by Sandy Swegel
Sunflowers inspire a primordial joy in us. We may be rosarians, orchid specialists, rock plant lovers or even urban folk who barely see the outdoors, but sunflowers against a blue sky spark an inner gasp of delight. Sunflowers often plant themselves on their own and can manage to grow without any attention from us, but if we have a nice little patch of sunflowers, we can nurture them so they last and last for weeks longer than their normal bloom.
What to do to get the most of your sunflowers?
Keep them deadheaded until the end of the season.
If you deadhead your sunflowers, they will keep pumping out new blossoms in their will to create seeds and more sunflowers. Don’t cut the stalk way back, the next sunflower often forms just inches from the place you deadheaded.
Leave the very last batch of spent flowers for the birds and for next year’s flowers.
When it seems like the sunflowers are slowing down, do leave the last set on flower heads on the plant for the birds. Even if its a little ugly going into Fall, birds like the seed heads right on the plant. Little finches especially like to sit on top of the old brown seed head and bend over and pluck seeds out.
Give the sunflowers a splash of water
If your sunflowers have self-seeded into a dry back alley or someplace in hot sun, throw them a bucket of water once in a while during hot spells. They’ll survive without the extra water, but thrive with it…and make more sunflowers just for you.