Growing sunflowers in pots offers a front-row seat to nature’s intricate beauty. From watching pollinators like bees visit the flowers to seeing finches enjoy ripe seeds, potted sunflowers provide an up-close experience that’s both rewarding and educational. Here’s how you can grow these stunning plants in containers and enjoy a vibrant display on your deck or patio.
Why Grow Sunflowers in Pots?
Potted sunflowers are perfect for those dealing with garden pests like deer or for gardeners looking to attract pollinators closer to their vegetables. Sunflowers can serve as “trap crops,” luring pests like stink bugs and leaf-footed bugs away from cucumbers, peppers, or tomatoes.
Another benefit? Sunflowers adapt remarkably well to containers, even thriving in smaller pots. In these confined spaces, they naturally become miniature versions of themselves, with smaller stems, leaves, and flowers. For instance, the fluffy ‘Gummy Bear’ sunflower typically grows to 42 inches (106 cm) in the garden but blooms at just 16 inches (40 cm) when grown in pots.
Best Sunflower Varieties for Pots
While giant or mammoth sunflower types are better suited for open gardens, many varieties thrive in containers. Sunflowers are generally categorized into two types:
- Single-flowered varieties like ‘Sunspot’ or ‘Procut’ bloom quickly, often within 60 days, and produce one large, striking flower.
- Branching varieties such as ‘Velvet Queen’ or ‘Autumn Beauty’ take longer to flower but provide weeks of continuous blooms, making them excellent cut flowers.
Starting seeds in small containers and transplanting them to larger ones as they grow is a great approach for both types.
Choosing the Right Containers
Lightweight plastic pots are ideal for growing sunflowers as they retain moisture well and are easy to move. You can place them in decorative outer pots for aesthetic appeal as the flowers bloom. Stick to single pots for young plants to reduce hiding places for pests.
Care Tips for Potted Sunflowers
- Watering: Sunflowers need daily watering in hot weather. If the leaves droop after sunset, the plant is dehydrated and may need to soak in a pan of water.
- Feeding: These heavy feeders thrive with regular fertilization. Use a water-soluble plant food every two weeks, starting when seedlings have four or five leaves, to encourage lush growth and larger blooms.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
- Pests: Holes in leaves may indicate earwigs, greenhouse millipedes, or nocturnal moths and beetles. Check under the pots and remove pests manually. Set out oil traps for earwigs or reposition plants away from night lights that attract bugs.
- Yellowing Leaves: Don’t fret if the lowest leaves yellow and drop as the plant grows. This natural process is more noticeable in potted sunflowers due to their compact size.
By growing sunflowers in containers, you can create a vibrant, dynamic display that’s as beautiful as it is beneficial for pollinators and your garden. With the right care, your potted sunflowers will flourish and brighten your outdoor space.