Are there sunflowers in australia

Once established after weeks , they require very little watering, except on hot or dry days. As tall or giant sunflowers grow, they become quite top heavy and can bend or snap, especially if there are strong winds and rain.

Drive a sturdy bamboo or wooden stake into the soil next to the plant and secure with garden twine or a piece of old hosiery. As the flower heads mature, they form seeds in the centre of the head. You may need to cover the heads with paper bags or netting as birds will find this free feed very attractive.

Once the flowers begin to yellow and die, cut the heads and store them upside down in a dry spot. When ready, the seeds should be fairly loose in the head.

Simply remove the seeds by tapping on the back of the head and allowing them to collect in a bucket or tray below. If you are saving seed, store them in an air-tight container, in a cool dry spot, out of direct sunlight.

Snails and slugs love to chew on the foliage of young seedlings. Repeat in days, if necessary. Sap-sucking insects like whitefly , thrips and aphids also love the foliage. Sunflowers are also susceptible to a variety of fungal diseases, including rust and powdery mildew. Tall branching plants in a striking range of terracotta and bronze shades. Large, bright yellow flowers on a compact plant that's ideal for pots, garden beds or borders.

A very large, bright yellow flower up to 35cm across on a tall branching plant. Vibrant, colourful flowers with shiny green leaves, Agapanthus can really brighten up your garden.

Ageratum flowers are tough plants that can even handle a bit of shade. They are the truest blue annuals you can find for your garden. Looking for options for groundcover, try growing ajuga. Ajuga has a wide variety of foliage colors usually in the rich deep burgundy realm. How to grow yellow Allamanda! A tropical evergreen shrub features large golden-yellow flowers.

Please note in QLD it's an invasive plant. Seed Finder. Garden eMagazines. Be Water Smart. Garden Calendar. Problem Solver. As the name suggests, if you head along to Dunnstown just outside of Ballarat to spend the day at the farm where you can pluck some stems of your own to take home. Known for its iconic restaurant in Daylesford, the team at Sault have now added a sunflower field to their charming grounds!

In fact, the Sunshine State is home to a very impressive sunflower trail aka the Sunflower Route expanding across multiple country towns. For the adventure seekers out there, head to Willowvale just North of Warwick and drive through the sunflower scenic route to catch a glimpse of these beauties.

Typical sunflower season runs from summer through autumn but like many crops, they can be temperamental due to changes in the weather. Your best bet is to keep an eye out online for updates - most of the acreages will be keen to let you know when the best time is to visit them and their sunny friends. Such is life, all nice things must come to an end.

Start your sunflower patch with seeds or seedlings, planting in full sun with protection from strong winds, which can break stems. The best time to plant sunflower seeds is in spring, although in many parts of Australia, they will grow year round. Tall-growing varieties over 2m are best grown in the ground, but dwarf forms such as 'Teddy Bear' that grow to only 50cm are good in pots. Space plants 50—60cm apart; they take about 12 weeks to bloom from sowing.

Regularly remove weeds to reduce competition. A thin layer of organic mulch deters weeds and retains soil moisture. Close up of a sunflower. Keith says that deep soil moisture is the key to success with sunflower growing.

He recommends that gardeners develop soil that holds the moisture quite deep down into the subsoil, which encourages a strong, deep root system. To achieve a soil that holds moisture, dig in plenty of organic matter such as compost and well-rotted manure before planting. Water the soil thoroughly. If you intend to grow sunflowers in a pot, make sure you're starting with a dwarf variety.

Dwarf sunflowers are more compact, grow up to around 50cm in height and are very quick to flower. They will also thrive in a smaller size pot. Fill a pot with good quality potting mix.

Consider mixing in some compost , if you have some available.