How to make your sunflowers last longer

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Beauty at its finest. The sunflower needs no introduction — but it’s more than worthy of one. This brilliant flower is as day-brightening as the sun itself. It’s fittingly associated with joy, good cheer, happiness, optimism, and the kind of radiant spirit that’s capable of turning every day around.

 

Who wouldn’t be enamored? Robust yellow petals aren’t all that the sunflower has going for it. The beloved flower adds rich color to summer landscapes when it blooms in the heat, remaining in play until fall’s first frost arrives. Even then, you may catch a glimpse of yellow before the chill truly sets in for the season.

 

More than just their beautiful color, sunflowers are noteworthy for their interesting characteristics. Some can grow as tall as 16 feet. They also earned their name for their wondrous habit of tracking the sun. They’re heliotropes, which means that in the morning, flower buds face east and follow the sun’s path throughout the day. How’s that for magical?

 

If you’re the lucky recipient of a sunflower bouquet, treat it with the TLC that it deserves! This radiant arrangement will add joy to your days just as long as it receives the care it needs. How can you be sure yours will thrive and stay fresh? Keep this information handy so your sunflowers continue to radiate with joy and optimism. Sunflower care requires time and effort, but the rewards are well worth it.

Caring for Your Sunflowers

  1. Sunshine Day
  2. Moisture Management
  3. Temperature Needs
  4. Excess Foliage
  5. Regular Maintenance
  6. Growing Your Own
  7. Giving the Gift of Sunflowers

Sunshine Day

Is it any wonder that sunflowers love sunlight? These bright beauties do their best in their natural habitat. Keep your arrangement in a space where they can soak up full sunshine for anywhere from six to eight hours a day. That sunlight does a lot for the integrity of the sunflower, whose stems will grow thick and robust to provide support for the large petals. If your home is more shaded or you lack a spot where you can keep the arrangement in an adequate amount of sunlight for the needed amount of time, use a grow light instead.

 

Moisture Management

Water is vital to your sunflowers’ health. While they are tolerant of both drought and heat, you don’t want to introduce them to those conditions unnecessarily. Make sure they’re properly hydrated by placing them in a vase full of clean, lukewarm water. Add some flower food for a nutritious boost. To ensure that your stems receive the most amount of moisture possible, trim them at a 45-degree angle every other day. This will help your flowers look their best for as long as possible.

 

Temperature Needs

Just as sunflowers do their best when exposed to consistent sunlight, they also fare well when they’re placed in a setting that replicates their preferred warm-weather climate. This is, after all, the ultimate summer flower, so aim to facilitate their growth in a space that’s warm. Daytime temperatures should fall between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit and nighttime between 55 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

 

Excess Foliage

Check your arrangement carefully before placing it in water. Are there any leaves that fall below the waterline? If that’s the case, now is the time to snip them away. Otherwise, you risk introducing unwelcome bacteria to the vase, which affects how long your flowers live and leave them more vulnerable to premature wilting. No one likes a sad sunflower, so do your best to support them — this little move can add days to their life!

 

Regular Maintenance

Part of responsible sunflower plant care involves regular maintenance. To keep them happy and peppy, try to follow your care plan regularly. Daily care works best, as this lets you examine the stems carefully and confirm that they’re doing well. Change the water daily, trim the stems on schedule, and make sure they’re receiving adequate sunlight. If it’s not enough, don’t be afraid to shift them somewhere else. A warm and sunny room is great, but that grow light will come in enormously helpful if it’s your only option.

Sunflowers

Growing Your Own

If you’re more of a DIYer and love to give your green thumb a workout, you’ll yield amazing rewards when you grow your own sunflowers. In general, the same sunflower care tips apply. The best spot to grow them is somewhere that receives plenty of direct sunlight for at least eight hours every day.

 

The quality of your soil plays a significant role, too. While sunflowers aren’t too picky, the soil should at least drain well. Avoid anything too compact and focus on providing your seeds with plenty of nutrients and a slow-release fertilizer to create a welcoming environment for growth.

