Growing Sunflowers from Saved Seeds

I am growing sunflowers from the seeds I saved from last year's flowers. Before the birds could eat all the seeds off the giant sunflower heads, I clipped the heads off and stored them in a cool dry place (our garage) for the winter. In April, I planted a couple dozen of the seeds and I am happy to see sunflower plants now growing!

I have about a thousand seeds left, would any one like a handful... or two or three?!

Some of the plants seem to be doing better than others. With this drought it is hard to know why. But I must say, trying is so much fun! I remember when my mom allowed my sister and I to plant unpopped popcorn kernels in our garden. We did not know if they would grow, but there was no harm in planting a couple of kernels. And grow they did! They grew and grew, and eventually grew taller than my sister and I; we were so delighted and proud of our plants. The ears of corn that grew were not edible, but that hardly mattered. We gained so much from simply discovering plant life-cycles and caring for something living. This has stayed with me for life.

Currently, my boys (age 1 and 2) are just having fun eating the strawberries and tomatoes we grow; accidentally ripping parts of my plants off; watering the plants, their shoes, and each other; and digging in the dirt. But next year, I think we are going to be able to plant seeds together and watch the plants grow. I can't wait to share this with them!

Giant Sunflowers: Plant seeds 1.5" deep, 18" apart, in full sun. They grow tall so planting them against a fence or wall makes for easy staking and protection from wind.