How To Plant Sunflowers

Make a simple cut just above a set of leaves or the next stem below a bloomto deadhead -- remove an old, faded flower from -- the annual or common sunflower (). A flowering plant's purpose is to propagate by producing flowers that then produce seeds.When...

Turn the soil and break up any large dirt clods. Dig up the soil to a depth of about 1 foot. Let the soil fall to the inside, creating a peaked dirt row.Dig two parallel moats with the pointed corner of your hoe.

It was harvest time and they brought the sunflower heads from the field, while I was there. Luckily, they don't eat another tomato until they've finished the last one, so I just leave the tomato they've been pecking at on the plant.

Downy and powdery mildew -- fungi that form silver, dusty patches on leaves and stems -- do not usually cause severe damage. Hang the head in a sheltered, dry area, and then knock the loosened seeds into a container to fully dry.Unfortunately, disease...

The major culprits are sunflower beetles, cutworms, bud moths, maggots, thistle caterpillars and midges. This is a good indication that a pest is lurking. They might chew the stalk.Build a garden fence around the vulnerable plants if you are dealing with...

Windows are transparent areas on the leaf that occur when the larvae or young stages of the creatures begin to feed on the sunflower but are not big enough to poke a hole through the entire leaf.

The Maximilian sunflower (Helianthus maximiliani) used to be the last perennial, with the exception of monkshood, blooming in my garden in October. The photo on the upper left is by Sandy Smith, courtesy of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

It is made up of many flowers tightly packed together. From fiber and protein, to unsaturated fats, zinc, iron and Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin E and Vitamin B complex, all can be found in the unassuming sunflower seed.To start your seed on its path...

The plants need a lot of sun and should be planted after danger of frost has passed. As a result, Russian immigrants helped popularize the plants in the United States during the 19th century.

Its association with the native prairie landscape has led Kansas to adopt the common sunflower as its state flower, but when the prolific plant shows up where it's not wanted, such as in farm fields and residential gardens, it's considered a weed.

Several cultivars have been introduced, mostly in smaller sizes than the species. The following spring, the sixth graders noticed tiny seedlings springing up in the planter. Furthermore, their self cleaning characteristic means that no deadheading is...

Add compost, manure and other organic matter to the soil before planting seeds, and also mix in some sand to increase drainage.Give your sunflowers the space they need to grow. Pick a location with well-drained soil and full access to the sun.

The hardiest of them, notably Brussels sprouts, kale, and many onions, will survive winter in the garden, while those that turn to mush in frozen ground are best handled as “stecklings” – roots or other plant parts that are stored through winter...

Fragments of perennial weeds can easily re-root and spread, so dispose of the roots away from your compost heap. Ground Resistance Resistance is far from futile! Consider covering bare soil with a cover crop or green manure to crowd out weeds and add...

It's essential to make sure that no weedkiller has been used on the grass, as any residues may harm your crops. It makes a great path surface if replenished annually, but if using it on beds let it rot down first.

This is one of the little quirks you learn from gardening on a slope. Planning a Terraced Vegetable Garden Because water always runs downhill, it is always best to stabilize a slope with reinforced beds that run across the slope.

The remains of reseeding flowers and herbs can be given their own space in the garden 4. It's been a rough year in many vegetable gardens, but mild autumn days are just around the corner.

There are some reliable methods to ripen green tomatoes at the end of the season. Squashes need to be cured before storing , a simple process that will keep your ripe fruits in good condition throughout the winter.

Make pruning cuts to an upward-facing bud to prevent branches from drooping too much when heavy with fruit Some plum varieties, like ‘Victoria', tend to grow branches that spread outwards horizontally.

They shouldn't take longer than two to three weeks to dry, after which time they can be finished off in an oven set to a low heat for an hour. The knot will support the first chili so it needs to be a good size so it won't drop off.

This means you can water carefully and precisely, enjoying the convenience of a hose – without wasting a drop! Water from the Bottom Watering pots from the bottom, rather than the top, can save a lot of time – and water – in hot weather.

If you want to grow potatoes in the ground first consider how much of the growing season is left. They are grown in exactly the same way as spring-planted potatoes with two important exceptions.

For larger cooking apples you're looking for around 6-9 inches (15-23cm) between fruits. The fruits left to grow on will enjoy more airflow, sunlight and energy from the tree for even ripening.

Then, when the eggs hatch, the young Encarsia feed on the larvae from the inside out. You can buy sticky traps, or make your own. Yes, it's all very unpleasant stuff. A few pots of choice favourites placed inside will almost certainly seal the deal.

It will also avoid the annoyance of fruits splitting, which happens when they have dried out too much then receive a sudden deluge of water. Consider cutting back overhanging foliage and act promptly to remove spent crops so that those remaining enjoy...

To make a cabbage collar, simply slit a circle of thick cardboard to the middle then place it around a brassica plant's stem at the soil line. Hold your nerve, and if your predatory platoon of frogs, hoverflies, ladybugs and so on is in place, you can...

Winter cabbages are very hardy but during exceptionally cold weather they may need some form of cold protection such as a row cover tunnel or cloche. Either way is totally delicious! Cabbages you've grown yourself are undeniably sweeter and crunchier...