Fun With Kids

Getting started with sunflowers

Spring has sprung and it’s a great time to get your sunflower seeds in the ground and introduce your kids to gardening. They will love watching them grow and you could even have a family competition to see which sunflower grows the tallest!

September 30, 2020

Growing sunflowers is easy

  1. Choose a spot that is in full sun but will drain well (sunflowers need 6-8 hours of sun each day).
  2. Plant seeds into moist ground that has been improved with compost and manure. The seeds should be planted about 50cm apart.
  3. Water every day until the seeds germinate (which could take about 10 days).
  4. When they’re young water them 3-4 times a week and use a water-soluble fertiliser once a week.
  5. As the plant matures and reaches about a half metre high, water 2-3 times a week and fertilise every other week.
  6. Regularly remove any weeds that pop up as they will overtake your sunflowers’ growing space.
  7. A thin layer of organic mulch will deter weeds and help to retain moisture.
  8. Depending on the variety you’ve chosen, you may need to support your sunflowers with stakes as they grow.
  9. Giant varieties will almost certainly need a stake for support when fully grown.

Grow a summer sunflower cubby

  • Choose a spot for your cubby and dig a large circle – make sure it will be big enough for your kids to fit inside.
  • Leave a gap at the front of the circle for a ‘doorway’.
  • Plant giant sunflower seeds around the circle.
  • You can also plant seeds for smaller sunflowers in between the larger ones, for more support at the base of the cubby.


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