Decorative sunflower - growing, planting, care, types and varieties, pests. Decorative sunflower - cultivation and varieties

Among the many varieties of flowering plants are flowers similar to sunflowers. All of them belong to the Asteraceae or Asteraceae family. The baskets (inflorescences) of representatives of the family have a round corymb. different shapes.

The peduncles of these plants are complex, that is, what we call a “sunflower flower” is an inflorescence of several dozen flowers adjacent to each other in one receptacle. The bed can be flat, concave or convex.

A sunflower flower resembles a miniature sun

Everyone has asteraceae, similar to small sunflowers, small, thin tubular flowers grow in the center of the basket, and reed flowers grow along its edges, which create a lush corolla.

Tubular flowers are tightly adjacent to each other. It is from them that the seeds grow. The receptacle is immersed in a solid base - a calyx, around which small leaves (bracts) grow, framing the basket. They protect the inflorescence until it has formed and opened.

It cannot be said that the common ancestor of all aster plants there was a wild sunflower, once brought by the Spaniards from America, but the similarity of the structure of Asteraceae with agricultural sunflower is undeniable.

Venidium (Arktotis)

Venidium inflorescences are colored in the most different colors. The varieties Orange Prince, Amaretto, and Venidium marigold are similar to sunflowers.

Venidium Orange Prince produces large baskets up to 10-12 cm in diameter with bright, orange-yellow and orange reed flowers. The diameter of the Venidium marigold inflorescence is 3.5-4 cm.

The reed flowers of Venidium have the shape of a highly elongated oval. Tubular flowers are black, dark brown. The height of the plant varies from 45 to 70 cm, its bushes are wide and branched. The plant blooms from June to September; it is planted in multi-level flower beds and combined with other aster flowers.

Jerusalem artichoke - frost-resistant perennial crop, grown in middle lane and in the south. Some gardeners, when asked what the flower is called, will answer that it is an earthen pear. The tubers, which taste like cabbage stalks, turnips or turnips, are eaten.

This plant blooms profusely with small bright yellow inflorescences. Reed flowers of Jerusalem artichoke are bright yellow, tubular flowers are often dark brown. Baskets grow on thin long stems.

The diameter of Jerusalem artichoke inflorescences varies from 2 to 10 cm. The leaves of the plant are elongated, lanceolate. Jerusalem artichoke grows up to 2.5-4 meters in height.

Elecampane - medicinal plant, which is used in herbal medicine. It is a herbaceous shrub with long stems and wide, toothed leaves. 3-6 inflorescences and several leaves grow on one stem. The height of the bush, depending on the variety, is 30-70 cm, the diameter of the basket is 4-15 cm.

The inflorescences of elecampane are orange, yellow, light yellow, tubular and reed flowers are painted in the same or different colors. The reed petals are narrow and long, they form one or several rows.

This plant is planted among stones in rock gardens and alpine hills.

This annual is characterized by abundant flowering, sanvitalia bushes are strewn with dozens of small flowers from July to October. The color almost completely covers the foliage. The baskets of Sanvitalia are small, their diameter ranges from 1.5 to 2.5 cm.

The marginal (ligulate) petals of the inflorescences are deep yellow, the receptacle of the basket is convex. The tubular flowers of sanvitalia are black with a purple or brown tint. There are varieties of sanvitalia with a green core, white or orange corolla.

The branched stems of the flower grow up to 30-60 cm, they bend, giving the bush a spherical shape. The varieties Gold Braid, Solnyshki, and Yellow Sea are similar to small sunflowers.

Rudbeckia hybrid

This plant with large inflorescences vaguely resembles a sunflower or chamomile (varieties Zelenoglazka, Terry Golden, Autumn Flowers, Amber, Marmalade and others). The reed petals of rudbeckia are very bright, yellow, fiery orange and red. The receptacle of the basket is convex, the tubular flowers are brown, purple and lilac. U different varieties The size of the baskets varies from 9 to 17 cm.

In many varieties of hybrid rudbeckia, the corolla petals are two-colored, with longitudinal or transverse stripes.

The stems of rudbeckia grow up to 50-250 cm in height. They are covered with thick colored green color elongated or oval leaves. The flower stems are stable and rigid.

