Growing Sunflowers For Cut Flowers

If you’re thinking about growing sunflowers as a hobby, you’ve probably heard that sunflowers make great cut flowers. That’s a great idea, but how do you know if sunflowers are right for your climate? Sunflowers are incredibly popular and only recently have you seen them at a farmer’s market. The great thing about sunflowers is that they grow quickly, and you can even start harvesting them as early as January.
Branched varieties

Branched varieties of sunflowers are the best bet for cut flowers, and offer great bang for your buck. They come in a wide range of colors, from classic yellow to ombre rust to chocolate brown. Many have double blooms, while others are fuzzy in appearance. They tend to last only a few days in a vase. Regardless of the type you choose, you can rest assured that you’ll get a high quality cut flower every time.

Branched sunflowers will remain fresh in water for weeks, while single stem plants will only last a couple of days. Sunflowers with ray flowers, on the other hand, open as they mature. Their life span varies by color, though orange varieties are longer-lived. Those with dark petal bases tend to shed their petals in a day or two. The best way to choose a sunflower variety is to read the seed description carefully.
Single stem varieties

Sunflowers are easy to grow and require little care, except for regular watering. They can survive in most conditions, but they need a moist, well-drained soil to thrive. The soil should be slightly acidic to keep the plant healthy, but the sunflowers need a pH range of six to 7.5. Since they are heavy feeders, they require plenty of nutrients and should be watered regularly to stay healthy.

Branched sunflowers tend to produce fewer blooms per plant and are usually weaker and shorter-lived. As a result, they require more space and generally take longer to mature. This means that you may have to plant two crops of branching sunflowers if you want to get a steady supply. Compared to single-stem sunflowers, branching sunflowers can be more expensive to grow and harvest, and you’ll have to be prepared to pay more for them.
Pinching varieties

When you’re picking flowers to cut, you can use pinching to encourage new flower stems and leaves to grow. This will help prevent the plant from going into flower or seed mode, which can result in a bumper crop, or a short season. Pinching can also prolong the life of a certain variety, so that it produces more flowers than it would have otherwise. And there’s always the added benefit of reducing waste!

A traditional example of a pinching flower is a sunflower. These flowers are characterized by spiky ball centers in the center of their petals and a wiry stem. Their flowers can be dried or used fresh. Many varieties produce decorative seed pods, similar to shuttlecocks. The most popular pincushion variety is ‘Pincushion Formula Mix’, which produces delicate button-like flowers with a deep purple-blue or black color. Another option is ‘Pincushion Formula Mix’, which features white or bright red flowers.
Cosmos varieties

There are several types of Cosmos varieties for cutting, including the ever-popular “Candy Cane” and the sexy, colorful “Pink Pixie” varieties. The most important thing to remember when selecting Cosmos is to pick them at the right stage in their growth cycle. If the flowers are cut before the buds open or the petals begin to fall off, they will not open or last long in a vase.

‘Cosmos’ varieties come in many different colors, from hazy yellow to bright red. There are bicolor varieties, as well as perfectly daisy-like single flowers. These flowers make great cut flowers and will add a splash of color to any arrangement. Aside from the hazy buttery yellow ‘Xanthos’ variety, other popular types include ‘Candy Stripe Mix’ and ‘Daydream’.
Hopi black dye varieties

If you want to grow beautiful, vibrant cut flowers, consider planting a Hopi black dye sunflower variety. The Hopi used these seeds for food, basketry, and dye. They are also useful for food and fiber. Depending on the variety, these flowers may grow to be seven to 11 feet tall with multiheaded heads that range from five to thirteen inches. Hopis grow well in high desert regions and produce flowers in the summer and fall. The seeds are also used as a base for mordants used in dyeing cotton, wool, and other fibers.

To grow a Hopi black dye variety for cutting flowers, choose a plant with dark purple flowers and yellow petals. The flowers on this plant are large, with yellow petals surrounding a dark blue-black flower center. The seeds were traditionally used by the Hopis to create a black dye that can be found in other plants. While the seeds are a great source of dye, they are not the most attractive flower.
Firecracker varieties

There are two main types of firecracker: male and female. Male firecrackers have smaller and less colourful flowers, while females produce more red flowers. Firecracker flowers have sticky pollen, so they require a suitable pollinator to produce more blooms. Like most perennials, firecrackers require special soil. The soil should be rich enough to reach the base of the root ball. Once the plant has established itself, you can start fertilizing it with an all-purpose slow-release fertilizer.

During winter, firecracker plants require little water. A weekly watering can be sufficient. Water plants once a week between the months of May and October. Watering indoors is difficult, as the plants are usually grown outdoors in warm, sunny, and draft-free conditions. But you can give Firecracker plants a feeding every other week with water-soluble fertilizer. And once a month, you can trim the stems and buds before they grow new leaves.