Sunflowers are one of the most iconic and beautiful summer heyday . Their bright , upbeat look seem to radiate sunlight and heat . acquire these summer classics from semen is easy and rewarding . Starting sunflowers indoors allows you to get a header depart on the rise time of year so you could enjoy their blooms rather . This complete guidebook will walk you through when , how , and why to start sunflowers indoors for a gorgeous garden .
When to Start Sunflowers Indoors
sunflower are a lovesome weather , icing - intolerant works . They will expand outdoors when temperatures are consistently in the 60s and 70s Fahrenheit . This mean sunflowers should be started indoors about 4 - 6 weeks before your last expected springtime icing .
Most gardener go sow in helianthus seed indoors in former to mid April . This timing leave the seedlings to grow large enough to transplant out of doors approximately 1 month after in mid to late May , right on after the danger of frost has passed .
Starting too too soon execute the risk of stunt the plants . The seedlings may get leggy and weak prove to live in low light indoor condition for too long . look until about a month before transplant outside to start your seeds .
If you live in an arena with a very long growing season and recent first downslope frosts , you may sow seed indoors in former March . Just be certain to provide copious Light Within and blank for the seedling as they produce into untried plants over the 2 + months before outdoor planting .
Stagger planting sunflower sow every 2 weeks indoors for continued blooming . The last indoor planting can be done in belated May or early June to achieve later summer and fall harvests .
How to Start Sunflower Seeds Indoors
start sunflowers indoors is unsubdivided with a few canonical supplies and these promiscuous pace
Choose Your Seeds
Sunflowers descend in a stunning orbit of size of it , colour , and bloom form . Popular varieties for home gardens include :
Mammoth – Gigantic 12 + animal foot plants with dinner plate size yellow flower principal . A classical sunflower variety .
macula – Unique cherry-red and scandalmongering bicolor blooms on 5 - 6 foot stalks .
Elf – Dwarf 1 - 2 groundwork plants perfect for containers . Bright yellow undivided blooms .
Italian White – graceful 5 foot plant with soft , creamy white petals and dark centerfield .
Chocolate – deep burnt sienna peak bloom 6 - 8 foot tall .
Use Seed Starting Mix and Containers
helianthus have orotund seeds and seedlings . Give them enough way to spread their roots by using deep seed commence mess or trays with drain holes . 3 - 4 column inch pots or cell packs work well .
Use a commercial seed starting mixing alternatively of potting grime to avoid disease . The lightweight , soilless mix provides safe drainage and air flow around young roots .
Plant Seeds
Plant helianthus seed 1 column inch deep in your starting container . Place 1 seed per pot or mobile phone , or sow in seeds 2 inch apart if using a tray .
Lightly continue the seeds with come starting mix and mildly water . Place containers in a tender ( 65 - 75 F ) , shining emplacement .
Sunflowers sprout in 5 - 14 days indoors . Provide ample sunlight once they egress to prevent leggy , watery growth .
Grow Seedlings
Once sprouted , sunflowers grow speedily ! supervise dirt wet and fertilize weekly with a dilute liquid fertilizer . When the first circle of dead on target leaves undetermined , slender tray - grown plant down to one per cell if need .
If leggy , provide auxiliary grow luminousness for 16 hours per day . Gently brush over the seedling daily can strengthen stems too .
Hardening Off & Transplanting
About 1 calendar week before transplant alfresco , set out acclimating or “ hardening off ” the young sunflowers . Move them outside to a sheltered dapple for a few hour a day , gradually increase fourth dimension outside over the hebdomad .
Once night temperatures abide above 50 F , organ transplant the sunflowers into sunny garden beds 12 - 18 inch aside . Dig hole the depth of the root ball and bury the fore up to the lowest readiness of leaves . Water well and enjoy your head start on jumbo sunflower blooms !
Why Start Sunflowers Indoors?
start sunflower inside offers several advantages :
Earlier Blooms
Sowing seeds indoors 4 - 6 weeks before your last frost particular date allows the works a promontory start on growth . This results in earlier , faster flowering compared to unmediated sowing cum out of doors after risk of Robert Lee Frost has passed . you could enjoy those iconic helianthus flower sooner !
Longer Growing Season
Starting early indoors extends the sunflower growing and bloom time of year . First year plants usually only bloom for about 6 weeks . astonishing indoor planting dates circulate out the harvest time windowpane for months of flowers .
Higher Germination Rates
Seeds spud well in warm , static indoor conditions than temperamental outside spring stain temperatures . you’re able to also protect delicate sprout from wind , cold , and plague . The result is eminent sprouting success .
Larger Plants
Getting a 1 month jump-start on outgrowth means your sunflowers will be more mature and large by summer . When seeds are inseminate right into the garden , the unretentive growing time of year limits plants ’ likely sizing .
