What to do during the sunflower flowering period

How long does the flowering period last?

Sunflowers will bloom wherever there is sunshine, so sunflowers can bloom in all seasons, mainly in winter and summer. Sunflowers grow quickly, but their flowering period is relatively short. Usually, sunflowers will bloom two months after planting, and the flowering period lasts about two weeks. After two weeks, large sunflowers are ready to eat their seeds!

Management methods

Ensure adequate supply of water and fertilizer

The period from budding to flowering is an important period in the life of a sunflower. During this period, the plant's water requirement accounts for 60% of the entire growth period. If the water supply is insufficient, the seeds will develop poorly. Therefore, during this period, ensure adequate water supply, combine watering with appropriate fertilization, and apply urea plus diammonium once a week.

Implementing artificial assisted pollination

If your home is growing ornamental sunflowers, this step can be omitted. Under natural conditions, sunflowers are pollinated by insects such as bees. To increase the pollination rate of sunflowers grown at home, artificial pollination can be assisted. Use cotton cloth, cardboard, and cotton wool to make a powder puff (the shape of a makeup powder puff will do, you can use the powder puff directly, but its small size makes pollination more difficult). Prepare the pollen in advance, sprinkle it on the pollination puff, and gently press it on the flower disk.

The pollination time is chosen between 9 and 12 o'clock, when the dew has just disappeared and there is more pollen. Pollination usually takes place 2 to 3 times.

Stem borer control

When sunflowers bloom, they attract many insects, mainly sunflower borers. The sunflower borer feeds on sunflower seeds and forms crisscross tracks in the disk. When it rains, the flower disc will gradually rot. The flowering period of sunflowers is the active period of sunflower borers, which are dormant during the day and active at night. Talcum powder can be diluted into a dust agent for spraying, once every 2 to 3 days.