Plant Fall Decor - Start a Crop of Sunflowers

August is surprisingly good time to plant sunflowers from seed. Warm yellow sunflowers popping into bloom set the mood perfectly as days shorten and fall arrives. Make plans now for a seasonal transition.

Many sunflowers planted this past spring have already sprung, their flowers are fading, and seed heads are forming. Thanks to our mild California climate we can enjoy a bumper crop and second harvest by planting sunflowers a second time. Planting sunflowers from seed now will give an abundant crop of bouquet-ready blossoms for the fall table.

The best varieties for fall color are generally the shorter ones and the multi-branching ones. “Autumn Beauty” is a moderate grower with multi-branched habit and color perfectly suitable for the season. Sunflowers are easy to grow in any soil. Water to establish and expect blooms in six to eight weeks.