The Easiest Spring Holiday Fun-Growing Sunflowers and Smiles🌻
- Tammy Johnson
- Sep 18
- 3 min read
The Littlest Things Bring the Biggest Joys 🌞
Sunflowers, sunshine, smiles & spring holidays!
When I think back to my earliest childhood memories of things I loved about gardening, hands down it would have to have been growing sunflowers. I loved the excitement of watching how much they would grow every day, almost right before your eyes. Standing so tall and proud, bright and cheerful, turning their heads to follow the sun. Sunflowers are like the happy faces of the spring garden. And the best part? They’re one of the easiest flowers to grow straight from seed, making them the perfect project for the spring school holidays!
I've got some on my kitchen bench right now for my little grand-daughter Ivy to grow.
Why Sunflowers?
Why not! Sunflowers are some of the easiest flowers you’ll ever grow. Pop a seed into the soil, add sunshine and a splash of water, and before long they’re up and away.
They germinate quickly too, which is perfect for kids (or the young at heart!) who don’t like waiting long to see those first little shoots push through the soil.
And while once upon a time a sunflower was just a sunflower, today they’ve become a whole world of their own. Plant breeders have been busy creating hundreds of named cultivars. Some are bred for towering height (taller than Dad!), others are compact little dwarfs that fit neatly in pots, and many have been chosen for their colour, from the classic golden yellow through to rich reds and soft creamy whites.
Tips for growing sunflowers 🌱
Soil
Sunflowers aren’t fussy, but they’ll be happiest in loose, well-drained soil, enriched with compost and a sprinkle of organic fertiliser.
Sunshine
True to their name, they need full sun, at least 6 hours a day, for the best blooms.
Water
Keep the soil evenly damp while they’re germinating. Once established, water deeply once or twice a week. (Shallow watering encourages shallow roots, and we want strong, deep ones!)
Fertiliser
When planting, give your sunflowers a balanced organic fertiliser such as Rapid Raiser to set them up with the nitrogen they need for strong leafy growth. Think of it as “fuel for the stalks and leaves.” Once the buds appear, switch to a liquid feed that’s richer in phosphorus and potassium, this is the “food for flowers”, exactly what they need to create those beautiful big, bright blooms.
Pests & diseases
Watch out for slugs and snails when seedlings are small and keep an eye on the leaves for aphids or powdery mildew in humid weather.
Harvesting seed
Once the flower heads start to dry and the back turns brown, cut them off and let them finish drying in a sheltered spot. Then you can rub the seeds out, some for roasting and snacking, some to save in a paper bag ready for planting again next spring.
🌻Holiday fun with the kids
Encourage the kids to have their own little sunflower patch. They can:
Measure them weekly and keep a “tallest sunflower” chart.
Try different varieties side by side, giant's vs dwarfs, yellows vs reds.
Snap photos to create a “sunflower diary” of their progress.
Harvest and save the seed to make a 'bird seed ball' or 'bird seed cake'.
By summer, those tiny seeds sown in the holidays will be standing tall, busting with colour, offering a feast for the birds and bees.
Bird Seed Balls
Ready to have some fun with the kids making bird seed balls to hang out for the birds to eat?
I've created a downloadable pdf for you to print off and keep on hand for sunflower season.
Where to Buy Sunflower Seeds
Mr Fothergill’s is one of Australia’s most trusted seed brands, known for reliable quality and a wide range of sunflower varieties. Whether you’re after towering giants, cheerful dwarfs for pots, or something special for the kids to grow, there's a variety to suit every occasion.
🌻Browse their sunflower collection here.” Mr Fothergill’s Sunflower Seeds🌻
Here's hoping you're all enjoying the first month of Spring.
Happy Gardening 😘🌻
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