north). Growing vivid, true red or burgundy red flowers, the Rouge Royale or Royal, Sunflower is a multi-branch sunflower variety that is popular ‘exotic’ sunflower with dark flower centers. The beautiful sunflower is favored as a cutting flower, garden bed plant, and has been named the “industry standard” for red sunflowers by many folks. They typically grow between four and eight feet tall. Needs at least 12 hours of light per day to germinate. Press into the medium but do not cover. Keep moist.

Watering during blooming and seed production will help with growth, and increase the potential for a bountiful outcome.

As the petals fall off, the center florets dry up and the seed kernels begin to swell in the disks, carefully climb a stepladder and cover your flower head with a mesh onion bag or loose burlap or paper bag. This keeps marauding birds from robbing your seeds so that the heads look perfect and complete when you are ready to show them off to friends or proudly display them on their long stalks at your local county fair. Cut the stalks at the base when the ripened seeds develop a hard shell. If you plan to eat your sunflower seeds or preserve them for your bird feeder, wait until the seeds are completely dry; then remove them by hand or by rubbing them over wire mesh into a basket. Store in tightly closed containers to keep rodents away. a mammoth sunflower head ready for seed removal pull the seeds to one side and they should readily fall out of the seed head mammoth grey striped seeds Seed Storage Even among these, there are many, many varieties and a huge range of heights and sizes, colors and forms available. Skyscraper Sunflower When you’re planting a tall sunflower variety, you should take into account its expected maximum height and the expected size of the bloom. That’s because a lot of the tall varieties have been bred for height, but not necessarily for sturdiness. A crowded out sunflower reaching for the sun. Popular big ‘uns like Russian Giant (3m), Mongolian Giant (3.6-4.2m) and Giraffe (4.5m) are one long stem with a huge flower – great for competitions but no good for a prolonged garden display.They will still flower on slightly less sun but to give them the light they crave, even if you have to stake. Needs a period of pre-chilling. Mix seeds with moistened peat moss and place in plastic bag. Seal and place bag in an area where the temperature is around 60°F for 2-3 days. Then place in the refrigerator for 30-90 days. After pre-chilling, place seed on sterile seedling mix and cover lightly. Germination may take up to 30 days.

The Sunzilla Sunflower is a popular giant sunflower variety for children’s gardens. These tall plants can be grown in a line to create a towering wall of sunflowers. They are well-known for attracting birds and pollinators, as well as for their edible seeds. Direct sow the seeds in spring after the last frost has passed or start indoors a few weeks beforehand. Plant Lemon Queen in full sun, with rich soil and moderate moisture. Topolino Sunflower Mary Jane Duford is a passionate gardener and well-acclaimed authority in the world of horticulture. As a certified Master Gardener and Permaculture Garden Designer with over a decade of hands-on experience, she has honed her skills to cultivate a deeper understanding of the natural world around us. Beyond her gardening prowess, Mary Jane holds a distinct edge as a Professional Engineer, an expertise that often intertwines with her gardening methodologies, bringing a unique perspective to her readers. mammoth sunflowers have long tap roots which help to hold them in place Different Varieties Of Mammoth Sunflowersmammoth sunflowers will have improved growth with regular watering- these sunflowers were left to the elements Staking There are a few ProCut Sunflowers, which, as the name implies, are hybridized specifically for use as cutting flowers. ProCut Sunflowers may come in yellow to deep red, or bi-color varieties. They are pollen-less and easy to grow with basic care. ProCut Bicolor The young buds of sunflowers move every day from east to west to face the sun, finally settling on facing east when the flowers open. This gives sunflower fields an astonishing regularity with all flowers pointing in the same eastwards direction. This growth movement of plants in response to the sun is called “heliotropism”, from the Greek helios for sun.