Sunflowers

LovedByHim316

I had planned to grow a huge row of sunflowers along the whole length of our side fence, so I bought about 75 seeds. It was still cold, so I decided to let them sprout indoors and move them outside when it got warmer (a few weeks ago). The remainder I just tossed in the ground hoping they'd do their thing.

Basically, all of the ones I started off indoors have died/look really wimpy and the ones I just tossed aside are doing fabulous. Anyone experienced sunflower growers have any tips? Is it too late to put more in the ground? Do sunflowers typically do bad starting off indoors?

I'm in zone 5, FYI.

juno

Did you harden them off at all?  I am growing sunflowers this year, but I bought starts from a local nursery; I haven't tried seeds.  If they are anything like my veggie seeds, they would need several days of gradual introduction to the outdoors, adding a few hours each day.  I started all my seeds inside and then moved everything to a cold frame on our concrete patio in order to harden them off before putting them in the ground.  I opened the lid to the cold frame during the day and closed it at night until I started cracking it at night and then leaving it open wider and so on.  I lost very few seedlings this year.

LovedByHim316

juno:

Did you harden them off at all?  I am growing sunflowers this year, but I bought starts from a local nursery; I haven't tried seeds.  If they are anything like my veggie seeds, they would need several days of gradual introduction to the outdoors, adding a few hours each day.  I started all my seeds inside and then moved everything to a cold frame on our concrete patio in order to harden them off before putting them in the ground.  I opened the lid to the cold frame during the day and closed it at night until I started cracking it at night and then leaving it open wider and so on.  I lost very few seedlings this year.

I did a bit, but definitely not as gradual as you did. I'm hoping that one of our nurseries will have seedlings in stock, i've had a surprisingly hard time finding them.

doneatquattro

I started mine from seed. They grow so quickly there is no real reason to start them inside. It only takes 3-4 dadys from planting for greens to sprout

KLF01

I did mine from seed last year too and have great success with them. I am in eastern PA.

RoRo10733

I did sunflowers this year too and if I remember correctly with sunflowers it's best to just sow them outdoors rather then start them inside because they are just that easy to grow. I can't remember where I read that at..sorry! You could always order some seeds from an on-line company.