Sunflowers
Best varieties: Mammoth (giant), Teddy Bear (dwarf, fluffy), Autumn Beauty (multi-color), Sunrich (pollenless, for cutting)
Easy
Annual
🐾 Pet Safe
🌲 PNW Growing Notes
Easy, rewarding summer annual. Direct sow after last frost. Giant varieties can reach 10+ feet in Seattle’s long summer days. Great for kids’ gardens!
☀️ Light
Full sun (6+ hrs)
💧 Water
Regular until established, then moderate
🪨 Soil
Average, well-drained, pH 6.0–7.5
📏 Spacing
18" apart
📅 Planting Timeline (Seattle)
🏠
Start Indoors
Apr
🌱
Direct Sow
May–Jun (after last frost)
🌸
Bloom Season
Jul–Sep
💡 Pro Tip
Leave spent heads for birds—chickadees and goldfinches feast on the seeds. Succession plant every 2 weeks for continuous blooms.
🤝 Companion Planting
✅ Good Companions
Corn, Squash, Cucumbers
❌ Keep Away From
Potatoes