One of the coolest thing about growing sunflowers is watch out the manner the flower point pivot to follow the sun as it moves across the sky , from dawn to dusk .
Known as “ heliotropism , ” this trait makes the flower seem like they ’re always looking right at the sunlight .
But sometimes , the polar happens . Either the blooms or the stalking begin to droop or bow over , and seem to be staring at the ground .
Whether this occur when they ’re young seedling or in full efflorescence , it can be alarming .
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If the sunflowers you planted in your garden beds , containers , or landscape are swag , you ’ve come to the right position . In this guidebook , I ’ll apportion five possible explanations .
Full disclosure : At least one cause of droopingHelianthus annuus , as these beauties are known botanically , ca n’t be treated . That is definitely uncool !
But I ’ll also share some position where you could revive a sink sunflower . And I ’ll detail some preventative measures as well .
What You’ll Learn
1 . Time to reap
2 . Transplant Shock
3 . Not Enough water supply
4 . stalking Need More Support
5 . Phoma Black Stem or Phomopsis Stem Canker
Honestly , they may not look heavy , but slump sunflowers may be a right thing in some fortune !
When the flowers have matured , they organise seed heads . It ’s in their nature to tilt downwards , so the soil will catch the ripe seeds as they drop .
When they ’ve been otherwise level-headed and you ’re growing individual - stem variety show for flowered agreement , seeds to wipe out , or as a county just “ large ” entry , revere not . Those bow - over husk probably just imply your sunny friends are at the final stage of their life wheel .
To double check that your lovely flowers do n’t have some other ailment , like a fungus that could live on to taint next class ’s garden , take a look at the back of the head .
If they ’ve turned from green to yellow - dark-brown and the front reveals the tips of tightly packed seeds , yep , they ’re ripe for the pick .
solvent : Even when they ’re packed full of seeds , some gardener do n’t like the look of jumbo droopy stalks on their landscape or in their wonderfulcottage garden , and I do n’t blame them .
If you ’re one of these growers , I have several suggestions .
First , you may always be careful to write out the heyday before the head begin to mold seeds .
In fact , for flowered arrangements , it ’s good to cut the main fore right before the flower head begin to blossom , leaving at least a human foot of the stalk entire .
It will burst into lulu indoors , and the process boost side shoot , too .
Another idea is to embed the seeds for longer - growing varieties a little later than usual . That way , when they start to droop , it wo n’t be in the middle of your carefully plan summertime landscape .
That way , if they start defer down in expectancy of the harvest in late summertime or even early spill , you wo n’t be looking at bowed heads for long before the first Robert Lee Frost .
Finally , you may always consider planting branching sort with small blooms instead . They ’re easy todeadhead , and the droop is not at all noticeable when they ’re finishing up their farm season .
to begin with in the growing secret plan , when they ’re still just a few inch tall , transplant stupor may cause helianthus seedlings to bend , wilt , or slump .
course , this does n’t happen with seeds you sow right away into the garden .
But these sun worshiper are well - known for hate to have their roots disturbed . Transplanting them from a plastic container can crouch or snap that wanted taproot .
Once that fall out , the seedlings typically start to droop , and they break very quickly after that .
Growing seedling to transplant may also give them a hazard to become rootbound in a small container , which is another problem with no therapeutic . If the roots are too big , they ca n’t draw up water system , and the whole seedling will promptly languish .
Also , if you set off the ejaculate indoors , it ’s really well-fixed to end up with bent-grass over , droop plants once you get your seedlings in the land , unless you take a few surplus days to gradually get them used to stronger sunlight or ardent temperatures .
If you planted them without that period of “ hardening off , ” the transplant cushion that lead is probably the explanation for your languishingH. annuusplants .
Solution : rather of trying to get a jump on the season by get going seeds indoors , wait for the conditions to warm up up enough to implant come directly out of doors instead .
You may be shaking your head at this compass point , thinking , “ Of course , I would if I could . ” If your only option is to transplantation sunflowers , I understand .
But anyone who really needs those extra daylight to be able to grow sunflowers before the atmospheric condition gets too cold in yourUSDA Hardiness Zonedoes still have a little squirm room .
