| If you are interested in adding some color and light to | | | | A popular method of germinating seeds from a packet |
| your landscape, you need not look any further than the | | | | begins indoors. Place the seeds in a shallow plate with |
| sunflower plant. These plants are a bright and | | | | a damp paper towel above and below them. While |
| wonderful addition to any landscape or gardening area. | | | | you wait for the seeds to sprout, choose and prepare |
| You may not realize it but the sunflower has many | | | | the location for the new seedlings. Remember the |
| varieties other than the large head type often seen in | | | | location should have six hours of sun, shelter from |
| photos. So your first decision to make when planting a | | | | breezy conditions, and soil that is well drained. After a |
| sunflower is its variety. Mainly you want focus on how | | | | few days the seeds will begin to sprout. |
| tall the plant will become so it will not overshadow | | | | Transplanting seedlings |
| other plants. | | | | Once the seeds have sprouted, move them to their |
| Climate needs | | | | new location. Then bury them an inch into the soil. |
| As the name implies, the sunflower needs plenty of | | | | Keep a distance about six inches between seedlings. |
| sun. You want it to receive at least six hours of direct | | | | At this stage its important to keep weeds away from |
| sunlight a day. You should also choose a location that | | | | the new plant. Weeds left unchecked can quickly |
| will shelter the plant from strong winds. Sunflowers are | | | | choke out young plants. |
| generally top heavy and can break relatively easy | | | | Most variety of sunflowers need plenty of water to |
| under. You may want to use stakes or fencing for | | | | remain healthy. The six hours of sun recommend for |
| support so the plants do not topple over during strong | | | | this plant will dry out soil quickly. Check them frequently |
| winds. | | | | and if necessary water them daily. |
| Starting seeds | | | | |