Ornamental sunflowers (helianthus) - similar to sunflowers but not sunflowers - are grown as a crop. Their seeds are not suitable for food or oil production. There are dozens of breeding varieties of this plant.

The color of the reed petals of helianthus can be yellow, white, cream, orange, burgundy, light yellow. The tubular flowers in the center of the basket are yellow, black or brown.

Reed flowers have different shapes and sizes; in some varieties they are rolled into a tube. The diameter of the baskets varies from 5 to 30 cm. Dwarf helianthus grow up to 60 cm, giant helianthus reach 2-3 meters in height.

Calendula inflorescences are simple (with one or two rows of petals), semi-double and double. The color of the corolla is deep orange or light yellow. The reed petals are evenly colored, but in some varieties the color becomes lighter towards the middle. Tubular flowers are orange. They can be painted in a more saturated color than the reed ones.

The leaves of calendula are elongated, lanceolate, light green, the stems of the plant are moderately branched. Flower bushes grow up to 30-60 cm in height. There are large and small varieties calendula. The size of the inflorescence-baskets varies from 3 to 10 cm in different varieties.

All selection chrysanthemums have single-row or double inflorescences of the most different colors and sizes. These plants are resistant to cold and are pleasing to the eye until frost. Chrysanthemums are planted in flower beds behind low-growing flowering plants.

There are dozens of varieties whose baskets look like small sunflowers. These are chrysanthemums Maiden (Golden ball), Terry (yellow and white), Svemba kars, Mishal and a number of others. The tubular flowers of the basket are often black, yellow or green.

Most varieties of this flower have bare or pubescent stems and jagged green leaves. The height of the flower stems reaches 40-60 cm.

Cosmea yellow (sulfur yellow)

Two varieties of sulfur-yellow Cosmea are popular among flower growers - Bilbo and Cross Lemon. This is a heat-loving plant that is drought-resistant.

The diameter of the inflorescences of this species is small - 5-7 cm. The reed flowers are colored in rich yellow, sulfur-yellow, orange and red-orange. The tubular flowers in the center of the basket are most often yellow.

Thanks to the lush foliage of Cosmea sulfur-yellow, it completely covers the soil. The leaves of this plant are rugged, pinnate and lanceolate. The Bilbo variety blooms with semi-double orange baskets and grows in height up to 50-80 cm. Lemon Cross is low-growing and reaches 40 cm.

Among the numerous varieties of this plant, Helenium autumn yellow and Helenium Canaria are similar to small sunflowers. The baskets of this plant are single, but more often corymbose, collected in inflorescences. The receptacle is surrounded by reed flowers of reddish, purple, orange, brown and yellow flowers. In the center of the basket, on a strongly convex bed, there are tubular flowers (brown or yellow).

Helenium autumn yellow grows up to 3 meters in height and produces inflorescences measuring 4-6 cm across. Helenium Canaria grows up to 150 cm, its baskets with a diameter of 3.5-5 cm form corymbose apical inflorescences.

Chamomile yellow

Yellow chamomile is also called gooseberry or doronicum. There are several breeding varieties of decorative chamomile of this type.

Both the reed and tubular flowers of this daisy are bright yellow and lemon yellow. The diameter of the inflorescences varies from 4 to 10 cm across.

Glossy dark green leaves grow on the rigid and slightly branched stems of the flower bush; the basal leaves form a rosette. After flowering, the foliage of yellow chamomile does not wither and remains fresh until the end of summer. The height of dwarf bushes is 20-25 cm. Tall chamomile grows up to 70 cm.

Asters

Asters of non-double varieties are similar in inflorescence structure to sunflowers. This is Andrella super, Matsumoto, Rainbow, Alpine Astra.

Alpine Aster has white or yellowish reed flowers, they also come in pink, red, lilac and purple. The receptacle of the baskets of this variety is raised, but slightly recessed towards the center. The tubular flowers have yellow petals. In the center of the calyx, the flowers are undeveloped and green in color. The diameter of the inflorescence-baskets is 4-6 cm.

Aster Andrella is super similar to the variety described above, but the receptacle of the inflorescence is flatter. The color of the reed flowers of Andrella Super is pink, purple, white, yellowish, the tubular flowers are yellow. The diameter of the basket is 9-10 cm.

