Is sunflower easy to grow? How to grow sunflower and when is the best time to plant it?

Sunflowers are also called sunflowers. When they bloom, the flowers rotate with the sun, so they are also called sunrise flowers. Sunflowers have a good meaning, and have a beautiful meaning of optimism, bravery, prosperity and prosperity.

Is sunflower easy to grow?

Sunflowers are easy to plant and they are easy to survive after sowing. This can be seen from their habits and requirements for environmental conditions.

In terms of habits, first of all, it can tolerate both high and low temperatures. Secondly, it is very drought-tolerant, and because of the presence of aeration tissue in the stems, it is very resistant to waterlogging. In addition, it is also resistant to barrenness and salinity.

When is the best time to plant sunflowers?

The planting time of sunflowers varies according to climatic conditions. Generally, they can be sown throughout the year, but they grow best in spring and autumn.

In the Northeast, sowing is generally done in April, in North China it can be done in March, and in the South, the timing is more flexible and can be planted in March or in June or July.

Where is the best place to plant sunflowers?

The suitable planting area for sunflowers in China is between 35° and 55° north latitude. The average latitude difference is 1°, and the temperature difference is 1.5℃. The main production areas in China are distributed in the northeast, northwest and north China, such as Inner Mongolia, Jilin, Liaoning, Heilongjiang, Shanxi and other provinces and autonomous regions. The production potential of sunflowers is very large, and it can be expanded to the southwest, central and south China and east China.

Sunflower planting methods and steps

1. Soil selection

Sunflower is also called oil sunflower. It can be planted on all kinds of soil, such as fields, slopes or slightly saline-alkali land. The only requirement is that irrigation is convenient.

However, it will grow better in plots with deep and fertile soil, flat terrain and uniform fertility. Oil sunflower should not be planted in succession, but can be rotated with corn and soybeans.

2. Sowing time

The sowing period of oil sunflower is not strict and it can be planted as long as there is no frost. We generally choose to sow when the 10cm soil layer is stable at above 10℃.

That is, sowing should be done in early March after the Waking of Insects in the lunar calendar, and no later than late April, otherwise it will affect the planting of the next crop.

3. Land preparation

Oil sunflower is very resistant to barrenness. If you want it to grow better, apply more organic fertilizer. Basically, no topdressing is needed. Apply 3-5 tons of farmyard manure per acre, deep plow the land, and apply 30 kilograms of compound fertilizer per acre in combination with irrigation before sowing.

4. Planting seeds

Plant 3,000 to 6,000 sunflowers per mu of land. If the soil fertility is good, plant them sparsely. If the soil fertility is poor, plant them densely. Sow in holes at equal distances, with a row spacing of 40-60 cm. Sow 1-2 seeds in each hole, or plant in large and small rows. Cover with soil after sowing and cover with film to retain moisture.

5. Seedling management

When planting sunflowers, it is necessary to do a good job of seedling management, check the seedlings and supplement the seedlings to ensure that all the seedlings are grown. When planting sunflowers, it is not recommended to replant, but you can supplement the seedlings.

Thinning and replanting should be carried out when the first pair of true leaves unfold, and finalization should be completed before the third pair of true leaves unfold. If there is insect pest, spray pyrethroids or phoxim.

6. Cultivation

The first intertillage is carried out in conjunction with thinning, the second intertillage is carried out one week after the seedlings are fixed, and the third intertillage is carried out before the sunflowers are closed. This intertillage should be combined with soiling, with a height of 10-15cm, to promote deep roots and luxuriant leaves and resist lodging.

7. Pollination

Sunflowers are insect-pollinated, and their pollen is relatively heavy and not easily blown away by the wind, so it is only suitable for insects to carry and pollinate them. If they are planted on a large scale, bumblebees can be released for pollination, and artificial pollination can be sufficient if the area is small.

Choose a sunny day around 10 am, and gently rub a pair of adjacent flower disks together. Do this every two or three days, and generally pollination three times will be enough.

8. Fertilizer and water management

Before the oil sunflower disk grows out, the demand for water and fertilizer is very small. If sufficient base fertilizer and sufficient soil moisture are applied, no topdressing or watering is required. After the flower disk grows out, 40 kg of compound fertilizer per mu should be applied in combination with watering, and topdressing should be done 2-3 times.