Sunflowers: 75 days. Planted in late May 24″ apart. One of the best ways to introduce children to gardening is to plant sunflowers, particularly the mammoth varieties. To see such a glorious flower develop from such a small seed is guaranteed to induce wonder. Sunflowers can hit 10 feet in height. There are also double sunflowers, like Teddy Bear, which resemble giant marigolds. They come in a wide array of colors and patterns. Sunflowers exhibit heliotropism. They swivel their flower heads to face the sun. Seen from the east in the morning, a field of sunflowers will be overwhelmingly yellow. By afternoon it will be green, since the flowers are facing west. Over the course of the night the flowers reset themselves back to the east, awaiting the sun.
To read all of Todd’s Avant Gardening posts, see the Avant Gardening Series category.