 

To help them grow tall and shapely, plant the seeds approximately six inches apart from each other. That allows them enough room to thrive, without the possibility that they’ll rub against one another and disrupt growth patterns. During these early stages, water the roots deeply but infrequently. This will help establish robust roots without leaving them vulnerable to rot. Once a week is optimal.

Don’t overfeed your sunflowers, as this can shorten their life span in the fall. Instead, focus on supportive care. A touch of fertilizer added to water is usually enough to provide what they need during this growing stage. If you’re growing taller sunflowers, use bamboo stakes to hold them securely.

 

Finally, be mindful of the fact that sunflowers are just as appealing to certain critters as they are to you. Squirrels and birds are drawn to them. Fortunately, insects tend to steer clear. If there are deer in your neighborhood, keep them at a distance by surrounding your sunflowers with protective wire barriers.

 

Giving the Gift of Sunflowers

There’s no question of the humble sunflower’s impact. To brighten up anyone’s day, The Double The Sonny brings incredible joy and cheer. It brims with an abundance of the beloved flower, making it a lovely choice when you want to bring a smile to someone’s face.

 

Another option that honors the sunflower’s summer ties is The Solstice. This aptly named arrangement features a medley of bright yellow flowers mingling alongside rich greenery — including an artful succulent that adds a little textural appeal to the mix.

 

Sunflowers look great with other flowers, too! They’re just that versatile, making The Sierra a chic choice for dressing up a home or office. Lively pink and blue vie for the spotlight while varying textures lend the bouquet an artisanal quality.

Whether you receive them or grow them, sunflowers deserve only the very best. These easy tips will ensure they look their best and bring continued sunshine to your every day.

 

Related:

 

The Benefits of Plants in Your Home

5 Tips for Better Bouquet Care

 

This article originally appeared on Urbanstems.com and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org.

More from MediaFeed:

Do you know your state’s official flower?

 

 

As the months get warmer, flowers are starting to bloom, dotting the landscape with swaths of vibrant color. In celebration of spring, we’ve put together this list of every state’s official flower, with lovely photos and a little history as well.

 

 

 

kanonsky / istockphoto

 

 

  • Year it became official: 1959
  • How to find it: Look for delicate light pink petals folded up tightly, although you can also find the flower in a variety of other colors across the South.

Camellia by junichiro aoyama (CC BY)

 

  • Year it became official: 1917
  • How to find it: This dainty purplish-blue flower has a yellow-white core. You can find varieties of the forget-me-not across Alaska.

Alpine Forget-Me-Not by Meneerke bloem (CC BY-SA)

 

  • Year it became official: 1931
  • How to find it: Unsurprisingly, Arizona’s state flower is a blooming cactus. Look for white flowers with a yellow center at the end of a cactus. When the flowers haven’t bloomed yet, you’ll likely see large green buds attached to the cactus.

Arizona: Saguaro Cactus Blossom by raelb Follow (CC BY-NC-SA)

 

  • Year it became official: 1901
  • How to find it: Given Arkansas’ history as an apple-growing state, it only makes sense that the apple blossom is its official state flower. If you can’t make of the state’s many apple blossom festivals, you can still find this white and pink flower naturally across the state.

apple blossom by to.wi (CC BY-NC-SA)

 

  • Year it became official: 1903
  • How to find it: This vibrant “golden” flower is a great choice for the Golden State. It has elegant, flowing petals that wrap around its stem.

california poppy by docentjoyce (CC BY)

  • Year it became official: 1899
  • How to find it: The columbine is a white and lavender flower with graceful yellow seeds hanging from its center like tentacles. If you couldn’t tell by the name, you can find it in the Rocky Mountains, among other places around Colorado.

Rocky Mountain Columbine by Rob Duval (CC BY-SA)

 

  • Year it became official:1907
  • How to find it: This flower is known for its star-shaped petals and reddish-pinkish specks.

mountain laurel by Arx Fortis (CC BY-SA)

  • Year it became official:1895
  • How to find it: Look for bold pinkish-orange petals, like the color of an actual peach.

