Gardening

Sunflowers are a glorious feast for the eyes

There is something incredibly special about the sight of a row of sunflowers standing tall and majestic against a blue sky. Did you know there are around 70 species of sunflowers which come in all shapes and sizes and a variety of colours including yellows, reds and some almost white ones.

Sunflowers are not just annual plants; some are perennial and can last for years. They love a warm, sunny position, ideally against a wall where they will grow to be happy plants. Ideally, sow in a warm place indoors in March or April. They germinate very quickly and once placed in their final growing place, you need to stake well and tie in as they grow tall.

Sunflower facts

• In 2012 sunflower plants travelled through space on the International Space Station. • The centres are made up of thousands of tiny flowers where the seeds develop. • The tallest sunflower on record came in at over 30 feet tall. • Sunflowers are good at absorbing toxins. After a tsunami destroyed reactors at a nuclear power plant in Japan in 2011, millions were planted to help soak up the nuclear radiation. • When the flowers have wilted and the heads have gone brown, they can be harvested for seeds. • Once the spent flower heads are empty of seeds, they can be converted into disposable scrubbing pads for tough cleaning jobs. • Van Gogh’s Sunflowers are actually a series of 12 paintings. • The French word for sunflower is tournesol, which means “turns with the sun”, sunflowers will literally seek out and face the sun. • Dried sunflower heads can be snipped from the stalk and make natural bird feeders. Tie twine around them and hang them in your garden. Visiting birds will love snacking on the seeds.

Jobs to keep you busy in June

• Support tall-growing perennials, including hollyhocks and delphiniums. • Pinch out the tips of fuchsias and bedding plants to encourage bushier growth. • Dead-head your roses if they’re repeat-flowering types. • Start to pick sweet peas as soon as they flower to encourage more blooms. The more you pick the more they will come. • When you’ve had the last rhubarb, give them a good feed by mulching with well-rotted manure mixed with compost to enable them to build strength for next year. • You can harvest beetroot, broad beans, cabbage, cauliflower, early peas, lettuce, spring onions and radish in June. • Give container displays and hanging baskets a liquid feed every few weeks to encourage flowering. • Plant out brussels sprouts, cabbages, cauliflowers, celeriac, courgettes, outdoor cucumbers, French and runner beans, leeks, pumpkins, squashes, sweet corn and outdoor tomatoes. As with all young plants, water in carefully and protect from birds with netting. • Start feeding tomatoes with a high potash tomato food – this will encourage the production of more flowers, and therefore, more fruits.

If you follow these tips June will soon be busting out all over.

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