Helianthus annuus. Creamy, nearly white petals surround a honey-coloured central disc atop a stem that can reach 2m (6′) tall. ProCut White Lite is a pollenless hybrid sunflower for the professional florist trade. As a cut flower it leaves no mess, but it still bears nectar that will attract and feed bees and other pollinators from far and wide. Harvest the blooms just as they begin to open for the longest vase life, or enjoy them in the field where they look incredible in mass plantings. The day-length neutral flowers grow up to 15cm (6″) wide on single stems. Annual.
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.
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