Sunrich Orange Summer (F1) Sunflower Seed

Days to germination

7–14 days at 70–75°F (21–24°C).

Direct sowing (recommended)

Sow 1/2" deep after the last frost.

Transplanting

Sunflowers dislike having their roots disturbed, but for the very first flowers you can sow in 50- to 72-cell trays 2–3 weeks before planting out.

No pinching

Do not pinch single-stem sunflowers; pinched plants give poor flowers or none at all.

Succession

Sow every 1–2 weeks, and/or grow varieties with different days to maturity, for a steady harvest.

Light

Full sun.

Plant height

48–60".

Plant spacing

4–6". Closer spacing gives smaller heads and thinner stems.

Hardiness

Grown as an annual.

Harvest

Depending on your market and use, cut when the petals first show color, or later when the flower is nearly open. For drying, let the flowers open fully, then hang them or dry them in silica gel.

Soil

Light, well-drained soil. Too much nitrogen makes plants overly vigorous and can distort the flowers.

Notes

Spacing, temperature, soil and day length all affect flower size and stem thickness. For very early or late crops, choose day-length-neutral varieties or ones noted as flowering well under short days.

Uses

Excellent for cutting and for the garden.

Scientific name

Helianthus annuus

Packet

50 seeds.

Seeds per oz.

About 500 on average.