Sunflower

Everyone loves roasted sunflower seeds. We usually buy them ready to eat. But with even a small plot, you can grow sunflowers and get an environmentally friendly product.

In addition, the huge yellow suns of a flowering plant will decorate the area and add romantic notes of rustic flavor to it.

Modern technology for growing sunflowers

Deciding to do growing sunflowers You can use the principles used in classical technology.

Although the plant is not demanding on conditions, if you want to get a good harvest, you will need to pay some attention to it.

For sowing, you need to choose beds with fertile soil; it can be clay, but provided there is sufficient moisture. It is not recommended to sow sunflowers in marshy areas that are saline or have acidic soil.

Precursors are very important for the plant; grain crops and corn are considered ideal; beets, tomatoes, and legumes are not suitable.

You also cannot grow sunflowers in the same plot for several years in a row:

• the plant quickly depletes the soil due to active consumption of nutrients;
• Microorganisms that cause most plant diseases accumulate in the soil.

A prerequisite is good illumination of the area throughout the day.

Landing rules

Although sunflower can withstand a short-term drop in temperature during frosts, it is recommended to sow it with the onset of real warmth, when the soil warms up to +10 - + 12 C.

Intensive sunflower cultivation technology involves treating seeds before sowing with special disinfectants. At home, you can use a homemade preparation made from onion peels and chopped garlic.

The seeding depth is approximately 8 cm; 2-3 seeds are sown in each nest.

As for the distance between the nests, it is determined depending on the dimensions that characterize the variety:

• for tall plants, an interval of 70-90 cm is recommended;
• for short people - 44-50cm.

If you want to get bigger hats, increase the distance between the nests.

Reproduction

Since the plant is an annual, it reproduces exclusively by seeds. You can use seeds from your own harvest for no more than two years; sunflower is a cross-pollinated plant; proximity to hybrids and other varieties can lead to the appearance of baskets with empty seeds and significant crushing of the seeds and loss of taste.

Features of care

Although the plant is drought-resistant, if possible, it is recommended to organize its watering in case of prolonged absence of precipitation.

You will also need to apply fertilizers; you should choose those containing potassium and phosphorus. Caution should be exercised when handling medications containing nitrogen. Its excess increases the susceptibility of plants to diseases, in addition, the formation of ovaries in excessively large baskets worsens.

The harvest is harvested immediately after the seeds ripen; if the achenes are too wet, they will need to be dried.

The best varieties

For growing sunflower in the south of Ukraine and Russia The following varieties are recommended:

• SPK;
• Anyuta;
• Volcano;
• Orpheus;
• Gourmand.

Of course, it is worth recalling the seeds of Syngenta hybrids with short growing seasons, which reduces soil depletion and high yields.