Sunflower plants growing along a fence in the garden

Wherever you plant your sunflowers, make sure you have loose, loamy, well-draining soil. Try to plant your sunflowers in an area that’s not subject to heavy winds. You might want to plant alongside a building or a fence; those large sunflower varieties get pretty top-heavy as the flowers grow!

The best way to plant sunflowers is right in the ground. Sunflowers, with their deep taproots, really prefer to grow where they’re planted. Where exactly in the garden you plant them depends on the orientation of your land. You want your sunflowers to have a good six to eight hours of sunlight each day, so give them access to the sunrise.

Are you planning to plant sunflowers to harvest the seeds or are you planting sunflowers as a trap crop? Some gardeners plant sunflowers along the perimeter of their garden to keep some pests away from their other crops. This make sunflowers not just good companion plants, but they look like golden guardians protecting the rest of the garden within.

If your soil just isn’t suited for growing sunflowers (too much clay, too little drainage, or rocky soil), you can certainly plant them in raised beds. The one thing you want to be sure of is that the soil in the raised bed goes deep enough down to accommodate a long taproot. That means 6 feet of well-draining soil. If you have heavy clay soil or a yard growing as many rocks as plants, consider making your raised bed a little deeper; or choose sunflower varieties that are shorter than those in the giant range.

You’ll want to space your sunflower seeds according to the directions on the packet. Giant sunflowers need a foot or two between them; some branching varieties of sunflowers need even more space. Be prepared to stake some of the larger varieties to give them some support as they’re growing. Bamboo stakes with an adjustable rope or garden tape wrap will help your sunflowers grow strong and tall.

Do you plant your sunflower plants in the ground or in raised beds? How do you find the perfect location for your sunflower plants? Please share your best siting tips for sunflower plants.