How to Grow Sunflowers on a Balcony

Sunflowers are bright, cheerful, fast-growing flowers that are easy to grow, even for inexperienced gardeners. As their name suggests, sunflowers thrive in full sun exposure and should be planted in a location where they can get plenty of light. They are cultivated to add showy color to a garden or used for their oil or tasty seeds. With versatility and an ability to thrive in a range of conditions, sunflowers are ideal for balcony growing. Select dwarf varieties, which are suited to containers.

Potting soil
Pots
Stake

Instructions

- 1
  Fill a small pot with potting soil mix. A moderate soil texture is ideal, but sunflowers can grow in many soil types, from clay to sand. A pH range of 6.0 to 7.2 is usually best for most soil types.
- 2
  Place seeds 1/2 inch to 1 inch deep and cover with soil. Germination usually occurs within one week. Though sunflowers thrive in hot temperatures, the seeds are not affected by cold. Seeds germinate at a reasonable rate in temperatures of at least 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 3
  Place the pots in the sunniest location of your balcony, preferably with southern exposure. Try placing on a table, railing or other high place to increase sun exposure. The best growing temperature is 70 to 78 F, but sunflowers tolerate a range of temperatures.
- 4
  Provide 1 inch of water each week to keep soil evenly moist. Plenty of irrigation is needed before and after flowering. Sunflowers have a deep taproot but aren't especially drought-resistant.
- 5
  Thin seedlings to 2 to 3 feet apart if you're growing multiple plants. You can grow the plants closer together but this will result in smaller flowers and may obstruct sunlight.
- 6
  Stake or support sunflowers as they grow, to help them stay upright.
- 7
  Transplant the sunflowers to larger pots once they outgrow their containers or become nearly root-bound.

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