How to Grow Sunflower in Alaska
Sunflowers are a favorite of many and one of the easiest flowers you can grow. However, here in Alaska, our summers are always a race against time.
For earlier bloom, there are some simple pro-tips you can do to get a jump on the season to enjoy sunflowers for as long as possible. And maybe even bring some in the house to enjoy or give as a gift.
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- Choose the right seed for what you are wanting. Do you want giants taller than your house size or mass planting to watch they’re small to medium heads follow the sun throughout the day? Be sure to check out the branching varieties like the one above called Sonja for multiple blooms on one plant, great for cutting (do your research)
- Start them indoors 3-4 weeks before the last frost.
- Sow 2 seeds per hole in a 72 count tray filled with damp potting soil and place in a sunny window.
- When they sprout thin the smallest one out. Either by pulling or carefully snipping.
- Water tray well before you transplant them out side, either directly into the garden or a large planter.
- For thinner easier to cut stalks plant at 6″ spacing, further apart for broomstick stalks.
Pro-Tips:
*The wind can and will knock over sunflowers easily so be sure to stake them our use trellis to float over them staked at each corner for a 4’x6′ bed. Or every 8′-10′ of a row like pictures shows. Using trellis grid pattern is an easy way to see 6″ spacing 😉
**Most sunflowers are one-hit wonders. Meaning you only get one bloom per plant. If you are wanting to harvest them please keep this in mind. Or simply stick with the branching varieties.