There are many more flowers that look like sunflowers. You have met only the most common plants.

Many gardeners grow this on their plots. wonderful plant like a decorative sunflower. Some varieties of this plant can boast an outstanding size of over two meters, and a huge diameter of the inflorescence: as you understand, it is simply impossible not to notice such a beauty in the garden.

It is for its effectiveness, catchiness, and also for its rare unpretentiousness that decorative sunflowers are valued by summer residents and gardeners. In this article we will look at the features of this plant, find out how to grow it and how to care for it. But you can see what a decorative sunflower looks like and how seedlings are grown from seeds

Description

Second title decorative sunflower- helianthus: from the word “helios”, meaning “sun” in translation from ancient Greek. The plant is grown all over the world, on absolutely all continents.

The decorative sunflower is an annual herbaceous plant, the main decoration of which is its huge bright flowers. There are about 150 decorative types of sunflowers all over the world: every flower lover will find the variety that is most attractive to them.

This flower came to Russia, like many other “overseas curiosities,” thanks to Peter the Great, who personally delivered the plant’s seeds to his homeland. At first, sunflower was grown as a common species - forage, and only later, with the development of breeding science, were its decorative varieties developed. But you can see how the planting and care of the decorative viburnum buldenezh occurs

In the video there is a decorative sunflower:

Decorative sunflower is a real decoration garden landscape, is very good in bouquets, and its low-growing varieties can be grown as a potted crop. And in Austria there is even a whole park planted with different varieties of this plant.

Decorative varieties Sunflowers can be either annual or perennial crops. Some of them look so different from an ordinary sunflower “with seeds” that it is impossible to connect them together at first glance.

The color of the plant’s petals can be different: traditional yellow, orange, white, brown, and cream. Rare shades are also possible, as well as two-tone options. The shape of the inflorescence can be simple, double or semi-double.

Certainly, terry varieties differ in higher decorative properties, however simple options easier to grow, they are less whimsical.

The diameter of the flower varies from 5 to 30 cm. The latter options are only suitable for garden growing, since such a large diameter also implies a decent height.

You may also be interested in information about what it looks like

As for this very stem height, according to this characteristic, varieties of decorative sunflowers are divided into three types:

Gigantic

The stems of such plants can reach two to three meters in height. You can imagine how huge the flower is. The most common varieties of this species include;


But this will help you understand what a decorative climbing pear looks like and how to plant it.

Medium height

They can boast of a more modest size: from a meter to one and a half meters in height. Small varieties have a stem length of up to 60 cm and can be used for indoor floriculture. These include such popular varieties as:

All varieties of decorative sunflowers are wonderful honey plants and have very pleasant aroma. Let us describe in more detail the varieties of decorative sunflowers most beloved by gardeners.

Here's how to plant decorative cabbage seeds, and what it looks like, this will help you understand

Teddy Bear

This plant is about a meter high and is decorated with large, voluminous bright yellow flowers. The variety has this name because of its splendor and terry nature. Its flowering period is from July to autumn.

Teddy Bear

Red sun

This is a sunflower variety bred by breeders in our country, and is already loved on all continents. It has a very long flowering period, and characteristic red-brown large petals: very decorative and showy. In height mature plant reaches two meters. But you can see what decorative frost-resistant shrubs for a summer residence look like

Red sun

Vanilla ice

Vanilla ice

A two-color variety: its petals are red inside and yellow on the edges. The core is black, which also gives a unique flavor, and combines beautifully with the first two shades.

How to grow

Let's find out important nuances on growing helianthus in the garden.

Selecting a location

The video shows how decorative sunflowers are grown:

Seed preparation

To prepare seeds for planting, you must first carry out a special procedure to prepare them for placement in the ground. To do this, dissolve in half a liter warm water wood ash. The solution should be medium concentrated.

Soak a piece of natural cotton fabric with the resulting solution, and then wrap the seeds in it. In this form, the seeds must be left for a day.

If during this time the fabric begins to dry out, moisten it again.

