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Sunflowers can grow to over 20 feet tall during a single summer and produce flowers more than 2 feet across!

No wonder sunflowers have become an iconic symbol of a happy, care-free summer, and a perfect way to teach kids about gardening.

With a curious habit of facing the rising sun in the East, sunflowers provide not only excellent lessons in sun, earth and sky, but a healthy reward. The copious seeds that sunflowers produce add up to a fun and nutritious snack. In addition, sunflower seeds are large enough for little fingers to handle, meaning sunflowers are easy to plant.

How to grow sunflowers

When planting sunflowers, seeds should be placed in soil rich in organic fertilizer, to a depth of about about 1/2 inch, and in rows about a foot apart. Once sprouted, thin plants to two feet apart to give each plant enough space.

Just remember to stake them early to give them proper support throughout the summer, and provide full sun and water as they rapidly grow...and grow...and GROW.

Sunflower fun facts

• Native to North America, the sunflower was grown by native Indian tribes for its seeds and oil. The Aztecs also prized the sunflower and used images of the flower in their temples.

• Today sunflowers are one of the world's leading oil seed crops, second only to soybeans.

• In addition to its use for cooking purposes, sunflower oil is also used as biodiesel fuel, which burns much more efficiently than petroleum-based diesel.

• Nutritious and delicious to birds and humans, sunflower seeds are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, calcium and 11 other important nutrients and minerals.

On the Web - How to plant, grow & learn about sunflowers :

How to Grow Sunflowers - Tips, advice & instructions from the Gardener's Network including interesting facts, where to plant them, days to maturity, how to harvest them, known pests & diseases.

Sunflower Challenge - Archived UK kids' project with colorful, fun & kid-friendly instructions for starting sunflowers from seed plus growing instructions, arts & crafts projects, art gallery, recipes.

Growing a Sunflower House for Your Kids - Plenty of room in the backyard required for this fun project including illustrated plan, pictures, & instructions.

Sunflower Pictures - Stunning array from the BetterPhoto gallery with dozens of shots including field, portrait and extreme close-ups. Click on the thumbnails for larger images.

National Sunflower Association - Everything you always wanted to know about sunflowers including history, health & nutrition, FAQ, industry stats & research, news & updates, online magazine, and fun for kids with related downloadable coloring pages.

Sclerotinia Diseases of Sunflower - The most common sunflower disease explained in pictures and information on the "white mold" that infects roots, causing wilting & head rot, with tips on how to prevent it, preferred remedies.

also see in Garden Flowers -> How to Grow Daisies

How to Grow Hydrangeas | How To Grow Geraniums