Sunflowers are guaranteed to brighten up any backyard. Their bright yellow blooms are irresistible, inducing smiles in anyone that sees them. You don’t need to drive past a sunflower field to appreciate their beauty either. It’s easy to grow your own in your garden, giving you gorgeous giant flowers year after year.
Planting
Evident in their name, sunflowers (Helianthus) need plenty of sunlight to grow well. A minimum of 6 hours is necessary, but around 8 hours of unfiltered direct light is ideal. Before planting, amend your soil with compost and a dose of slow-release fertilizer like Atlantic Bio-Ocean – sunflowers are considered heavy feeders.
You may be surprised to find how large these plants actually grow (or, if the blooms are anything to go by, you’ve likely already guessed). The long taproot burrows deep in the soil to support the massive stems. When planting, loosen the soil quite far down to facilitate this growth. When growing in containers, choose a smaller sunflower variety and ensure the pot is deep enough to accommodate root growth.
Seeds can be planted throughout spring and summer once the soil is warm enough to trigger germination. Space seeds around 15cm apart and push gently into the soil. Smaller sunflowers can be spaced closer together, while incredibly tall ones will need a bit more growing room. Water thoroughly immediately after planting to stimulate growth.
To stop your plants flowering at the same time – leaving you with a pile of sunflowers and no clue what to do with them all – plant a batch of seeds every 2 weeks for about 2 months for continuous flowers. Flowers should shoot up within 2 months of planting.
The seeds should germinate in 7-10 days. Keep an eye out for pesky birds in the meantime that love snacking on sunflower seeds just as much as we do.
Care
Sunflowers are not fussy plants, but will reward you with many more impressive blooms under the right care.
Due to their height, sunflowers will benefit from staking, especially in windy regions. Place stakes early to avoid disturbing the roots later on, and continue to tie the stem to the stake with a flexible material as it grows to stop the plant from falling over.
These plants grow best when given consistent water, though they prefer when the soil does not stay moist for too long. Once the top layer of soil has dried out completely, it’s time to water again. If the heads and stems and falling over, they’re telling you they need more water.
The slow-release fertilizer applied during planting should be enough to sustain your sunflowers. If you’re not seeing many blooms, apply a dose of fertilizer high in phosphorus and potassium to improve flowering.
You won’t encounter too many issues with pests and diseases when growing sunflowers, bar the light sprinkling of powdery mildew that is easily removed. Where you will have a problem however, is with the birds in your garden.
Birds are wonderful garden friends, and gardeners usually go by the mantra ‘the more the merrier’. However, they are sunflower-obsessed and will do anything to get to your sunflower seeds. Adopt a quick cut-flower approach by removing blooms as soon as they are ready, or install a protective barrier around your sunflower patch.
Sunflowers provide you with two benefits – stunning flowers and tasty seeds. Cut blooms in the early morning before the heat of the day sets in. They will need a tall vase and plenty of water to keep them standing upright. To harvest the seeds, leave the flowers on the stems until the petals have died back. Once the heads have turned brown, the seeds should be easy to shake off. Give them a rinse and eat them as a snack or toss a few into your favourite salad.
While your garden is peaking and is filled with vibrantly coloured flowers during spring, it is precisely the right time to create a stunning bouquet from the fruits of your labour, so that you can enjoy the sights and smells of the garden inside your home. It only takes one gusty wind or heavy summer rain to destroy your beloved blooms anyway, and cutting guarantees that at least some of your flowers will be spared that cruel fate! Another reason to cut your flowers is that it encourages more flowering on your plants throughout the summer months and even into early autumn.
Read and follow the following tips and tricks on how to cut your garden flowers and use them inside your home:
When to cut
Early morning is the ideal time to cut fresh flowers, when the flowers have had the benefit of cool night air and morning dew. Their stems are filled with water and carbohydrates, meaning that they are firm to the touch. When harvesting, have a bucket of water on hand to immediately put the flowers into. We suggest using a plastic bucket rather than a metal one because metal can affect the pH balance of the water.
