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(Best months for planting Sunflower in New Zealand - cool/mountain regions)

• Harvest in 70-80 days
• Sow in garden. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed.
• Best planted at soil temperatures between 10°C and 30°C.
• Space plants: 20-30cm

Large showy flowers, available in a variety of colours Giant or Russian varieties are best for seed production

Sunflowers do not like to be transplanted.

Grow to 1 - 2 metres (4 - 6 ft) so need staking or protection from the wind. Protect the seed heads from birds when ripening.

Culinary hints - cooking and eating Sunflower

Use seeds fresh or toasted

Your comments and tips

09 Dec 10 Liz (New Zealand - temperate climate)

Season's Greetings, Kevin, and don't waste your vodka!

07 Feb 11 Bridget (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)

Pls help! I grew what I thought was single headed sunflower but they turned out to be multi headed (at least some of them are multi anyway). Now, I have waited till the head turn yellow and droopy... but there's no seeds inside? When I pop the husk there's only a sliver of white matter inside. Is this normal or are some sunflower not suitable for seed collecting?

03 Jun 11 (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)

please can you help we dehusk all our sunflowers by hand is there a easyier way cheers rob

02 Sep 11 Karen (New Zealand - temperate climate)

For a family wedding we are wanting sun flowers to bloom around mid march 2012, when should we plant them and can we get a dwarf type, what sort would be best

07 Sep 11 JOan (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)

Hi does anyone know where I can get Hopi sunflower seeds for natural dye?

03 Oct 11 Linh (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)

Hi, I've just out my very first sunflower seeds in the garden, should I pull out the sunflower plant after cutting off the flower for seeds or should the plant be left in the garden for new flowers to grow next year?

03 Oct 11 (New Zealand - temperate climate)

You'll need to grow new plants next year.

11 Dec 11 brian smith (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)

I've just brought 3 packets of sunflower seeds to plant-out along my fence line, however, I notice on the packets it says that rats and mice are fond of sunflower seeds, and may eat them in the seed-bed. My question is, When the plants grow and flower with seeds, could I be encouraging rats and mice into my back garden?

17 Dec 11 (New Zealand - temperate climate)

Brian, you'll probably find that the birds will beat the mice to your sunflower seeds. Some people protect the seeds by covering with paper bags while they are ripening - not too early otherwise they won't be pollinated.

28 Jan 12 Alyson Bradley (New Zealand - temperate climate)

I simply want to ask for advice from the experts, new to sun flower growing... but as in Christchurch so want to bring some sun shine back here and in tend to turn my biggest lawn into a sunflower field, the idea makes me smile and I feel bring a few more smiles back where needed , if you have any ideas, help or advice.. I am listening ;))))))