But you can see what a decorative wattle fence looks like and how it can be used in the garden

Landing

After a day has passed and the seeds are prepared, it is time to place them in the ground. Planting depth seed material decorative sunflower - no more than 3 cm. Keep the distance between the holes: if the variety is small, then it is necessary to maintain a distance of 30-40 cm, and if large - at least 70 cm.

In most regions of the country, for planting decorative sunflower seeds in open ground May is coming. A week after planting, as a rule, the first shoots appear. The plant begins to bloom in July and continues until the end of September.

Experienced gardeners, in order to extend the flowering period of sunflowers, plant plants in the spring at intervals of two weeks. Thus, first one or another group of plants is constantly blooming in the garden bed.

Typically, decorative sunflower seeds are placed directly in open ground. Seedling method it is grown only if the climate is very harsh: for example, in the Far North or Siberia.

Care

In general, plants are not capricious. Let's consider the main points for caring for this ornamental crop.

Decorative sunflower, firstly, requires mandatory watering. However, it is important to prevent stagnation of moisture in the garden bed. After each watering, the soil must be loosened a little, at the same time eliminating any weeds that have appeared.

If the soil in the garden bed is fertile, then additional feeding decorative sunflower does not need. But if the need arises, it is best to use organic matter for feeding: it is recommended to apply it at the beginning of plant growth.

Video shows how to care for decorative sunflowers:

As soon as the next basket fades, remove it without waiting for the seeds to ripen. Otherwise, self-seeding of the garden area may occur. In addition, removing old buds is a kind of stimulation for the appearance of new inflorescences in the sunflower. Maintaining the decorative appearance of the garden bed is also of considerable importance: faded buds certainly do not decorate it.

If there is a need to completely remove the plant, then do not dig it out of the ground, but simply cut the stem to the root. Digging can damage the closely spaced roots of neighboring flowers.

Pests and diseases

Decorative sunflower, despite its powerful stem and tall growth, is susceptible to attack by many harmful insects. Most often, the plant is attacked by thornbull, longhorned beetle and moth. These insects settle on a sunflower, feeding on its stem, which gradually leads to the death of the flower.

A pest such as broomrape is also dangerous for decorative sunflowers. This insect settles on the roots and gnaws them, which leads to the death of the entire sunflower.

To avoid these “uninvited guests,” take precautions: periodically inspect the plant, and if a threat is detected, immediately treat with fungicides. As a rule, if the sunflower is not yet too damaged, then one treatment will be enough.

How nice it is to enjoy beautiful view blooming sunflowers, driving along the field sown with them.

Hobbyists often decorate their garden plots decorative look this plant. Without this bright orange circle, the picture of a rustic-style plot will be incomplete.

Sunflower story

Fans of the decorative variety of sunflower will be pleased to know the history of its penetration into Europe. The plant is native to Mexico. It was from this country that in 1510 they were brought by Columbus on his fourth expedition.

Since then, sunflower has firmly entered the list of popular agricultural and cultivated plants.

It was used as a source of nectar, received vegetable oil, animal food and treats for those with a sweet tooth. And romantic natures did not ignore the bright caps of inflorescences and painted pictures from them.

You can grow decorative sunflowers at home seedling method or in open ground.

Thanks to the persistence of breeders, there are about 150 varieties that can be planted in your dacha.

What kind of plants now decorate gardeners’ yards? In addition to a smaller copy of the sunflower, there are also representatives where several inflorescences grow on one stem at once.

With their help, they not only add color to the garden bright accents, but also used as decor for unsightly outbuildings or house walls.

Growing from seeds

What conditions need to be created for decorative sunflowers?

First of all, this is, of course, an abundance of sunlight. It is also advisable to ensure that the terrain does not imply the presence of through cold air currents.

The soil must be drained and not allow moisture to stagnate.

Planting sunflowers can be done by seeds or seedlings.

For long lasting flowering of this plant, you can sow seeds every time, after a certain period of time.

The swollen black seed is immersed in the soil to a depth of no more than 3 cm. Between fairly high flowering plants It is advisable to maintain a distance of 50-70cm.

Read also:

If we are talking about perennial varieties sunflowers, they are easy to propagate by dividing the bush. It is worth carrying out this procedure every time after a couple of years. In this case, you can start dividing both in spring and summer.

The decorative variety of sunflowers does not need special care. The main thing is to provide them with watering if necessary and loosening the soil.

