Episode: 5
Title: Features in the Garden - Sunflowers
Broadcast: March 30, 2019
Presenter: Melissa King

Sunflowers will brighten up any garden, whether in a pot or sewn in clusters to create a field of yellow. They are hardy and easy to grow, a fantastic bee attractant and look beautifully at home in a vase.

• Typically bright yellow, although can come in hues of orange, red and even striped, sunflowers range in bloom size and stem height, so there’s an ideal variety out there for everyone.
• Sunflowers grow in spring and hit full bloom in summer. By autumn, the flower heads will start to dry, and this is the perfect time to harvest their seeds – either to eat or to save for planting next spring.
• They like a fertile and well-drained soil, but are a pretty hard plant and will grow in most soils with a bit of care.
• Sunflowers will prosper in full sun, where they can get 6-8 hours of sunlight every day.
• They grow well in companionship with a variety of veggies, including corn, melons and cucumbers. The sunflowers work as an excellent bee attractant, which in turn will aid in the pollination of your veggie patch.
• Some sunflower varieties can grow incredibly tall, so may need staking to help them grow straight.