How to grow sunflowers in detail and most effectively

Sunflowers are easy to grow, easy to care for and can thrive in many different weather conditions. Not only do they have brilliant beauty, sunflowers also have many values ​​such as decoration, air purification, seed collection or use as raw materials for handicrafts. In this article, Viet Nga Fertilizer will guide you on how to grow sunflowers properly so that the plants grow healthily and produce the most beautiful flowers.

Simple way to grow sunflowers

How to choose seeds and planting season

To grow sunflowers effectively, choosing the right variety and planting at the right time is an important factor that farmers should not ignore. Viet Nga Fertilizer would like to guide farmers with some basic information as follows:

1. Choose sunflower varieties

Depending on the needs and growing conditions, farmers can choose the following groups of varieties:

• According to tree height:
  • Tall varieties: Giant sunflower, Russian mammoth sunflower, giant Sungold sunflower. This sunflower variety is suitable for outdoor decoration, creating a highlight for the garden.
  • Dwarf varieties: Dwarf sunflower, small Becka sunflower, teddy bear sunflower, Sunny Smile. This sunflower variety is suitable for planting in pots, balconies, small gardens.
• By flower color:
  • Sunflowers are commonly bright yellow. There are also special color varieties such as Italian white, red, red orange and wine color. These varieties are often grown for decoration, serving the needs of Tet display or flower selling.

2. Planting season

Sunflowers can be planted year-round, but to ensure the plant grows well and flowers at the desired time, farmers should note:

• Main crop: Sow in April – May of the solar calendar.
• Secondary crop: Sow in November – December of the solar calendar, suitable for flowers on Tet holiday.
• Sow according to the lunar calendar: To have flowers bloom on Tet holiday, sow seeds around October 15 of the lunar calendar.
• Time from sowing to flowering: Depending on the variety, ranges from 50 – 75 days. Some varieties can last up to 80 days.

Viet Nga Fertilizer encourages farmers to choose seeds of clear origin, suitable for local climate and sow at the right time to achieve high germination rate, uniform plant growth, beautiful flowers and on-season.

How to grow sunflowers from seeds

The method of growing sunflowers from seeds is not too complicated. Farmers only need to follow the basic steps below for the plant to grow well and produce big and beautiful flowers:

1. Prepare seeds and planting tools

First, you need to choose quality sunflower seeds, prioritize round, large, even, not flat seeds, should buy at reputable stores to ensure a high germination rate. Sunflowers have many types such as: dwarf sunflowers, tall sunflowers, super-flower towers, cut branches or red sunflowers, depending on the purpose of planting, you should choose the appropriate type of seed.

If planting in pots, you should choose the type with a diameter of 25-30cm. The soil needs to be loose, well-drained and rich in nutrients. You can use a mixture of rice husk ash (salted), sandy soil or coconut fiber and decomposed manure. In addition, pre-packaged clean soil is also a convenient and effective choice.

2. Soak and germinate seeds

Seeds need to be soaked in warm water (about 40–50°C, mixed in a ratio of 2 boiling + 3 cold) for 8 hours to stimulate germination. Then, farmers can sow seeds directly into pots or nursery trays, about 2–3cm deep, each seed 15cm apart to give the plants room to grow.

After sowing, cover the seeds with a thin layer of soil and water regularly twice a day, early in the morning and late in the afternoon. Use a small watering can to avoid crushing the seeds. During this stage, the seedlings need to be protected from the sun. After about 3-5 days, the seeds will germinate.

3. Plant seedlings in pots or beds

When the seedlings have grown 4-5 true leaves and roots begin to penetrate the bottom of the nursery tray, farmers proceed to transfer the plants to pots or plant them in beds. When planting, farmers need to gently place the plants in the middle of the pot, fill the soil to the level of the cotyledons, avoid breaking the root ball. The best time to plant is in the cool afternoon to reduce shock to the plants.

After planting, farmers should keep the soil moist so that the plants can grow well. In the early stages, the plants need light in the morning and shade when the sun is hot. Viet Nga Fertilizer encourages farmers to use more organic fertilizers or organic microbial fertilizers during the planting process so that the plants can grow healthily, flower evenly and have more vibrant colors.

How to grow sunflowers from cuttings

To grow sunflowers from cuttings, you first need to choose healthy branches, about 6-8 cm long. Note that you should cut off the base leaves and the lower joints so that the branches can concentrate their nutrients on rooting.

After preparation, you proceed to plant the cuttings in the soil, about half the length of the branch. The soil should be loose and moist to help the branches develop roots quickly. After planting, you need to water regularly every 2 days to maintain stable humidity, helping the branches not to dry out.

During the cutting stage, you should place the pot in a cool place, away from direct sunlight. The ideal temperature for the cuttings to take root is around 18-20°C. After about 20 days, when you see the cuttings begin to take root and take root, you can move the plant to the garden for further care.

Planting sunflowers to bloom on Tet

To have sunflowers bloom in time for Tet, farmers need to plan to plant early, specifically around September to October of the lunar calendar. This is the ideal time for the plants to have enough time to grow and bloom on time.