The root system of sunflowers is quite powerful for their height and stem thickness. Therefore, they need sufficient moisture. But, excessive moisture can lead to rotting.

As is the case with many other flowering plants, to actively stimulate the appearance of new buds, it is worth removing faded flowers.


What else is worth knowing is that there is no need for fertilizing if the soil is initially fertile. Otherwise, sunflowers can be fed with organic matter at the beginning of their growth.

If a florist wants to see blooming decorative sunflowers in his “kingdom of flowers” ​​in a short time, they can be grown by seedlings.

Seedlings are obtained traditionally - just plant the seeds soaked for a day in boxes with soil and watch how, after a few days, a tender sprout appears. You can plant it at the end of April.

I was buying flower seeds for my dacha and an ornamental sunflower caught my eye. The variety is called bear cub.

There are about 40 seeds in a package,

They all came up together, we threw them three at a time into the hole, as a reserve. You shouldn’t do this, it’s better to do 1 per hole, and at a distance of a meter or more, so that they don’t feel crowded. These flowers are very easy to care for and are not demanding of either soil or water, although if both are good, the result will greatly please you. We also sowed it in unfavorable conditions, in trampled ground and did not water. The poor fellow grew to a height of 20 cm, but still bloomed, with small flowers 4 cm in diameter. We are grateful for that, because besides him, no one survived there at all. Under normal conditions, the sunflower grew 90-120 cm high. The stem is powerful, the flowers are large, very fluffy and very beautiful, they decorated our entire dacha! Attracted a lot of bees. And this is also a very big plus for the garden. The maximum diameter of the very first flowers is up to 20 cm! those that later emerge from the side axils a little smaller and bloom less until the frost kills them, withstood the cold like the children of Porfiry Ivanov; the frost killed them last at the dacha.

They stand very well in a vase, you can make wonderful compositions from them, and even when isolated they bring a lot of bright colors to the house!


It is impossible to obtain seeds from them, even if you dry a sunflower according to all the rules, its seeds are hollow. Every year we buy a new pack, but these pennies are not a pity for such luxury. They also managed to “treat” their neighbors with seeds from one pack!


The photo shows that some do not correspond to the picture on the pack, we don’t know whether he was pollinated with someone ordinary, or just a “geek” (I’m not swearing, breeders have such a term), but they’re not even very fluffy the specimens delighted with their sunny yellow color.

This is an annual herbaceous plant with wonderful “sunny” flowers will decorate any garden plot. How many gardeners know that the sunflower we are used to belongs to a species that includes more than 150 ornamental varieties?

Seeds were also brought from the Mexican expedition of Christopher Columbus to Europe. unusual plant, which was later named after the shape of the flower - Helianthus (from the Greek “helios” - sun and “anthos” - flower).

Then, in the 16th century, the plant aroused genuine admiration for its unusual flower shape: paintings and poems - artists captured the beauty of this culture in their works.

In Russia sunny flower got there thanks to Peter the Great: he brought seeds and ordered domestic gardeners to grow an unusual crop. Exactly how ornamental plant then the sunflower spread, which is now used in agriculture. But varieties for flower beds were bred by breeders much later: new varieties are still appearing, differing in height, size of inflorescences, their shade and number.

Description of the species

Helianthus is a herbaceous plant that is grown all over the world: in South and North America, Europe, Japan and even Africa. Decorative sunflowers are included in bouquets and used in landscape design and grown as potted flowers on the windowsill. And the residents of Austria fell in love with the sunny flower so much that they even opened the “Sunflower Park”, where all possible wild and selected varieties of this crop are collected.

Today, the species is usually divided into 2 subspecies:

  • sowing sunflower;
  • decorative sunflower.

There are both annual and perennial varieties.

Many varieties of helianthus look so that it is even difficult to associate them with their ancestor - the now agricultural sunflower, from the seeds of which the oil beloved in every family is obtained.

