Gardening for Birds:

For several years, Connie Toops wrote the Gardening for Birds column for Birder’s World magazine. The following is an excerpt from a recent issue:

Growing Sunflowers

Sunflowers are members of the aster family – kin to daisies, chrysanthemums, and coneflowers. Dozens of wild sunflower species, most with multi-branched form and numerous flowers, grow in the drier regions of North America. Native Americans from the Midwest to Mexico cultivated them. In addition to food and oil from the seeds, they made dark blue dye from the hulls and yellow dye from the flowers. Indians also wove fibers into fabric and baskets and made poultices of crushed plants to treat snakebite.

Over many generations of use by Native Americans, and continued breeding by Russian and North American plant scientists, strains of the wild annual sunflower (Helianthus annuus) have undergone remarkable genetic change. Countless varieties of sunflowers have been developed during the past century, including large heads for seed production, dwarf forms for smaller gardens, and trendy new burgundy-petaled types for cut flowers. Commercial growers in the Midwest cultivate sunflowers for cooking oil, cattle feed, birdseed, and snacks. ‘Mammoth’ a cultivar that towers eight to twelve feet high and bears a single, foot-wide seed head, is a logical choice for home gardeners with plenty of growing space who want to stockpile lots of winter bird food.

Sunflower seeds appeal to a wide range of birds, including quail, doves, chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, crossbills, grosbeaks, cardinals, juncos, and native sparrows. The seeds are calcium-rich and contain eleven additional minerals. Squirrels, chipmunks, and field mice also love these meaty seeds. If you prefer to limit your clientele to feathered species only, you may need cleverly counterbalanced feeders and other devices that exclude the furry chowhogs.

Grow Your Own
A sunflower seed’s genetic heritage and the site where it germinates influence stem height and flower size. Sunflowers reach maximum dimensions in rich, moist, fertile soil. They will survive, however, in a wide range of poorer conditions. Sunflower roots spread deep into the soil, allowing plants to withstand some dryness during the growing period. The best seed production occurs if plants have adequate rainfall (or supplemental watering) during the five weeks in mid- to late-summer that flowers form and mature. If too much nitrogen fertilizer is added, stems and leaves grow excessively but flowers are undersized.

Because sunflowers achieve such mass, they can shade out other garden plants. If your yard has enough space for a sunflower garden, consider locating tall classics that provide spectacular blossoms (‘Mammoth’ or 'Russian Giant') in the back, then a row of colorful ‘Velvet Queen’ or multi-branched ‘Valentine’ for medium heights, and dwarf ‘Pacino’ or ‘Elf’ in front. Since sunflower heads face the sun, locate your bed so you will see the faces rather than the backs of the flowers from your favorite vantage point.

Planting Tips
Sow sunflower seeds when soil temperatures reach 45 to 50 degrees F. In the Midwest, this usually occurs in early to mid-May. Plant seeds 1½ inch deep in moist soil, spacing them about a foot apart. Seeds germinate in about a week. Transplants typically flower sooner and grow taller than in-garden plantings. Start seeds for transplanting in four-inch peat pots. Locate individual transplants around the garden, or if using rows, space plants about a foot apart, with two or three feet between rows for adequate sunlight and air movement. Expect flowers in ten weeks and mature heads in three months.

Harvest Time
Sunflowers ripen from mid-September and into October. Watching the birds will tell you when your sunflowers are ready, since birds will land on the drooping heads and help themselves to ripe seeds. You can let them to dine until the seeds are gone, or you can protect the heads for winter use by covering them with cheesecloth or nylon mesh netting until their backs turn yellow. Then harvest the seed heads with about a foot of stalk attached. Finish drying by suspending them upside down in a warm, well-ventilated area. Tie cheesecloth or a loose-fitting paper bag around the heads to catch falling seeds.

Fast-growing sunflowers can transform a dull space into a festive setting in just a few weeks, adding sunny color and attracting hungry birds to the view from your window.

Contact us via email for more details about wildlife habitat landscaping workshops that emphasize gardening for birds and photo classes with opportunities to photograph songbirds at close range.