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Sunflowers: sowing, growing and harvesting seeds
No vegetable garden is complete without sunflowers.
They look beautiful, attract bees to your garden, and are a great neighbor plant for your beans. This variety even grows multiple flowers per stem.
They look beautiful, attract bees to your garden, and are a great neighbor plant for your beans. This variety even grows multiple flowers per stem.
More about Makkelijke Moestuin Sunflower seeds
Sunflowers belong in every vegetable garden. They look beautiful, attract bees and make excellent companion plants for beans.
Birds love the seeds, which help them build an extra layer of fat for winter.
Birds love the seeds, which help them build an extra layer of fat for winter.
- Variety: Henri Wilde
- Family: flower
- Plants per square: 1 at the back of the raised bed or beside the trellis
- Height: up to 250 cm
- Sowing time: May and June
- Sowing depth: 1 cm
- Germination: 7 to 20 days at around 20°C
- Time to flower: from 8 to 10 weeks
- Sunlight: grows in sun or partial shade
Extra information: You can start sunflowers from late March in an unheated greenhouse or covered raised bed. The app guides you to sow them directly outside.
What do you need to grow sunflowers yourself?
You only need a few things to grow sunflowers:
- a 30x30 cm patch with airy, nutrient-rich soil mix
- sunflower seeds
- a place with at least 6 - 8 hours of sunlight a day
- a trellis or pole for support
In other words: an MM-Mini, or a square patch in 1 of our garden boxes with or without a trellis, and the MM-Mix.
Growing your own sunflowers is super easy with the MM-Mix. If you grow in low-quality (potting) soil, disappointment is pretty much guaranteed. So don't skimp on soil mix: go for the best.
Growing your own sunflowers is super easy with the MM-Mix. If you grow in low-quality (potting) soil, disappointment is pretty much guaranteed. So don't skimp on soil mix: go for the best.
How do you sow and grow sunflowers?
Sunflowers are included in the free Makkelijke Moestuin app. Use it, and you'll get step-by-step guidance from seed to harvest.
Each vegetable goes through a number of stages - we call them levels. The app tells you exactly what to do at each level and checks in when your plants are ready for the next.
So, you don't need to know how to grow sunflowers in advance: the app takes you through every step.
But if you'd like to read more about those steps, here's what the process looks like:
Each vegetable goes through a number of stages - we call them levels. The app tells you exactly what to do at each level and checks in when your plants are ready for the next.
So, you don't need to know how to grow sunflowers in advance: the app takes you through every step.
But if you'd like to read more about those steps, here's what the process looks like:
Level 1: Sowing sunflowers
Choose a patch in the back 2 rows of your garden box or get your MM-Mini ready. Make the soil mix loose and moist. Then sow the seeds like this:
- poke 1 hole in the middle of the patch (1 cm deep max)
- put 2 to 3 seeds in the hole
- carefully cover it up with soil mix
Depending on the weather and the time of year, you'll see something come up in the next 2 weeks.
Level 2 and 3: Sunflower seedlings and thinning
If you see the first seedlings, you know you're on track.
Sometimes more than one comes up. Then you're ready for the next level: thinning.
Choose the best seedling and remove the rest. It might sound harsh, but it's necessary. The remaining plant will have the room it needs to grow.
Your sunflower will thank you later.
Sometimes more than one comes up. Then you're ready for the next level: thinning.
Choose the best seedling and remove the rest. It might sound harsh, but it's necessary. The remaining plant will have the room it needs to grow.
Your sunflower will thank you later.
Level 3: Thin the Sunflower seedlings
Keep the strongest seedling and ruthlessly cut the others away. It can be difficult to do, but it is necessary if the remaining plant is to grow well.
Once that is done, you can enjoy watching the plant grow over the next few weeks.
Once that is done, you can enjoy watching the plant grow over the next few weeks.
Level 4: Caring for your sunflower
After about 2 weeks your seedling becomes a small plant.
You hardly need to do anything for the next month: when the weather is dry, give some water and remove the odd dead or yellow leaf. Easy 🙂
The stem grows fast, so give the plant some support. Either on a trellis or with a sturdy pole. And watch out for snails: they love sunflower seedlings.
You hardly need to do anything for the next month: when the weather is dry, give some water and remove the odd dead or yellow leaf. Easy 🙂
The stem grows fast, so give the plant some support. Either on a trellis or with a sturdy pole. And watch out for snails: they love sunflower seedlings.
Level 5: Blooming
About 8 to 9 weeks after sowing, the first flower buds appear.
The plant is growing fast now and getting big. Tie it to the trellis or put a sturdy pole next to it if you haven't yet. You don't want them blown over in the next storm:
The plant is growing fast now and getting big. Tie it to the trellis or put a sturdy pole next to it if you haven't yet. You don't want them blown over in the next storm:
What do you use sunflowers for?
Sunflowers are in your vegetable garden to attract bees and make you happy.
But you can also eat the flower buds raw or steam them like artichokes. You can also snack on the seeds: unpeeled or peeled, raw or roasted.
Other than that, they're great as cut flowers.
Tip from the florist: cut the stem at an angle and place them in hot water. This stops them from drooping.
But you can also eat the flower buds raw or steam them like artichokes. You can also snack on the seeds: unpeeled or peeled, raw or roasted.
Other than that, they're great as cut flowers.
Tip from the florist: cut the stem at an angle and place them in hot water. This stops them from drooping.
You grow sunflowers because they look amazing and attract bees. Eating the seeds is an added perk.
Sunflower seeds are full of vitamin E, an important antioxidant. They also contain a lot of zinc: good for beautiful skin and cell growth. The fiber and magnesium lower cholesterol and the high amounts of selenium stimulate the liver to help rid the body of waste. In short: only good for you.
Don't feel like stripping the seeds of their hard shell? Then give them to the birds: they love them 😀
Sunflower seeds are full of vitamin E, an important antioxidant. They also contain a lot of zinc: good for beautiful skin and cell growth. The fiber and magnesium lower cholesterol and the high amounts of selenium stimulate the liver to help rid the body of waste. In short: only good for you.
Don't feel like stripping the seeds of their hard shell? Then give them to the birds: they love them 😀
The last levels
Your sunflower will continue to form new buds and flowers for a long time. Flowering can go into October.
Once it gets really cold and starts to freeze, the plant turns black. Then it's time to empty your sunflower patch.
Once it gets really cold and starts to freeze, the plant turns black. Then it's time to empty your sunflower patch.
So, what's stopping you from growing your own sunflower?
It's super easy to grow, the flowers are bee magnets, and just looking at it will make you happy.
Plus: with our materials and app it's practically impossible to fail 😉
Order your sunflower seeds here or get growing with a complete starter kit:
Plus: with our materials and app it's practically impossible to fail 😉
Order your sunflower seeds here or get growing with a complete starter kit:
Enjoy!
