How to Grow Giant Sunflowers

Reader Contribution by Tobias Whitaker
Published on January 22, 2016
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Sunflowers come in all shapes and sizes. From the miniature teddy bear sunflower to the towering titan variety gardeners have their choice in regards to this wonderful American native. Colors range from nostalgic yellow to lovely maroon hues.

On our urban farm we prefer to grow giant sunflowers. They serve a number of practical purposes. They provide an inviting natural hedge between neighbors. They are a healthy source of food for our chickens and rabbits that eat the leaves, seeds and heads. They also provide a snack for our children in the form of salted seeds. We use their massive stalks as a trellis for runner beans. Pollinators love to comb sunflowers for their thick yellow pollen. We are also a family of bird watchers and we love to spend a nice summer afternoon watching the birds swoop from one head to another in search of seed. Sunflowers are great for cut flowers as well.

Though they provide a number of beneficial aspects for our homestead the real fun is simply growing them with my children in an effort to beat our previous years record for height. Sunflowers are actually a great plant to grow with children because they grow extraordinarily quick and the seed is easy to handle.

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