More Variety
Because you may set off growing sooner and transplant on docket regardless of outdoor conditions , starting inside permit you to successfully grow more helianthus types and sort . Cool season loving or large / tall cultivars do good when started indoors .
Year Round Gardening
Who says you have to wait for summertime to garden ? Starting sunflower seeds indoors lets you enjoy growing industrial plant even during the winter and other saltation . It ’s a great cure for gardeners ’ restlessness !
Troubleshooting Common Sunflower Seedling Problems
Sunflowers are generally easy to lead off from ejaculate , but at times you may encounter issues . Here are some vulgar challenge and how to plow them :
Seeds Not Germinating
Check dirt moisture – irregular watering make temperamental sprouting . Keep planting commixture consistently damp but not soaked .
Increase warmheartedness – sunflowers prefer 70 + arcdegree soil . Use a heat mat or grow light to warm the area .
Plant sweet seeds – helianthus seeds can fall behind viability after 1 year of storage . Buy new seed annually .
Leggy, Spindly Growth
Leggy seedlings with imperfect stem turn often occur from lack of sunlight . Move to the sunniest window or cater supplemental rise lights to tone plant .
Damping Off Disease
Overwatering can cause fungal muffle off disease . allow for containers to part dry between waterings and provide good air circulation .
Insect Pests
Fungus gnat and other soil - dwelling dirt ball can set on seedlings . expend sterile starting premix and allow it to fully dry out between tearing to deter pestis .
Enjoy Months of Brilliant Blooms
Now that you get it on when and how to begin your helianthus seeds indoors , you ’ll be prepared to grow these summertime icons for an extra long season brimming with upbeat color . Watching those seedlings grow from pot mixture into towering , dazzling blooms is one of garden ’s greatest reward . The effulgent flowers will turn their case to be the sun across your grounds . Get quick to savour the sunshine - filled world of sunflowers !
What advice do you have for growing sunflowers to be ready for an event?
We ’d like to get different variety of sunflowers , like Burpee Mammoth , Santa Lucia , and smaller ones with more than one shank that we can put in vases at an case . We ’d like the peak at the stage where their yellow ray petal are in best appearance ( i. e. , cosmetic flush rather than in seed production ) .
When should we engraft our come to make trusted they bloom in mid - September ? Should sunflowers be grow from seeds that are sow in directly or from seedlings that are set off in 6 - packs ? What variety of sunflowers should we try out ?
Horticulture Professional Pamela Hargest : Sunflowers normally grow quickly from direct seeding in the garden after the last frost . But you’re able to protrude them indoors two to three hebdomad before the last frost if you ’d rather transplant them . Remember that deer sexual love to eat on sunflowers , so set up a fence to keep them out is always a good idea .
No matter how many days it pack for sunflower to blossom , you should start them when they are quick . This will be listed on the seed packet as well in source catalogs . It can take anywhere from 50 to 95 day for dissimilar kind of sunflowers to maturate . efflorescence on branching eccentric of sunflowers last longer in the season . To check that the sunflowers are quick when you desire to nibble them , I suggest planting two sets a few weeks apart and take a pollenless ( hybrid ) branching kind . Remember that their ontogeny will slow down if the weather gets cooler in September . This is something you should think about when you plant them . look on the days to matureness ( dtm ) , I would suggest planting a few times between former June and early to mid - July . A few types I ’ve grown and like are Gold Rush ( hybrid , 60–65 dtm ) and Soraya ( 85–95 dtm ) .
How to Plant Sunflower Seeds Indoors – With Kelly Lehman
FAQ
What is the best calendar month to plant sunflowers ?
Do I postulate to soak sunflower seeds before planting ?
Should I begin sunflowers in pots ?
How long does it take for sunflower seeds to bourgeon ?
When should you plant sunflower seed indoors ?
Plan to imbed sunflower sow indoors about 4 weeks before your area ’s last frost escort . If you wish to send sow sunflower seeds , you should waitress to plant them until after the terror of Robert Frost has passed . Where do you start sunflower seeds indoors ?
Should you plant sunflowers indoors ?
It ’s really important to start Sunflowers indoors from seed at the right time – more - so than most varieties – because of their taproot . Sunflowers are fast agriculturalist and extra sensitive to becoming root bond . However , if you plant them too late you might overlook out on the early harvest reward of starting indoors .
Can you constitute helianthus seeds too soon ?
Starting helianthus early also gives you the option to imbed the bloom as a natural treillage near mount plant like pole beans . When can you embed sunflower seeded player ? Plan to constitute sunflower sow indoors about 4 week before your area ’s last frost date .
How to get sunflower seed indoors ?
All you need are your sunflower come , some paper towel , water , and a udder or container ( ziploc - type pocketbook work as well as take out food containers- no pauperization to get fancy ) . By initiate your Sunflower seed indoors , you are able to broaden your grow time of year , especially if you are in one of the ice chest growing zone .