  1. Color. The color of helianthus flowers can be very diverse: white, cream, apricot, orange, burgundy, lemon, brown and, of course, yellow.
  2. The flower shape is simple, as well as semi-double and even double.
  3. Petal shape: round, long, rolled into a tube, curved.
  4. The diameter of flowers of different varieties can be from 5 to 30 cm.
  5. The height of the plant stem. Conventionally, plants are divided into 3 groups according to height:
  • giant varieties reaching 2-3 m in height (“Russian Giant”, “Tall Single”, “Yellow Giant”, “Titan”, “Russian Mammoth”, “Bismarckianus”);
  • medium-sized varieties, the height of which is from 1 to 1.5 m;
  • compact varieties, up to 60 cm high (“Teddy Bear”, “Pacino”, “Music Box”, “Sunny Bunny”).

All varieties have a delicate aroma and are honey plants.

Varieties of decorative sunflowers

We will not list all varieties known today. We will tell you only about the most popular of them:

  • “Teddy Bear” - this variety is very much loved by gardeners in our country. annual plant does not exceed 1 m in height; in mid-summer it blooms with large (22 cm in diameter) double flowers, the color of which is bright yellow. Flowering continues until autumn.
  • “Red Sun” - a variety bred by domestic breeders, has gained popularity all over the world. It has red-brown petals, a long flowering period, and can reach a height of 2 m.
  • “Vanilla Ice” is a famous variety grown for cutting. The flowers are single and vanilla in color.
  • "Moulin Rouge" - has an unusual color: burgundy-red petals become lighter towards the edges and darker closer to the middle of the flower.
  • "Kong" is the tallest decorative sunflower - the height of an adult crop is 5 m. Often on personal plots planted to create a hedge.
  • “ProCut Red Lemon BiColor” - has inflorescences of two shades: the inner part of the petals is red, the outer part is soft yellow, and the core of the flower is black.
  • "Pacino" - very small plant with expressive bright yellow flowers.
  • "Big Smile" - low-growing variety(maximum 30 cm) with yellow flowers with a black center.
  • Sunspot is amazing dwarf variety with huge flowers (20-25 cm in diameter).
  • "Music Box" is a variety characterized by a large number of flowers on one plant.

Planting helianthus in the garden

The very name of the sunny flower suggests that it likes to grow in well-lit areas. Select a site with fertile soil for the plant so that there is no need to fertilize during the growing season. The plant will feel better if the planting site is protected from sharp gusts of wind, which can break its fragile stem.

Decorative plants are planted annual sunflowers from seeds. Preparing seed material is very simple:

  • dissolve wood ash in 0.5 liters of warm water;
  • soak a piece of fabric with the resulting solution;
  • wrap sunflower seeds in cloth;
  • leave for a day;
  • if the fabric dries out, moisten it with the same solution.

Seeds need to be planted in the soil to a depth of no more than 3 cm. It is very important to think through the planting scheme of the crop: if the variety is compact, then 30-40 cm between plants will be enough, and if large, then at least 70 cm.

The first plants can be planted in early May and shoots will appear within a week after planting. Flowering will begin in July and last until the end of September. Some gardeners, in order to extend the flowering period of the flower bed, plant plants in groups with a short time interval (about 2 weeks) throughout the summer.

Decorative sunflower: plant care

Sunny flowers are unpretentious in care. They need:

  • watering as the soil dries (it is important not to allow water to stagnate) - at least once a week;
  • loosening the soil;
  • weed removal.

As they fade, flower baskets should be cut off without waiting for the seeds to form - this will stimulate the plant to form new buds and resume the flowering cycle. In addition, removing faded inflorescences will help maintain the decorative appearance of your garden.

If you want to remove the plant completely, then simply cut it off at the root: by digging up one bush, you can inadvertently damage the delicate roots of neighboring, still actively flowering crops.

How to grow decorative sunflowers at home: instructions

At any time of the year, a bright sunny flower will delight you, sitting on the windowsill in warm apartment. The growing process is so simple that many parents are happy to entrust it to their children, who watch the development of the culture with great interest.

So, the first thing you need to do is choose interesting variety by going to the nearest garden center. The main thing is not to forget that for home grown Dwarf varieties are more suitable.

