Sunflowers!

---

Over two months ago, my husband planted five sunflower seeds in our garden. We had prepared a trench compost beneath it, and we weren’t expecting all of the seeds to germinate. Much to our delight, all of them have sprouted, and each flower is taller than the next.

Why sunflowers?

In April this year, my husband and I visited our family in Sydney, Australia. We picked up a packet of giant sunflower seeds from Bunnings Warehouse while we were there.

I hoped that these gorgeous sunflowers would attract more pollinators to our garden, and true to form, once our sunflowers bloomed, I spotted bees hovering around them! In fact, I’ve even noticed new species of birds visiting our garden. Amazing!

Although sunflowers are not native to Malaysia, they love long, hot summers. This explains why they’re thriving in their new home.

Sunflowers in history

Nearly three thousand years ago, Native Americans cultivated sunflowers for their food and oil. Over that period of time, they carefully selected the largest seeds, leading to what we see today. It’s incredible that the sunflowers growing in my garden today are in some way related to their ancient predecessors, halfway across the world.

How to plant sunflowers

1. Pick a sunny spot in your garden.
2. Prepare your soil with compost.
3. Plant your seeds 1 inch deep and 4-6 inches apart.
4. Do not overwater – sunflowers don’t like waterlogged soil.

How to harvest sunflower seeds

As the seed heads mature, the flowers will start to droop. 30-45 days after bloom, you’ll notice the back of the seed heads turning yellow, and then brown. When this happens, cut off the flower and then use your fingers or a fork to remove the seeds. You can use the sunflower seeds as bird feed. To make your own salted sunflower seeds, soak them overnight in a gallon of water mixed in with a cup of salt, then roast them in the oven until they’re dry. Enjoy!

Resources: http://www.almanac.com/plant/sunflowers

---

New to Cultivate Central? Click here to read our manifesto

If you are thinking about starting your own food garden and need a constant supply of ideas and tips, follow us on our facebook page. Thanks for dropping by!