Growing Sunflowers

Thankfully, growing sunflowers is not as difficult as choosing them. Given the right conditions, sunflowers will be showing off 50-90 days from planting. Any sunny spot in the garden with good drainage is an option for this versatile plant. Some people start seeds indoors before temperatures warm up then transplant, but it is quite easy to direct sow into the ground without the extra step. To direct sow, prep the garden by removing any weeds and loosening the soil. Plant seeds according to label instructions (depth and spacing vary slightly by variety), keep watered and fertilize as needed.

Tall varieties may need to be staked, especially if the site is windy. A simple staking method is to use t-posts in the corner of the garden and use a 6”x6” trellis netting horizontally that allows the flowers to grow up through the squares.

Flowering Triggers

Many sunflowers are considered “long-day” plants meaning they naturally grow stems and leaves (vegetative parts) when days are short then bloom as the daylength increases. Long-day sunflowers planted too late may not flower because they fail to mature while days are still long (12+ hours). But don’t despair, there are “day-length-neutral” varieties that will bloom during “short days” if temperatures are warm.

Gardening for Wildlife

In addition to their beauty sunflowers are also a source of nectar and pollen for insects and seed for birds and other wildlife. Even “pollenless” varieties grown for cut flowers offer abundant nectar for insects. Tender new plants and flower buds are sometimes grazed by rabbits and deer, so if those are frequent visitors to your garden you may need to offer protection.

Planning your Planting

Remember to check the mature height of sunflowers before planting. If you are using multiple varieties, put the taller ones in the back so you can enjoy all the flowers. Sunflowers are heliotropic so during the day the flowers will follow the sun. If you want to view them from a particular place and time of day keep that in mind that the flowers move! Consider planting successively – leave space to plant more seeds every couple of weeks so that flowers will keep coming! Sunflowers form thick stems and extensive roots so keep in mind that if you plan to pull them out right after they flower you may disturb other plants in the bed.

If you are interested in the history of sunflowers check out this article, Sunflower- fun-flower! 

Fun Facts

• Wings can beat 50-200 times per second
• Hundreds of blooms may be accessed by one bird in a single day
• Hummingbirds can lick 13 times per second
• Feed every 10-15 minutes from dawn to dusk
• At night, hummingbirds enter a state called “torpor” where they lower body temperature and heart rate to conserve energy

Hummingbirds have very long tongues with tube-like structures that allow them to suck up nectar like the way a straw works. This long tongue allows them to reach nectar in deep, tubular shaped flowers that may be inaccessible to other animals. In addition to flowers for nectar, hummingbirds also need shelter and nesting sites which are typically shrubs or small trees. Bird baths are also visited by hummingbirds, so provide some shallow water sources for them, too.

Suggested flowering plants for hummingbirds

• Firebush Hamelia patens
• Firecracker plant Russelia equisetiformis
• Firespike Odontonema cuspidatum
• Scarlet Hibiscus Hibiscus coccineus
• Bottlebrush Callistemon rigidus
• Salvias Salvis spp.
• Beebalms Monarda spp.
• Cardinal flower Lobelia cardinalis

What about feeders?

Providing a sugar solution is fine but make sure to follow some guidance to keep hummingbirds safe.

• 1 part white sugar to 4 parts water is the correct ratio, do not add more sugar!
• Honey and sugar substitutes can be lethal to hummingbirds, never substitute these products in your feeder!
• Clean feeders every 3-5 days with a vinegar and hot water to prevent mold and kill bacteria – do not use household detergents
• Place feeders at least 10 feet apart and avoid direct sun locations that may cause solution to spoil quickly

Additional Resources

If you would like to learn more about hummingbirds here are some great resources!

Hummingbirds of Florida
Hummingbird Gardens
Audubon Society: Hummingbirds

What is a tick-borne disease?

While feeding, an infected tick can pass viruses, bacteria, and parasites that cause disease in humans. Particular species of ticks are capable of transmitting specific pathogens, and the amount of feeding time needed to pass along the pathogen varies among tick species and life stage. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), tick-borne disease causing pathogen transmission can occur in as few as 10 minutes or take several hours.

Thankfully, not every tick is a carrier and the number of tick-borne illnesses in this region is lower than in other parts of the country, however, these are not reasons to let your guard down.  For farmers and ranchers staying indoors and avoiding tick habitat is not practical, so instead let’s look at some ways to minimize exposure and reduce risk.

Avoiding Tick Bites

Pastures with tall grass and field edges with brushy vegetation are prime spots for ticks looking for a host. When you know you will be in these types of habitats, dress in light colored clothing that covers as much skin as possible. Apply an EPA registered insect repellent labeled for tick prevention to exposed skin; if you will also be applying sunscreen, apply that product before applying the insect repellent. Clothing can also be treated with the repellent permethrin. Follow all pesticide label instructions on these products, paying special attention to age restrictions for children.

Scout your skin, gear, clothing, and pets often for ticks – remembering that some are smaller than a seed! Check again when you get home paying particular attention to favorite hiding places such as behind the knees, around the waist, groin, inside your belly button, armpits, in and around ears and hair. Take a warm, soapy shower and wash hair as soon as possible to dislodge unattached ticks you may have missed.

Tick Removal

If you find a tick attached, it is important to remove it as soon as possible to break the transmission cycle. Proper removal procedures can be found here https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/after-a-tick-bite/index.html

The Tick App by Texas A&M AgriLife can help you identify the tick or you can reach out to your local Extension office for assistance. Monitor yourself for symptoms and if you suspect a tick-borne illness contact your healthcare provider.

More Information

Interested in a close-up look at how ticks find their hosts and attach? Check out this detailed video!

One such group of pollinators native to Florida are sweat bees. Sweat bees get their unfortunate name from their nutritional requirements of salt that are sometimes sourced from sweaty humans. They rarely sting but are capable, and they can certainly be annoying to people when they lick salt off their skin. This behavior tends to get more attention than their important role as pollinators.

A subgroup of sweat bees are furrow bees. Furrow bees nest in the ground or rotting wood and may be solitary or eusocial. In-ground nests are composed of branching tunnels in sandy soil at a depth between 8 inches and 3 feet with a small entry roughly the size of a pencil. Within the tunnels, the mother creates individual cells stocked with nectar and pollen and lays an egg. The larva feeds on these provisions and pupates underground eventually emerging as an adult. The life cycle can vary from a few weeks to a year or more depending on species and environmental conditions.

Furrow bees are generalist feeders which means they will visit many different flowers, so diverse landscapes are attractive to them. In my northwest Florida garden, I see them often on sunflowers, Black-eyed Susan, coneflower, cosmos, tithonia, zinnia, and tickseed.