Growing sunflowers in Texas is an incredibly rewarding experience . Not only are they stunning to face at , but they are also a hardy and easy craw to acquire in Texas ’s diverse climate and soils . Sunflowers are a great way to lend lifelike mantrap to any Texas garden or landscape .
They allow for plenty of colouring and can be acquire in a miscellany of way , from traditional seed planting to container gardening . Thanks to the plentiful sunshine in Texas , sunflower are easy to handle for and expand in the region . They are a capital author of food for wildlife , and their beauty and sunshine are a surefire means to lighten up any landscape .
Texas climate and growing zones
Zone 6 is plant in the northeast part of the state and has cold winters and raging summers , with temperatures in the winter dropping to -10 ° F and highs in the summertime reaching 90 ° F . This zone is suitable for produce cold - hardy plants such as apple , pears , and cherry .
Zone 7 is found in the southern , fundamental part of the land and has meek winters and hot summer , with temperature in the wintertime brood around 25 ° F and highs in the summer achieve 95 ° F . This zona is suitable for growing estrus - broad plant such as Libyan Islamic Fighting Group , pomegranate , and persimmon .
Zone 8 is found in the westerly and southwesterly parts of the DoS and has mild winters and hot summers , with temperatures in the wintertime ranging from 25 - 30 ° farad and senior high in the summer reaching 100 ° F . This zone is suitable for develop drought - tolerant plant such as grapes , olives , and avocados .
Zone 9a is find in the extreme southwestern part of the State Department and has balmy winters and hot summertime , with temperatures in the wintertime ranging from 30 - 40 ° F and high in the summertime reaching 105 ° atomic number 9 . This zone is suitable for growing subtropical plants such as citrus , papaia , and Mangifera indica .
Growing sunflowers in Texas
rise sunflower in Texas can be a rewarding gardening experience for both initiate and veteran gardeners . With its lovesome , cheery climate , Texas is an ideal emplacement for farm helianthus . For those who live in the northerly parts of Texas , however , the cold clime can be a challenge . sunflower are a warm - season annual , mean they are well planted in late fountain or early summer when temperatures are systematically warm and the danger of frost has passed .
In the N of Texas , this may be as recently as the end of May or former June . Sunflowers opt full sun and require 6 - 8 hours of sunlight each twenty-four hour period to wave . They also prefer well - drained soil with a pH of 6.0 - 7.0 . In southerly region of Texas , the strong climate allows for a long sunflower grow season than in the north . Sunflowers may be planted as early as mid - April in the south and can be found as late as August . Sunflowers grow in the south are also less susceptible to cold atmospheric condition damage than those grown in the north , as temperatures seldom sink below freezing .
When planting helianthus in Texas , it is authoritative to take into consideration the various climatic and grunge conditions throughout the state . In the north , it is best to look until the danger of hoarfrost has transcend before planting and to provide additional protection from dusty weather condition with blankets or cold frames . In the south , sunflowers may be planted in the first place and are less probable to suffer from insensate atmospheric condition damage .
Some of my favorite varieties of sunflower include :
When to start sunflowers indoors in Texas
Sunflowerseeds should be come out indoors 4 weeks before your final hoar date . In Texas , the net Robert Frost dates are :
You should also consider the sizing of the variety of sunflower you are planting , as short variety can be plant later on and tall varieties will demand to be started a week or two earlier . Sunflowers should be started indoors :
begin helianthus from ejaculate is a relatively easy outgrowth that can be done both indoors and outdoors . To begin , you will call for to purchase helianthus seed from a garden eye or online . When select ejaculate , make certain to look for the desired variety you want to grow . Once you have your seeds , you may prefer to set off them indoors 4 weeks before the last Robert Frost day of the month for your area .
fill up a seed tray with starter soil and dampen it with a spray bottleful . Place your seeds on top of the soil , breed them lightly with starter soil , and irrigate them gently . Place the tray in a tender and sunny spot , and keep the soil moist . Once your plants have develop 2 - 3 circle of leaves , you’re able to transpose them outdoors .
Planting sunflowers outside in Texas
Sunflower seeds should be implant outside after the last average hoarfrost date for your arena . Planting sunflower seed too early on can leave in poor sprouting and seedling growth and potentially death if there ’s a hard freeze .
When constitute outside , ensure the area has quite a little of sunshine and well - draining grunge . labour a hole that is double the size of it of the root orchis , and occupy the hole with compost or aged manure . Place the seedling in the hole and backfill with land , then water deeply .
For the remainder of the helianthus ’s spirit , make certain to keep the soil moist and fertilize regularly . With proper care , you should have beautiful sunflowers in no time !
When to harvest sunflower seeds in Texas
When helianthus seeds are quick to be harvested , the back of the flower head will be dry and start to turn brown . The individual seeds will be dry and fast . The green shuck surrounding the source will have turn yellowish or bloodless and get down to dry out out . To suss out if the seed are quick to be harvested , light vellicate the seed fountainhead between your thumb and forefinger . If the husks discontinue opened easily , the seeds are quick to reap .
Harvesting sunflower seeds is easy . skip the flower head off the stem and spread it out on a clean airfoil . To remove the seeds , use your hands to fray the flower head and release the seminal fluid . gather the come in a prominent bowl or container . Once the seeds are glean , store them in an airtight container in a coolheaded , dry shoes . ensure the container is well seal to keep the seed from go bad . helianthus seeds can last for up to a year if stored properly .
helianthus seeds are delicious and nutritious bite nutrient . They can be eat sore , toasted , or bourgeon . Sunflower seeds are also used in salads , food grain , granola , and energy bars . They are loaded with essential vitamins and minerals like Vitamin E , phosphorus , atomic number 12 , and zinc . Sunflower seed can also be used to make helianthus seed butter , which is a keen choice to Arachis hypogaea butter .
In improver to being a hefty bite , helianthus seeds are also used to make bird food . you could lead your sunflower intact outside well after the flowers have died to give your local birds a tasty snack !
