Growth of Sunflower Seeds

Identification

• Sunflowers grow from seeds planted 2 to 3 feet deep in the ground. They can be started indoors, but need to be transplanted outdoors before the roots start to get tangled. Mature sunflowers yield the seeds that are popular with baseball players. The gray and white-shelled seeds are high in protein.

Types

• There are a number of different types of sunflowers. The mammoth, American giant hybrid and skyscraper are three versions of the giant sunflower, which grows to have a flower that is more than 12 inches across and up to 12 feet high. Standard sunflowers grow between 6 and 10 feet high, and miniatures, which are most popular in Asia, are just 2 to 4 feet tall.

Considerations

• Especially with giant sunflowers, it is important that these plants be grounded about 3 feet apart. The large variety will tend to shade the other plants if it is planted much closer than that. Full exposure to sunshine is a requirement for growing sunflowers and creating sunflower seeds.