🌻 Your all-in-one sunflower growing guide!

Grow the cheeriest garden around with this all-in-one sunflower gardening guide. [Food Gardening Network Preview]( August 21, 2023  [Smile! It’s Sunflower Time!]( Grow the cheeriest garden around with this all-in-one sunflower gardening guide. [Sunflowers] Gain full access to this premium Gardening Guide—and an entire Library of food gardening advice—with a [Charter Gold Membership in Food Gardening Network!]( Dear Gardener, Is there any flower more cheerful than the sunflower? These bright, dramatic flowers bring flair to a bouquet, they stand out in your landscaping, and their gorgeous contrasting colors turn heads anywhere they grow. How could they not? As breathtakingly beautiful as they are, there’s so much more to sunflowers than their good looks! Sunflower seeds, sunflower oil, and sunflower flour are just a few of the culinary uses of this plant. They provide shade for other plants in your garden that may not enjoy as much sun. Their tall, thick stems are perfect for vining vegetables like cucumbers. And their deep taproots can help remove toxins from your soil. Sunflowers are pretty happy to go with the flow, as far as planting is concerned. They love sunshine, naturally. But outside of that, they’re nearly effortless to grow and care for. That said, there are still ideal conditions for growing the healthiest, happiest sunflowers you can. [Sunflowers] And that, my friend, is where Food Gardening Network’s Super Sunflowers Guide began. This premium Gardening Guide about sunflowers is your one-stop guide for growing the best sunflowers around. And you’ll also get help choosing which varieties to grow and how to take advantage of the oh-so-delicious sunflower seeds. Plus, there’s more here than just how to grow it! Sunflower history, sunflower science, and sunflower nutritional facts are all here! Here’s a look at what you’ll find in our Super Sunflowers Guide! You’ll find feature articles about sunflowers that include: - Types of Sunflowers–There are annual and perennial sunflowers. Annuals may be either branching, with multiple flower heads, or upright, with single flower heads. Although perennial and annual branching sunflowers are edible, they’re usually grown as ornamentals, while the single-headed upright sunflowers are known for producing abundant amounts of delicious sunflower seeds. - Growing Sunflowers from Seeds or Seedlings– Sunflowers have a reputation for being really easy to grow. All you need is a sunny patch of well-draining soil to get your sunflower garden growing. Grab up your seed packets and plan your planting! - Sun and Soil Requirements for Growing Sunflowers Plants– Sunflowers are among the most easygoing of all annual plants; plant your seeds in a sunny spot and watch your flowers grow. It really is just about that easy. [Food Gardening Network Charter Gold Membership Special Offer—Just $10 for an Entire Year! UPGRADE YOUR MEMBERSHIP TODAY! Become a Charter Gold Member today and get the Food Gardening Magazine and Library, Gardening Guides, and Recipes! [Gold Membership] Check out all that this new food gardening club has to offer you today! YES, SIGN ME UP NOW FOR JUST $10!]( - Planting Sunflowers Plants in the Ground or in Raised Beds–Sunflowers have deep taproots, so wherever you plant your sunflowers, make sure you have loose, loamy, well-draining soil. Try to plant your sunflowers in an area that’s not subject to heavy winds. You might want to plant alongside a building or a fence; those large sunflower varieties get pretty top-heavy as the flowers grow! - Companion Plants for Sunflowers–Take advantage of organic teamwork in your garden to deter garden pests, as well as weeds. Companion planting is a great way to help plants protect each other. For example, squash, peas, and tomatoes are not a grasshopper’s favorite food. Adding these plants with your sunflowers can deter grasshoppers from gnawing on your sunflowers. - Growing Sunflowers Plants in Containers–It’s entirely possible to grow sunflowers in pots! But take a realistic approach to this plan. Don’t try to plant giant varieties in a pot for your deck. Instead, consider growing dwarf varieties, which grow to no more than 3 feet tall. - Watering, Weeding, Fertilizing, and Pruning Your Sunflower Plants– About an inch of rain every seven to 10 days is sufficient. If you don’t get enough rain, you can water once a week. But don’t over-saturate the roots, because dry roots are healthier than soaked ones. What about weeding, fertilizing, and pruning? It’s all in the Super Sunflowers Guide. - Harvesting your Sunflowers–You can harvest your sunflowers at different times depending on how you want to use them, whether that’s for part of a flower arrangement or for culinary purposes. - Storing and Preserving your Sunflowers–The simplest thing to do is cut the ripe sunflowers off the stalk, remove the flower ray petals, and set the sunflowers out where birds and other wildlife can enjoy them. If you want to enjoy them for yourself, there are a few other steps to take. - Dealing with Sunflower Diseases–Like all crops, sunflowers are susceptible to various fungal diseases. Your best weapons against these are best planting practices, which help prevent disease in the first place. - Dealing with Sunflower Pests–You may find aphids, caterpillars, Japanese beetles, thrips, leafhoppers, borers, and the sunflower fruit fly on your sunflower plants. Find out what to do in the Super Sunflowers Guide! - Essential Tools and Equipment for Growing and Enjoying Sunflowers–There are a few tools that make harvesting and shelling sunflower seeds a lot easier. Then discover seven of the most popular sunflower varieties, so you can choose the best ones for your garden, including: - Mammoth Grey Stripe Sunflower– Mammoth Grey Stripe sunflowers are probably