How to Grow American Giant Hybrid Sunflower

American Giant Hybrid Sunflower – If you grow sunflowers, you probably already know that there are small sunflowers and large sunflowers. What we are going to talk about here is one of the latter.

Namely, the American Giant Hybrid sunflower. In the world of sunflowers, this variety is the best of them all.

It is among the tallest sunflower varieties. They typically grow to between 10 and 16 feet and it is not rare to see plants of this variety grow even taller than that. Want to know how to grow this tall sunflower? Read on.

Propagation

• Giant sunflower varieties, including the American Giant Hybrid sunflower, are grown from seed. You can sow the seeds directly into the garden or start planting them indoors.
• If you choose to start propagating indoors, don’t allow the plant to get root bound. Once the plant is ready, transplant them into the garden ASAP and do it carefully.
• If you want your sunflowers to grow as big as possible, plant them at least 3 feet apart. This way, the sunflowers won’t shade each other.

(Note: Birds and squirrels seek out sunflower seeds. To avoid your seeds getting eaten by them, place a screen over the planted seeds to prevent them from digging up the seeds.)

How to Grow American Giant Hybrid Sunflower

• Giant sunflower varieties need full sun to grow optimally. So, plant them in a spot where they can get at least 6 hours of direct sunlight every day.
• As for the soil condition, sunflowers are not picky. That said, they grow best when planted in well-drained, rich soil. The richer the soil, the better.
• Fertilizer is not a must but it helps the plants to grow strong roots and grow big.
• When it comes to water, you want to water your sunflower plants deeply. Make sure that the water gets to all of the plants’ roots. Don’t allow the soil to soak or dry.
• When your plants grow tall, stake them. This will help them to withstand windy days. Without staking, your plants might fall over.

Seed Harvesting

You can harvest the seeds after the bloom has died. Don’t harvest all of the seeds immediately, however. First, you need to check whether the seeds are ready to harvest.

To know if the seeds are ready, take a seed or two. Then, squeeze it and see if the seed is hard and full. If the seed is soft or hollow, that means it is not ready to harvest. If it is hard and full, it is ready.

(Note: Birds love sunflower seeds, so you want to harvest the seeds ASAP once they are ready.)

Pests and Diseases

Sunflowers have various pests. Birds and squirrels love sunflower seeds, while rabbits and deer will chew on small sunflower plants.

As for diseases, sunflowers only have few disease problems. The most common diseases include downy mildew, powdery mildew, phoma blight, septoria leaf spot, and Alternaria leaf blight.

That’s how to grow American Giant Hybrid sunflower. In general, sunflowers are not difficult to grow. This variety is not an exception. So, what do you think? Are you interested in growing this tall, beautiful sunflower variant?