Different types of flowers must be harvested at different stages in their development. Cluster flowers with multiple buds on each stem, such as an Agapanthus, should have at least one bud showing colour and one bud starting to open before being cut. If gathered too early (while they’re still tightly budded) these flowers will not open in a vase of water. By contrast, flowers that grow on individual stems, such as roses, should be cut when fully open.
Cutting tools and techniques
Always use clean, sharp utensils when cutting flowers. Knives, clippers or shears can be employed, but never use ordinary household scissors! The gauge on scissors is set for paper or fabric, not for flower stems, which are bulkier. Using scissors will crush their vascular systems and prevent proper water uptake.
Cut all flowers about 3cm from the bottom of a main stem. Make the slice at an angle of about 45° as it will provide a larger exposed area for the uptake of water.
Water temperature
Use lukewarm water (between 37°C and 43°C) for your cut flowers to get the best results. Warm water molecules move faster than cold water molecules and so can be absorbed by flowers with greater ease. The objective is to get water and nutrients as quickly as possible to the head of the flower.
Preservatives
Using a preservative increases the longevity of cut flowers. To survive, flowers need three ingredients: carbohydrates, biocides and acidifiers. Carbohydrates are necessary for cell metabolism; biocides combat bacteria and are necessary for maintaining plant health, and acidifiers adjust the pH of water to facilitate and increase water uptake.
To make your own, use 1 teaspoon of sugar, 1 teaspoon of household bleach and 2 teaspoons of lemon or lime juice.
Care of cut flowers in an arrangement
Here are some general rules that will help you make your cut-flower arrangements last:
Don’t overcrowd the flowers in the container;
Check the water level in the vase and replenish it frequently;
Flowers that go limp are not drinking well and need to be recut;
Always discard wilted blooms;
Keep flowers away from drafts, direct sunlight and ripening fruits.
Valentine’s Day is a florist’s favourite holiday but most of the time these one-day-gifts are forgotten about a week later. Sad wilting flowers definitely do not say eternal love – keep them alive with these tips for fresh Valentine’s Day Flowers.
Cut Flowers:
The V-Day staples are typically red roses, with lilies and tulips also a common option that say love and passion. There is also the occasional bouquet of left overs that say I forgot and this is all they had left. No matter the intention, every flower is a gift and it’s not hard to treat them like one:
Cut the stems at an angle to make sure they can absorb water. Repeat every 2 or 3 days.
Remove leaves below the water line to prevent bacteria growth and place the bouquet in room temperature water. Replace the water every few days to prevent cloudiness.
Myths like bleach, pain tablets, coins and hairspray are sworn by remedies but in reality, don’t do much for your flowers. Adding ¼ cup of a clear sugary soda, adding a splash of vodka or putting your flowers in the fridge overnight are a few ways to make your flowers look brand new, even 10 days later.
Orchids:
For the extravagant and possibly suggestive suitor, orchids are the flower of luxury and seduction. Although they may have a reputation for being difficult to take care of, a little attention to their environment can keep them going, making great indoor plants:
Place in a mild, humid environment with occasional sunlight.
Water well, but not often as the roots need time to dry out. In summer, water once a week and winter, once or twice a month.
Transfer to a new container once it is finished blooming as store containers are typically not suitable for long term growth. A chunky, well-draining medium with things like bark, rocks, and even styrofoam covered with moss works best. Orchid growing mediums are available online or at most garden centres.
Roses:
Roses don’t have to be given in the typical ‘dozen’; a flowering rose bush is also a great long-lasting alternative. However, longevity requires a bit more attention than a perishable bouquet:
Replant soon, either in a new container or in the garden as store containers usually do not leave enough space for the bush to grow. Water on the first day and replant once the soil has dried out.
Replant with a mixture of compost, bone meal and fertilizer and plenty of space between other plants. Must receive a minimum of 5 hours sun.
Water the roses daily until there is new growth and water often afterwards.
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