Viet Nga Fertilizer encourages people to take the following steps:

• Choose the right variety: Sunflower varieties with a short growing period of about 60-70 days such as Teddy Bear, Sunspot or Giant Sunflower should be prioritized. These varieties can be grown in pots or in the garden.
• Preparing the soil: Sunflowers prefer loose, well-drained and nutrient-rich soil. Farmers should mix the soil with compost, organic fertilizer or NPK fertilizer from Viet Nga Fertilizer, helping to provide enough nutrients for the plant right from the beginning. The ideal soil pH is from 6 to 7.
• Seed treatment: Before sowing, farmers should soak the seeds in warm water at 40-50°C for about 6-8 hours to stimulate germination.
• Sowing: Sow the seeds in the prepared soil, keeping a distance of 5-10 cm, the hole about 2-3 cm deep, cover the soil lightly and water to keep moist. In the beginning, the plant should be placed in a place with light, airy space for the plant to take root and grow evenly.

Once the tree has taken root and grown steadily, farmers need to take care of it properly so that it blooms in time for Tet:

• Light: Sunflowers love the light, so make sure the plant gets 6-8 hours of direct sunlight every day. If planted in a pot, you can move the plant to a place with full sunlight.
• Reasonable watering: Water evenly in the morning or cool afternoon, avoid watering in the hot noon sun.
• The soil should always be kept moist but not waterlogged, because the plant cannot withstand waterlogging.
• Regular fertilization: Every 2-3 weeks, you should add NPK fertilizer or organic fertilizer from Viet Nga Fertilizer to help the plant grow healthy, with a strong stem and green leaves. In particular, during the flowering stage, you need to add potassium fertilizer to help the flowers bloom large, evenly and with long-lasting color.
• Pest control – leaf pruning: Regularly check the plant to detect pests early, and cut off dry, wilted or diseased leaves to keep the plant airy and avoid mold. Healthy leaves should be kept to support photosynthesis.

With the correct planting and care process as above, people can completely grow beds of bright yellow sunflowers, blooming just in time for Tet, both beautifying the space and bringing luck and prosperity at the beginning of the year.

How to grow sunflowers in pots

To grow sunflowers in pots effectively, you first need to prepare loose, nutritious and well-drained humus soil. Next, you put the soil in the pot so that the soil is about 1/4 of the height from the rim of the pot, helping to prevent water from overflowing when watering and developing roots.

Choose healthy, pest-free seedlings and place them gently in the middle of the pot. Note that you only fill the soil up to the cotyledon level to avoid waterlogging or root rot. It is best to plant in the cool afternoon so that the plants are less susceptible to heat shock.

After planting, remember to water to keep the soil moist enough, avoid letting the soil get too dry or too wet. In the beginning, you need to monitor closely to ensure the plant takes root well and grows steadily. Viet Nga Fertilizer encourages you to use organic fertilizer or specialized fertilizer to help sunflowers in pots grow evenly, with large flowers and bright colors.

Sunflower care tips

For sunflowers to grow healthily, bloom big and evenly, farmers need to apply some proper care techniques from when the plants are small until they bloom. Below are some useful tips that Viet Nga Fertilizer sends to farmers:

• Light: Sunflowers love the sun. You should plant them in a place with at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight each day for good photosynthesis, strong stems and large flowers.
• Watering: The plant needs a lot of water but cannot tolerate waterlogging. You should water about 8 liters of water per week, keeping the soil moist but not waterlogged. Water around the base of the plant about 10cm away to avoid waterlogging.

• Fertilization: 10 days after planting, you can mix NPK 30-9-9 at a ratio of 0.5g/1 liter of water, watering every 10 days to help the plant develop leaves and stems.
  • When the plant reaches the desired height, switch to NPK 15-15-15 to stabilize growth.
  • When buds begin to appear, use fertilizers with high phosphorus and potassium content such as NPK 10-30-20, 15-5-20, or Potassium Nitrate SPC-K to help the flowers bloom evenly and beautifully.
  • When the flower buds have grown, stop fertilizing to avoid rotting the flower buds.
• Pruning and shaping:
  • Prune the branches three times a year in spring, summer, and autumn to stimulate the plant to produce many flowers on the stem.
  • When the plant is 40-45 days old, if you want only one large flower, remove all the axillary buds, keeping one main bud. If you want the plant to have many flowers, keep a few axillary buds, prune them alternately about 30cm/bud.
• Pest control:
  • Common pests include thrips, aphids, whiteflies; common diseases are brown spot, root rot, and wilt.
  • Farmers should check the fields regularly, remove wilted leaves, and ensure the fields are always dry and airy.
  • Apply IPM (integrated pest management) measures. Prioritize the use of biological pesticides and follow the 4 rights principle (right time, right way, right dose, right medicine). Spray only when absolutely necessary and spray thoroughly on the underside of leaves.
• Clearing the field after harvest: Clear away plant residues, plow and treat the soil thoroughly to limit pathogens for the next crop.

Viet Nga Fertilizer encourages farmers to keep a cultivation diary to easily monitor the development process and promptly handle problems that arise during the sunflower growing process.

Conclusion

Growing sunflowers is not too complicated, as long as farmers apply the right techniques from seed selection, soil preparation to care and pest control, the plants will grow healthily and produce beautiful, evenly blooming flowers. Hopefully, the sharing in the detailed sunflower growing article above from Viet Nga Fertilizer will help farmers gain more experience in growing sunflowers effectively, both beautifying the living space and opening up opportunities to increase income from this potential ornamental plant.