How to Plant Black Seed Sunflowers
Black seed sunflowers are also referred to as black oil sunflower seeds. The seeds grow into tall, sturdy, beautiful sunflowers and produce even more seeds at harvest time. Their seeds can be enjoyed as a snack for you, or your wild backyard friends. But before you get to harvest time, there are a few steps you should follow in order to plant black seed sunflowers that will flourish.
Decide on an area to plant your sunflower plants. It's best to choose an area near a fence or some posts so you have something to anchor the plants to in order to protect them from the wind. Your sunflowers also need to be planted in an area that has at least six hours of sunshine and good soil drainage.
- Black seed sunflowers are also referred to as black oil sunflower seeds.
- But before you get to harvest time, there are a few steps you should follow in order to plant black seed sunflowers that will flourish.
Break up the ground after all danger of frost has passed. Remove the sod with a shovel and then use a hoe to loosen the dirt.
Dig a row 12 inches wide and 2 inches deep. Water the row that you have dug, and allow the water to drain into the soil.
Place your black sunflower seeds in the trench, spacing the seeds 6 inches apart. Cover the seeds with 2 inches of soil and gently pat the soil down. Keep the soil moist, but not drenched.
- Break up the ground after all danger of frost has passed.
- Place your black sunflower seeds in the trench, spacing the seeds 6 inches apart.
Rid Of Sunflowers
Place a tarp on the ground if the sunflowers have blooms or seed heads. Cut off the blooms and place them in a trash bag. Do this on top of the tarp so you can easily sweep and discard any dropped seeds. Rake the area around the tarp and sunflower plants for wayward seeds. Dig out the roots with a spade. Expect established perennial sunflowers to have a more expansive root system than annuals. Pull or dig up perennial sunflower shoots that reemerge from the ground.
- Place a tarp on the ground if the sunflowers have blooms or seed heads.
- Do this on top of the tarp so you can easily sweep and discard any dropped seeds.
Warning
If your soil does not have adequate drainage, your sunflowers may rot at the roots.
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References
Warnings
- If your soil does not have adequate drainage, your sunflowers may rot at the roots.
Writer Bio
A certified nutritionist who majored in health, fitness and nutrition, Traci Vandermark has been writing articles in her specialty fields since 1998. Her articles have appeared both online and in print for publications such as Simple Abundance, "Catskill Country Magazine," "Birds and Blooms," "Cappers" and "Country Discoveries."
