Sunflower Seeds - Teddy Bear
(Helianthus annuus) Annual. 65-75 days to maturity.
Teddy Bear Sunflowers are a family favourite! These cute and fuzzy sunflowers reach only 2 feet in height and are a great interactive plant for a young gardener.
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Growth Habit: Upright growth to 3 feet height; fluffy round double flower heads 3-5” diameter.
Sun Requirements: Full sun
Soil Preference: Well drained soil
When to Plant: Direct seed after last frost OR start indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost date. *If direct seeding, watch for slugs. They LOVE sunflower sprouts.
How to Plant:
Direct sow: sow seeds ½” deep, cover with soil and water well; 14-18 days to germination; thin young plants to 1-2 feet apart.
Transplant: sow seeds indoors ½” deep in individual pots or divided trays; transplant seedlings outdoors after last frost, spacing them 1-2 feet apart.
When to Harvest: Flowers arrive in late Summer and are ready to harvest when they are nearly fully open. Seeds are ready to harvest when the birds arrive to eat them.
How to Harvest: Harvest when flowers are nearly fully open.
Uses: Teddy Bear Sunflower is a unique and beautiful cut flower. The flowers are bursting with edible petals, which make beautiful additions to salads, sauces and desserts. Dried sunflower petals can also be used in homemade body care products, such as soap and bath salts. In the garden, plants provide nectar and habitat to pollinators, including bees and hummingbirds.
Each seed packet contains approximately 20 untreated open pollinated sunflower seeds.