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Sunflowers are one of my favorite "happy" flowers. They look like big smiling faces growing out in the fields.
Their scientific name, Helianthus annuus, comes from the Greek words of Helias (sun) and anthas (flower).
Sunflowers are heliotropic, which means they turn their flowers to follow the movement of the sun across the sky east to west. Returning at night to face east, ready again for the morning sun. Heliotropism happens during earlier stages before the flowers grow heavy with seeds.
Sometimes they are called the "Fourth Sister" in reference to The Three Sisters planting of corn, beans and squash, replacing the corn.
Sunflowers are a great addition to your flower and vegetable gardens for their beauty and food but are also essential habitat plants for pollinators as well. Butterflies, beneficial insects, hummingbirds and birds flock to sunflower heads for food, pollen and nectar.
Sunflowers mature in 80 to 95 days. The largest variety grows over 16 feet in height, with flower heads over 12 inches in diameter. Breeders have shrunk varieties to be smaller with colorful multiple heads ranging from yellow, orange to red.
Choose a sunny spot with direct sunlight six to eight hours a day. They need well-drained soil and are heavy feeders and benefit with compost or a slow-release granular fertilizer.
If possible, plant them in a spot that will shelter them from strong winds, along a fence or a building.
Large varieties become top heavy and may require staking.
Direct sow after danger of frost has passed as they have a tap root and don't transplant well.
Sunflower seeds are a popular treat for humans as well as birds. If you plan on beating the birds to some of the tasty seeds, harvest them once the heads nod downward and the tiny petals on top of seeds have fallen off.
Cut the entire sunflower, leaving about a foot of the stem. Hang flower heads upside down in a warm, dry place with low humidity covered with a paper bag. Once you can run your hand over the seed heads and seeds easily drop out, harvest them from the heads.
I always leave some for the birds as I love watching them hang upside down from the heads picking off seeds.
For the kids, create a sunflower house by marking out a circle that's 3 to 4 feet wide in a sunny location. Plant sunflower seeds at the edge of this circle leaving a 2- to-3-foot-wide opening for the door. Choose tall varieties that will create a good sized "roof." Let sunflowers grow together without thinning. Once they form heads, gently tie the tops of sunflowers together to form the roof.
If you want a bouquet, cut the main stem just before the flower bud has chance to open. Cut stems early in the morning to avoid flowers wilting and arrange them in a tall container that provides support for their heavy heads and change water often.
Mammoth is the traditional giant. Autumn Beauty has many 6-inch flowers in shades of yellow, bronze and mahogany on 2-foot-tall stems. Teddy Bear is just 2 to 3 feet tall with fluffy deep gold blossoms perfect for containers or small gardens.
Downy mildew, rust and powdery mildew may affect sunflowers. If fungal diseases are spotted early, you have several options from trimming off leaves for increase air flow and sunlight penetration into the canopy/grouping of plants and more.
Go plant some happy faces to watch over you as you garden! Learn more about this topic at: https://go.osu.edu/sunflowers
Baytos is an Ohio State University Extension Master Gardener Volunteer in Mahoning County.