Mongolian Giant Certified Organic Annual Sunflowers Flowers Seeds - West Coast Seeds

PRODUCT DETAILS

CERTIFIED ORGANIC! Mongolian Giant sunflower seeds produce seriously tall plants with stems that grow up to 4.2m (14') in just four months. The huge flower heads are laden with seeds over 2cm (1") long - the longest of any sunflower seeds. The large edible seeds can be harvested and roasted or left for the birds to enjoy. Direct sow as early as possible, as soon as the soil warms up in spring.

Annual.

All About Mongolian Giant Organic

Latin

Helianthus annuus

Family: Asteraceae

Difficulty

Easy

Season & Zone

Exposure: Full sun

Timing

Direct sow repeatedly after the last frost date. Starting indoors is possible, but does not gain much time. If sunflowers are allowed to get root-bound, they will lack stability at transplant time, and will require staking. Optimal soil temperature for germination: 21-30°C (70-85°F). Seeds should sprout in 10-14 days.

Starting

Sow seeds 5mm-1cm (¼-½”) deep. Space dwarf varieties 15cm (6″) apart, but give the giants lots of room at 1m (3′) between plants.

Growing

To grow really big plants with really big flowers, enrich the soil with organic matter and incorporate 2 cups of balanced organic fertilizer per 3m (10′) of row, and irrigate regularly. When the plants are 30cm (12) tall, dissolve 5ml (1 tsp) of borax (for boron) in 350 ml (12 fl oz) of water and spread the solution over 5m (15′) of row. Be careful not to over-apply this solution. This application of boron will produce bigger seeds and flower heads. Do not apply boron to other garden plants. When the back of the flower head turns yellow, it is ready to be cut from the plant.

Companion Planting

Sunflowers planted near rows of corn are said to increase yields. Sunflowers can be used to draw heavy metals, toxins, and even radiation from soil, but should be burned at the end of the season if grown for this purpose. Plant sunflowers amid squash plantings to improve pollination and overall production.