Lemon Queen Sunflower Seeds

Sowing

• Sow the sunflower seeds directly in the garden after all danger of spring frost has passed and the soil temperature is above 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Lemon queen seeds have a 75 to 80 percent germination rate when planted properly. Pick a site that is in full sun with good-draining soil. The sunflowers grow best when the soil acidity is neutral, which is between 6.5 and 7.5 pH. Plant the seeds 9 to 12 inches apart in rows spaced 18 to 36 inches. Cover the seeds with 1 1/2 inches of soil. Lemon queen sunflower seeds germinate in seven to 10 days and bloom in the summer.

Warning

• Germination of the seeds will not occur when the soil temperature is below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Do not add fertilizer to the soil before planting the seeds. These seeds are damaged by the salts in the fertilizer. Wait until the seedlings are two weeks old before side dressing the plants with slow-release fertilizer.

Production

• Watch for pest damage to the stems and seed heads while the sunflowers are growing. Insects that feed within the stems and on the flower heads keep nutrients from the flowers, reducing or even destroying the seeds. Remove any sunflower beetles, sunflower bud moths and caterpillars that you find on the Lemon queen sunflowers. When the seeds appear, the flower heads attract birds that feed on the seeds. Cover the flower heads with a paper bag tied loosely around the stems. This will stop the hungry birds and catch any seeds falling from the drying heads.

Harvesting

• Sunflower heads are made up of outer petals and hundreds of tiny flowers clustered in the center of the head. The flowers bloom for six weeks before developing a single seed in each of the tiny blossoms. When the outer petals have fallen off the head and the stem looks dry, harvest the heads. Cut the stems with a sharp knife leaving a few inches of stem attached to the head for a handle. Be sure to disinfect the knife with a mixture of one part bleach and nine parts water.