🌻 Sunflower
Field Crops · growing reference
| Days to maturity | 100 days – 110 days, by type |
|---|---|
| Germination | 7 days |
| Planted as | lb |
| Expected yield | 1–5 stems per plant |
| Water | ~0.75–1.5 in a week |
When to plant
In USDA zone 6, for example: Plant out around Apr 22, once your last frost has passed.
| Spring | |
|---|---|
| Zone 3 | May 22 |
| Zone 4 | May 14 |
| Zone 5 | May 3 |
| Zone 6 | Apr 22 |
| Zone 7 | Apr 8 |
| Zone 8 | Mar 22 |
| Zone 9 | Feb 27 |
Dates are the typical window for each zone's average frost dates — your own last frost can differ by a couple of weeks. Zone 10 and warmer is effectively frost-free: plant to the season, not the frost. Southern Hemisphere: shift six months.
Sunflower Uses
- Oilseed · 100 days · 150–400 lbs/plant — Small black seed, ~40-50% oil — pressed for cooking oil and high-protein meal; often earlier.
- Confection · 110 days · 100–300 lbs/plant — Fat grey-striped seed — snacking, in-shell roasting, and birdseed; taller, bigger-headed.
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