Peach Blossom by pepperberryfarm (CC BY-NC-ND)

  • Year it became official: 1909
  • How to find it: Unsurprisingly, Florida chose the orange blossom for its state flower. Look for a white-cream petal with an orange-yellow middle.

Orange Blossom by (CC BY-NC-SA)

  • Year it became official: 1916
  • How to find it: This is a white rose with a bright yellow middle.

Cherokee Rose by Courtney McGough (CC BY-NC-ND)

  • Year it became official: 1988
  • How to find it: Look for a hibiscus-shaped flower that’s a bright golden yellow.

Pua Aloalo by Rosa Say (CC BY-NC-ND)

  • Year it became official: 1931
  • How to find it: This flower has four white petals with pastel yellow seeds in the middle.

Syringa by Brent Miller (CC BY-NC-ND)

  • Year it became official: 1908
  • How to find it: Keep your eyes peeled for a small flower that is, well, violet.

violet by Maia C (CC BY-NC-ND)

  • Year it became official: 1957
  • How to find it: This is a bold, fluffy flower that’s most commonly a vibrant pinkish-red, although it can be found in other colors, too.

Peony by Bob Gutowski (CC BY-NC-SA)

  • Year it became official: 1897
  • How to find it: The flower has small, delicate pink-white petals and a thick stem with lots of leaves.

Wild Rose by jinjian liang (CC BY-NC-ND)

  • Year it became official: 1903
  • How to find it: Look for thick stems and its signature yellow petals. You can find sunflowers across the state.

Sunflowers by LynnK827 (CC BY-NC-ND)

  • Year it became official: 1926
  • How to find it: The goldenrod is shaped like a lightning bolt speckled with tiny yellow buds.

Goldenrod by Elaine (CC BY-NC-SA)

  • Year it became official: 1900
  • How to find it: Magnolias have thick, curved petals and are most commonly found in a cream-white color.

magnolia by Paxsimius (CC BY-SA)

  • Year it became official: 1895
  • How to find it: White pines can be seen across Maine. Just look for the massive white pine trees, and the pine cones are sure to follow.

White Pine Cone and Tassel by Eli Sagor (CC BY-NC)

  • Year it became official: 1918
  • How to find it: As the name suggests, this flower has a strong, big black middle and is surrounded by yellow petals.

Black-Eyed Susan by Dendroica cerulea (CC BY-NC-SA)

  • Year it became official: 1918
  • How to find it: Look for bunched-together small, star-shaped petals. They’re most commonly found in shades of white and purple.

Mayflower by Jim Sorbie (CC BY)

  • Year it became official: 1897
  • How to find it: Michigan named the apple blossom its official state flower since apples grow naturally across Michigan.

apple blossom by to.wi (CC BY-NC-SA)

  • Year it became official: 1967
  • How to find it: These flowers have unique petals that curve upward, making them look like a multi-colored slipper.

Pink & White Lady Slipper by Orchidhunter1939 (CC BY-SA)

  • Year it became official: 1952
  • How to find it: Magnolias were chosen by school children to be the state flower. The flower also appears on the state’s bicentennial coin.

Magnolia by pontla (CC BY-NC-ND)

  • Year it became official: 1923
  • How to find it: Look for clustered little white flowers with black seeds.

Hawthorn flowers by Eugene Zelenko (CC BY-SA)

  • Year it became official: 1895
  • How to find it: Bitterroots have overlapping purple-white petals and white middle.

Bitterroot by David A. Hofmann (CC BY-NC-ND)

  • Year it became official: 1895
  • How to find it: Goldenrods are native to Nevada and be found by looking for fuzzy yellow buds that are grouped together.

Goldenrod by Tim Tonjes (CC BY-NC-SA)

  • Year it became official: 1917
  • How to find it: Look for tall, fuzzy stems with about three“petals” sticking up straight from the stem.

sagebrush by Joel Hoffman (CC BY-NC-ND)

  • Year it became official: 1991
  • How to find it: This flower has one long petal that curls to look like a slipper.

Pink & White Lady Slipper by Orchidhunter1939 (CC BY-SA)

  • Year it became official: 1913
  • How to find it: Violets speckle New Jersey’s landscape with bold purple flowers.