Container selection

To plant a decorative sunflower, purchase a standard container for flowers, taking into account the height of the future sunny flower and the number of plants you are going to plant:

  • a pot that is too small will soon become too small for the plant and will have to be replanted, but the crop does not tolerate replanting well - so it is not worth doing this;
  • if the variety is dwarf, a pot with a diameter of 30-40 cm will be optimal for planting;
  • if you have a special balcony flower box, it is perfect for planting several sunflowers at once;
  • if you still want to plant a medium-sized sunflower in an apartment (height up to 1.5 m), you will need a large box (from 18 liters), for example, one in which vegetables are transported.

Soil for sunflowers

Disinfect the pot before planting to prevent the development of diseases in the plant. Provide a stand to drain water under the bottom.

Be sure to provide drainage - place pebbles (pebbles, gravel) or pieces of polystyrene foam on the bottom of the planting container. Fill the soil mixture (universal soil for flowers) on top of the drainage layer. There should be enough soil so that there is still 2-2.5 cm left to the top of the container. Water the soil well.

  • You can add special crystals to the soil mixture that retain moisture - this will help maintain an optimal moisture balance;
  • so that the decorative sunflower receives the necessary nutritional elements, add rotted compost (1:1) to the soil.

Planting and care

When the pots are prepared, proceed to planting. It is better to plant the seeds in pairs; when the plants sprout, remove the weaker one. The seed should be buried 2.5 cm into the soil.

Until the seeds germinate, you need to water the soil every 2 days, observing the soil moisture.

Shoots will be noticeable within 3-8 days. But if 2 weeks have passed and the sunflowers still haven’t hatched, they won’t sprout.

Place the container with decorative sunflowers in a well-lit place so that the crop receives sunlight throughout the day.

Pests and diseases

Sunny flowers are subject to many dangers. Most often they are attacked by moths, longhorned beetles and thorn beetles. Pests settle on the crop and eat away the contents of its stem, soon bringing the plant to death. Inspect the plant and as soon as you notice the appearance of uninvited guests on them, treat them with insecticides. One processing session will be enough to eliminate the threat.

Among bacterial diseases, which can infect a crop - rust, false powdery mildew and brown spot.

Downy mildew. The cause of the disease may be infection by insects that carry the infection. Most often these are aphids, scale insects or scale insects. It can also contribute to bacterial infections high humidity soil or air.

Downy mildew manifests itself as a white coating on the inside of the leaves, while dark spots appear on the outside.

To stop the spread of the disease, remove the most affected areas of the plant, carefully sterilizing pruning tools. Then treat the entire planting with special antifungal drugs– fungicides.

If you don't want to use chemicals, then use folk recipe: dissolve 3 g copper sulfate and 25 g laundry soap in 1 liter of water. Spray the plants with this product until the disease symptoms disappear (usually after 3-7 days).

Brown spot (phyllostictosis) for decorative sunflowers is also a fairly common problem. Moreover, both a sunny flower in the garden and one grown on the windowsill can get sick.

If you notice spots (round or oval) on the stems and leaves of a sunflower that dry out over time, this is brown spot.

Phyllosticosis can spread through soil, water, and even be carried by the wind from neighboring diseased plants. The progression of the disease occurs rapidly when high temperatures air (above +26 o C) and high humidity.

As soon as spots appear, the affected parts of the plant must be removed. And if the sunflower is grown indoors, put it away healthy plants. After removing the affected part of the plant, tools and hands must be treated with alcohol, and the cut area on the crop must be sprinkled with activated carbon. On initial stage development, these measures are sufficient to prevent.

If the disease continues to spread, the crop must be treated with special chemical antifungal drugs - fungicides. For example:

  • Vectra drug - diluted in a bucket of water (2-3 mg);
  • drug Abiga-pik - diluted in half a bucket of water (40-50 g);
  • drug Strobi - diluted in a bucket of water (4 g).

The resulting mixture is thoroughly sprayed all over aboveground part plants.

Rust. it's the same a big problem for decorative sunflower. The causative agent of the disease is the rust fungus. It is manifested by the appearance of pustules on the leaves or stems - bright orange bubbles, which, when ripe, burst. The pustules contain orange powder inside.

To avoid the appearance of rust on the leaves of a decorative sunflower, you need to follow all agrotechnical standards for caring for it: weed and loosen the soil, remove weeds.

The disease can be eliminated using fungicides.

Decorative sunflower: video

Decorative sunflower: photo