Help with Sunflower seedlings

Hey all,

As you can tell, I'm a total newbie. I've meant to find a book on this, but as a mom of almost 2-yr old and only on bike, I don't have the time to learn in my short time window. So... could I get your help?

I've planted some seedlings in a seedling starter kit (just the mini-pots with a plastic dome and base). But the only soil I had to use was some Ace brand All-purpose Organic Potting Soil. Unfortunately, I discovered as I got it wet and was using it that it has a bunch of wood chips in it. I tried to break these down, but they're still there. Will sunflower seeds be able to handle this??

I just put them in a day ago, so I probably could still dig them up and restart if you think they won't grow in this. We've been working our final compost pile, so I could use this now.

Also, what is the proper lighting for the seedlings? Since it's already late May and warm outside, could I just stick them outside on the open porch (south-facing, with east and west ends) with the dome on? Inside, the only spot I can keep them only has 1 large north-facing window, so it's not terribly light in there.

Your help and advice is much appreciated! Thanks!
Carrie Anne

The wood chips add filler to the mix so it doesn't all clump together and suffocate the plants. Personally I think they'll be fine, but others with more experience may say different.

I have 3 sunflowers growing. One I started directly in Miracle Grow Potting Soil inside and it's doing great. Transplanted it a couple weeks ago and it's about 6" tall now. The other 2 I started directly in my garden about 1.5 weeks ago and 2 of the 4 seeds popped through today.

Just be sure you do not over water the potting soil. But do keep it moist.

Once they sprout they will want full sun. I'd say put them outside and watch them grow.

Well, I put them outside! They're on an open bookshelf on the east side of an open porch. I can't believe it's only been 4 days, and already I've got at least 6 seedlings popping up, and from 2 different varieties so far. I can't wait - if they all come up, we'll have 60 sunflowers!!! (Unfortunately, we won't be keeping them long-term - we're doing phytoremediation to draw up the heavy metals out of the soil. See www.superorg.net/archive/proposal/plant%20species%20phyto.pdf)

Apparently, they are doing OK in the wood-chippy mix. I'm just pushing aside big wood pieces when I see them pushing up through chips. =)

I'm giving them a mist of a Miracle-Gro water. How often do you think I should do that? I don't want to overdo it, and the package doesn't address seedlings.

Oh, and since the majority of them are not up yet, I'm still leaving the dome cover on. How long should I leave the cover on over the sprouting seedlings, when most are not up yet? After some period of time, should I cut out the containers that are sprouted and leave the rest under the dome?

Thanks! Peace,
Carrie Anne, aka the Green Warrior Bunny

That's great news!

You can leave the dome on until they are almost touching it. If they are varying in size, then I'd carefully cut out the taller ones and plant them. Make sure they get used to full sun if the shelf they are on doesn't get a lot of sun through the day.

Seedlings do not need a lot of fertilizer so go easy on them with it. Usually 1/4 to 1/2 a regular dose is good enough.

Thanks, that's good to know. I'm glad I can leave the dome on while I'm waiting for new seedlings and don't have to transfer them right away.

They get a nice amount of direct morning sun, and the porch is completely open on three sides. They won't be moving far from where they are for being planted either (about 20'), so they'll be used to conditions. ;)

I've only given them like 1 spritz each so far after planting. Is once a week good?

Once a week fertilizing should be ok. not too much though. The more important thing is to remember to keep them moist, but not flooded. If they begin to turn yellow on you, you've possibly given them too much water.

Does the potting soil you used have fertilizer mixed in it from the manufacturer? Just double check so you don't burn the seedlings with too much.

i'll go double-check, but i don't "see" anything (like white dots i'm used to seeing). it says it's an all-purpose, and i'm guessing it was pretty cheap, so i'm thinking no. but i'll check again.

when i checked the seedlings this morning, there's 12 of them now. it's only been 4.5 days!!! i can't wait!

My 4th sunflower broke through this weekend!

Congratulations... you're a sunflower mom! LOL

Sunflowers come close to being bulletproof. Grow them this year and next year they will be popping up everywhere. Ive got some popping up right in the middle of some heavy ground cover. You can plant them directly where you wont them to grow and not waste time on any fancy seed starting stuff or set backs due to transplanting. They are day neutral, meaning they dont care whether you have long or short days of sunlight so you can plant them all summer long and they will grow and flower in approximately 60 to 65 days. Sun flowers are tough dudes! Here are some growing in the top pots of some stacked containers. One was probably planted by a bird and the taller one I dug out of the yard and stuck in the pot. I have been deadheading the shorter one and it just keeps pumping out more flowers.

Remember that sunflowers do not like to have their roots disturbed and can be a bit touchy to transplant. This is partially because they tend to quickly send down a deep root (they are 'native' here in SE New Mexico and grow well in spite of 10-12 inches of rain per year). So, don't wait too long to transplant them and do your best to keep the roots intact.
Good luck and enjoy!
Phil
Gourmet Seed International

wow, jaywhacker. that's awesome! i'm suprised the root fits into that pot!

Each one of those pots hold only two and a half gallons of grow mix. There are some misconceptions about how plants roots behave under diffenent growing conditions. Most of the statements you see are based on growing plants in ground beds and are correct for ground bed conditions. Plants growing in the ground send roots in all directions in search of moisture and nutrients. It is true that some have to have long tap roots in order to exist in some ground growing conditions. They have to reach deep for moisture. But put those same plants in a container and supply them with a constant supply of moisture in a quick draining grow mix that allows plenty of oxygen to their roots and they do not have to have a massive root system to support their needs. That is basically what hydroponic growing systems do and the stacked container concept is basically a hydroponic system. If you look at the stalk of the sunflower in the attached picture, you can see that it is healthy, growing strong, and has about reached its advertised heighth. It is not staked. These strong Texas wind gusts may take it down later in the season but right now its roots have a firm grip in that small pot and it is hanging tough. There is a gazania growing in the same pot as well as some other plants. These containers can be intensively planted because each plant is getting what it needs. Think about the way people crowd plants together in hanging baskets. You can do the same thing in these stacked containers. One of my grow poles with 16 plant sites may have as many as 25 to 30 plants growing in them.

OK, I'm ancy to see something - are you? Here they are planted in front of the porch. I know they're spaced out a bit, but that's how many seedlings came up so far. I'm going to plant more seeds in between them, and count on droppings to fill them in.