Wood Violet by Maia C (CC BY-NC-ND)

  • Year it became official: 1927
  • How to find it: The yucca flower has a signature white bulb, although there are other species of the flower across the state, too.

Yucca Flower by DM (CC BY-ND)

  • Year it became official: 1955
  • How to find it: While you may not find roses growing naturally in New York City, you can find them in the state’s more rural or country areas.

Red rose by T.Kiya (CC BY-SA)

  • Year it became official: 1941
  • How to find it: Dogwood flowers have tiny white petals and bold yellow cores. They are often grouped together like a thunderbolt.

Dogwood by David Hoffman (CC BY-NC-ND)

  • Year it became official: 1907
  • How to find it: The wild prairie rose has light pink petals and a golden center.

wild prairie rose by Alexwcovington (CC BY-SA)

  • Year it became official: 1904
  • How to find it: This flower’s red petals create a fluffy bulb.

red carnation by カールおじさん (CC BY-SA)

  • Year it became official: 2004
  • How to find it: The state liked the flower so much, they named it after themselves. This variation of the rose is commonly used in teas.

red rose by Jörg Kanngießer (CC BY-NC)

  • Year it became official: 1899
  • How to find it: The Oregon grape is a bushel of tiny yellow bulbs arranged like grapes.

Oregon Grape by Meggar (CC BY-SA)

  • Year it became official: 1933
  • How to find it: Mountain Laurels are petticoat-shaped flowers with a star-shaped pattern in a reddish-pink color on the inside. They puff out like an umbrella.

Mountain Laurel by Tim Singer (CC BY-NC-SA)

  • Year it became official: 1968
  • How to find it: You can find violets across the state, as they are common throughout the northern hemisphere.

violet by Dendroica cerulea (CC BY-NC-SA)

  • Year it became official: 1924
  • How to find it: This is another delicate but bold flower. The yellow jessamine grows wildly in the state.

Yellow Jessamine by John ‘K’ (CC BY-NC-ND)

  • Year it became official: 1903
  • How to find it: Look for oval-shaped purple petals with a yellow-gold middle.

American Pasque by Hillarie (CC BY-NC-ND)

  • Year it became official: 1933
  • How to find it: Irises have a purple-blue petal with a yellow middle where the two petals combine.

Iris by Fred (CC BY)

  • Year it became official: 1901
  • How to find it: Bonnets are small blue buds or redbuds that climb upward, forming the shape of a bonnet.

bluebonnet by Stephanie (CC BY-NC-ND)

  • Year it became official: 1911
  • How to find it: This lily has three oval petals and three triangular ones. It’s most commonly found in white.

Sego Lily by C.Maylett (CC BY-SA)

  • Year it became official: 1894
  • How to find it: This flower forms a large bulb out of smaller bulbs. It’s commonly found in red or purple.

Red Clover by Tim Tonjes (CC BY-NC-ND)

  • Year it became official: 1918
  • How to find it: This flower can be found on dogwood branches. Look for small white flowers, although in winter the flower can develop redbuds as well.

dogwood by laura.bell (CC BY-NC-ND)

  • Year it became official: 1959
  • How to find it: Look for pastel reds and pinks stained on a white flower. They naturally grow in the shape of a bouquet.

Rhododendron by Arx Fortis (CC BY-SA)

  • Year it became official: 1903
  • How to find it: The rhododendron has a series of small cream flowers bunched in a bouquet formation. They have light green seeds in their middles.

Rhododendron by Arx Fortis (CC BY-SA)

  • Year it became official: 1909
  • How to find it: Wisconsin is one of the many other Midwest states that chose the violet as their flower. The wood violet can be found across Wisconsin.

violet by Maia C (CC BY-NC-ND)

  • Year it became official:1917
  • How to find it: This flower has a tall stem with flowers budding up and down it. It’s called a paintbrush because the red flowers bloom randomly on the stem, making it look like specks of paint on a brush.

This article originally appeared on and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org.

Indian Paintbrush by rumolay (CC BY-NC-ND)

 

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Featured Image Credit: Urbanstems.com.

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