Sunflowers — Peredovik Heirloom Organic

Sold Out $3.69

Peredovik Organic sunflower seeds are CERTIFIED ORGANIC! This Russian HEIRLOOM cultivar produces the black oil seed used for making sunflower oil and is the very top choice for feeding birds. Plants average one big head with few side branches. The birds will tell you when the small, oil-rich seeds are ripe! Black oil sunflower seeds for organic growing. Plant Peredovik organic sunflower seeds in and around your squash and pumpkin plants to lure pollinators to the area and you will get increased fruit set and larger harvests. Peredovik grows to a height of 1.5-2m (5-6').

Annual

Quick Facts:

Annual
Produces sunflower oil
One big head
Height to 2m (6')
Feed the birds

Size: 5g (approx. 90 seeds)

How To Grow: Sunflowers will grow in just about any well-drained soil, and they are drought tolerant. Annual flowers that can grow to incredible heights in just one season. Continue reading below for tips on how to grow sunflowers from seed.

Difficulty
Easy

Season & Zone
Exposure: Full sun

Timing
Direct sow repeatedly after the last frost date. Starting indoors is possible, but does not gain much time. If sunflowers are allowed to get root-bound, they will lack stability at transplant time, and will require staking. Optimal soil temperature for germination: 21-30°C (70-85°F). Seeds should sprout in 10-14 days.

Starting
Sow seeds 5mm-1cm (¼-½”) deep. Space dwarf varieties 15cm (6″) apart, but give the giants lots of room at 1m (3′) between plants.

Growing
To grow really big plants with really big flowers, enrich the soil with organic matter and incorporate 2 cups of balanced organic fertilizer per 3m (10′) of row, and irrigate regularly. When the plants are 30cm (12) tall, dissolve 5ml (1 tsp) of borax (for boron) in 350 ml (12 fl oz) of water and spread the solution over 5m (15′) of row. Be careful not to over-apply this solution. This application of boron will produce bigger seeds and flower heads. Do not apply boron to other garden plants. When the back of the flower head turns yellow, it is ready to be cut from the plant.

Companion Planting
Sunflowers planted near rows of corn are said to increase yields. Sunflowers can be used to draw heavy metals, toxins, and even radiation from soil, but should be burned at the end of the season if grown for this purpose. Plant sunflowers amid squash plantings to improve pollination and overall production.

Rating: 4.8 Stars based on 5 reviews from westcoastseeds.com