Renee's Garden Songbird Sunflower The Birds & Bees

Soil & Water:Make several sowings several weeks apart to have a succession of flowers in full bloom. Keep soil moist and well-weeded and protect very young seedlings from birds with netting or plastic berry baskets, removing before plants get crowded. Prefer good garden soil.Amend soil with a slow release fertilizer if soil is poor - not too high in nitrogen or flowers will be sparse.Once established, plants are somewhat drought tolerant./p>

Planting & Growing: To Plant Outdoors: Plant in full sun when weather is warm and settled both day and night and all danger of frost has passed. Poke seeds into well-worked soil about 1" deep, 4 - 5" apart. Press soil firmly over seeds and keep moist until seedlings emerge in 8 - 10 days. Thin to 12 - 15" apart when seedlings are large enough to handle. To Start Indoors: Several weeks before the last frost date, sow seeds 1" deep in individual pots of well-drained seed starting mix. Keep moist and provide a strong light source until ready to plant outside when seedlings are large enough to handle. When weather has warmed into the 50°F range, transplant 12" apart in full sun, disturbing the roots as little as possible.

Harvesting & Storage:As flowers bloom, bees pollinate the florets in each head and the seeds begin to mature. When the center disc florets have dried up, birds of all sorts will visit to snack on the ripening seed heads. To harvest fo feeding birds in the fall and winter, cover heads with paper bags till ripened kernels are plump and hard-shelled, then cut entire heads, let them fully dry and remove the seeds by hand or by rubbing over a wire screen into a basket. Store in closed containers to feed as needed.