the most iconic of all tall sunflowers, producing the delicious grey and white striped seeds that may take you back to your childhood. - Chocolate Sunflower– What a beautiful contrast to a standard yellow sunflower! This lovely, unassuming flower radiates in a warm shade of chocolate brown. - Ring of Fire Sunflower– Ring of Fire has stunning bi-colored petals that flare outward from red to yellow. This branching variety will produce several blooms per stalk. - Mongolian Giant Sunflower–The Mongolian Giant sunflower is the largest sunflower in the world, reaching toward the sky at a height of up to 14 feet with enormous blooms up to 18 inches across! - Black Russian Sunflower–The Black Russian sunflower produces oil-rich seeds that are frequently part of wild bird mixes. - Super Snack Mix Sunflower–If you’re looking for huge, easy-to-crack-open seeds for snacks, the Super Snack Mix sunflower makes an excellent choice. - Sunspot Sunflower–This dwarf sunflower variety grows only about 16 inches tall, but it produces flowers 10 inches across! [Food Gardening Network Charter Gold Membership Special Offer—Just $10 for an Entire Year! UPGRADE YOUR MEMBERSHIP TODAY! Become a Charter Gold Member today and get the Food Gardening Magazine and Library, Gardening Guides, and Recipes! [Gold Membership] Check out all that this new food gardening club has to offer you today! YES, SIGN ME UP NOW FOR JUST $10!]( And what better way to celebrate your sunflower harvest than with quick and easy-to-make recipes! Food Gardening Network is all about providing delicious recipes for making satisfying dishes. Try these recipes and enjoy your sunflower harvest: - Sunflower Seed Crusted Chicken– The nutty and crunchy coating made with crushed sunflower seeds gives this dish an extra flavor boost. It’s also a super easy way to dress up a chicken dinner in no time at all! - Sunflower Flour– Sunflower Flour is a great alternative to traditional wheat flour and almond flour, and it is easy to make at home with just one ingredient—raw, hulled sunflower seeds! - Sunflower Bread– In this recipe for Sunflower Bread, you’ll add the essence of sunflower through sunflower oil and by mixing the sunflower seeds into the bread mixture, then sprinkling them on top. It’s a great treat for anyone with a nut allergy, too! - Toasted Sunflower Oil–Toasted Sunflower Oil is a delicious, nutritious oil perfect for salads, dressings, marinades, and more. - Honey Sunflower Bites– Perfect for breakfast, as an afternoon snack, or even as a dessert, this delight is sure to please all taste buds! [Sunflower] We even include the health benefits of sunflowers with Nutrition Facts about Sunflowers and Home Remedies & Health Benefits of Sunflowers. Learn about all the wonderful and beneficial attributes of sunflowers—and how you can use sunflowers to boost your overall health. Did you know sunflower seeds are packed with iron and protein? They’re also a good source of zinc, which helps your immune system function. And to be sure you have everything you need to grow your own sunflowers, we’ve included a Resources about Sunflowers section—so that you can easily find additional tools and information about sunflowers and all sorts of other general gardening resources. Find more than 60 varieties of sunflower plants at one of our resources, plus tools for helping get those delicious sunflower seeds. Check out this premium Gardening Guide now—Super Sunflowers Guide—and you’ll really learn everything you need to know about sunflowers! [Food Gardening Network Charter Gold Membership Special Offer—Just $10 for an Entire Year! UPGRADE YOUR MEMBERSHIP TODAY! Become a Charter Gold Member today and get the Food Gardening Magazine and Library, Gardening Guides, and Recipes! [Gold Membership] Check out all that this new food gardening club has to offer you today! YES, SIGN ME UP NOW FOR JUST $10!]( But this is just a fraction of what you’ll get with your [Food Gardening Network Charter Gold Membership]( You see Gold Membership is packed with benefits you can’t get anywhere else! As Editor & Publisher of Food Gardening Network, I’m happy to have you as a free Bronze Member, but that only gives you a small taste of what Food Gardening Network is all about. When you upgrade now to [Food Gardening Network Charter Gold Membership]( you unlock the key to an entire library of material, absolutely everything we publish about growing good food at home—all access and all the time for you, including: - [All-Access Membership in Food Gardening Network Gold Club]( only online resource for planning, planting, growing, tending, harvesting, and enjoying foods from your very own garden. - Subscription to Food Gardening Magazine—you get monthly issues filled with articles about how to start, maintain, and harvest food from your own garden at home. 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Your success with food gardening depends on you acting now—please claim your [Food Gardening Network Charter Gold Membership]( today and get the only all-in-one-place resource for planning, planting, growing, tending, harvesting, and enjoying foods from your very own garden. P.P.S. The Super Sunflower Guide is just one of more than 55 Gardening Guides that come when you upgrade from Bronze to Gold membership. From Bell Peppers and Brussels Sprouts to Scallions and Sunflowers, these guides have detailed information to help you grow the best garden ever. I can’t wait to share it with you! [Food Gardening Network Charter Gold Membership Special Offer—Just $10 for an Entire Year! UPGRADE YOUR MEMBERSHIP TODAY! Become a Charter Gold Member today and get the Food Gardening Magazine and Library, Gardening Guides, and Recipes! [Gold Membership] Check out all that this new food gardening club has to offer you today! 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