The Spectacular Sunflower

Title: The Spectacular Sunflower
Description: Learn all about the spectacular sunflower by sprouting, planting and growing your very own sunflower plant.
Season: Late spring to early summer
Length of Activity: a few minutes per day
Age: Any age

The Spectacular Sunflower

Sunflowers are more than just a pretty flower. They are a multi-purpose plant!
Providing a healthy snack for both humans and birds, they can also produce useful oil for cooking and have been found to absorb toxins from the soil.

Evidence suggests that the sunflower plant was cultivated by American Indians in present-day Arizona and New Mexico as far back as 3000 BC. In fact, some archaeologists suggest that the sunflower may have been domesticated even before corn.

Their name is largely based on how they react to the sun. At sunrise, buds and young blossoms will face east and follow the sun during the day. At sunset, the bloom will be facing the west. However, as the flower grows, the head of the plant becomes heavier and the blossom generally stays facing east.

But don’t take our word for it, once you sprout and plant your own sunflowers, you can track their movement yourself!

Supplies and Tools needed:
Sunflower seeds
A small pot or a patch of soil
Potting soil (if not planting in the earth)
Water

Getting started

Step 1: Decide which of the 70 different sunflower varieties you’d like to grow. You can see a list of the most common sunflowers here. You may need to consider your space before you decide so you can choose a short, medium or tall varietal.

Step 2: Go to your nearest nursery or garden store and buy some sunflower seeds. If there isn’t one close to your home, you can also order seeds online.

Depending on your climate, it could take from 80-120 days to complete the growth of your sunflower.

Step 3: If you are planting in the earth, dig a shallow trench between 1 and 2 inches deep. For sandy soil, deeper is better. If you are planting in a pot, fill your pot up with soil. Using your index finger, make a 2 inch hole in the center of the pot.

Step 4: If you are planting in the earth, place one sunflower seed every 6 inches in your trench. If you are planting in a pot, place 1 seed in the hole you made.

Step 5: Cover your seeds with soil.

Step 6: Water once a day. You should see your plant sprout within 7-10 days and, in 80-120 days, your sunflower will be full grown.
Taking it Deeper

1. Create a competition with your siblings or neighbors. Who can grow the tallest sunflower, who can grow the most colorful, who can harvest the largest number of seeds from one plant?
2. Observe the insects and birds that are attracted to your sunflower seed head. Try to photograph these critters and show to your siblings and neighbors and see if they have noticed the same ones or others.
3. Harvest the seeds when the bloom is decayed and roast them in the oven.They are delicious! Maybe your mother or father will want to add them to their recipes.
4. If you don’t particularly like eating the seeds, leave them on the decayed bloom and set it out in the garden for the birds to feast on. Document and photograph the birds harvesting the seeds. Lucky birds!
5. If there is a country fair near your home, enter your sunflower and it might win a prize for size or beauty.
6. Document the daily growth of your plant. Does it always grow the same amount in a day? If not, what do you think influences these differences in growth?Further Reading
   Vincent Van Gogh, a renowned 18th century impressionist artist, spent a great deal of his later years painting sunflowers.