In stead of planning to transplant , you may want togrow a varietythat reaches adulthood more quickly , like ‘ ProCut , ’ which will blossom in 50 to 65 day .
‘ ProCut ’
Seeds areavailable from honest Leaf Market .
Another option is to start the seeds inside , but in a container that can be brought out of doors when the weather condition is tender enough . This eliminates the payoff of graft shock , since you ’ll keep the blooms in the same container for their integral growing Hz .
in the end , if getting a jump on the growing time of year is crucial , minimise the risk of slumping or drooping seedling by plant the cum in peat pots or other biodegradable option , like toilet newspaper tubes disregard into short sections .
That way , you’re able to transplant the seedlings , skunk and all , when the sentence is right . It ’s no stand-in for direct seeding , but planting starts in biodegradable pots may aid to keep a higher percent of them upright and thrive for the integral season .
If your cock-a-hoop ol’ helianthus seed heads are drooping , that is commonly a signaling of the end of their growth cycle , not a sign of dehydration .
But young seedling , and even midsize plants , may hunch over because they ’re not beat enough water .
rent ’s peach aboutcontainer - produce sunflowersfirst , since they ’re the most susceptible .
When you ’ve planted in a pot without ample drainage , or with pitiful grunge that does n’t retain water , there ’s a dependable probability that any sad look seedling are just pot bound , or have constricted roots due to tough grunge . Either way , they ’re believably thirsty .
To test this , give the plant life about a quart of water right at the grime line , and then see . If it filter out of the bottom apace , the seedling is probably too swelled for the container , or the soil may have hardened and wo n’t leave water to pass the roots .
Older and youthful sunflowers may also be dehydrated . Consider this possibility if the weather has been juiceless and you did n’t propose auxiliary water .
root : If you have determined the soil is too miserable and it ’s gotten severely , you’re able to seek to repot the intact contents of your current container inside a larger container filled with superscript soil . Water it thoroughly , and hope for the good .
When your tiny potted seedling are juiceless and droopy but have n’t outgrown their container , take the clock time to do a careful job of deep watering . With the plant put upright , immerse the whole pot into a large bucket of pee .
Lower the container until the H2O persist over the lip , but not so cryptical that the leave of absence go underwater .
Keep admit the flock so the grunge surface is below the water until it finish send up air bubbles . ( I care to think of those bubbles as a silent SOS . ) This ordinarily lead just a mo or two .
When the bubbling ceases , this is a signal that the soil is now saturate , so lift the small batch out and let it drain completely . You should see the seedlings resurrect within an minute or two . If they do n’t , you ’ll have to deal other explanations .
To determine whether larger garden bed plant might be droop because they require more water , plunge your finger into the dirt a few inches from the center of the plant . If the dirt ’s dry an inch down , your plant life need water supply .
For each one , swarm a congius of water from a bucket to an sphere of the soil about three inches from the center stubble . ensure you do n’t splash the leaves , draw a bead on the H2O the right way at the soil line alternatively .
The idea is to have all the water hit at the same time and lap over the center without wet the last-place leaves .
That gives the soil a chance to absorb it , instead of letting hard , ironic grime or compost repel the water before it reaches those athirst root .
It ’s also a good estimate to severally saturate any mulch around your helianthus with water . Again , do n’t get the leaves squiffy . Aim at the soil control surface rather and practice a hosepipe , not a atomizer .
That will help to keep the grow field cooler , and prepare the mulch to let body of water to ooze down to the stem the next clip it rain down .
If your plants do n’t make a comeback within a few hr of this deep watering , continue to assess . There may be another issue , like a deficiency of support orcertain pestsanddiseases . Keep learn for more information on those .
And moving forward , commemorate that it ’s just as harmful to overwater , so take aim to keep the soil systematically moist but not soggy until any sunflower sprouts have form two sets of dead on target parting .
Water big plants with about an inch of water supply once a week when it does n’t rain down , and do n’t cease this wont until the blooms bulge imprint seed heads .
Sunflowers that are n’t getting enough support are like humans in a way : Eventually , they start a descent .
I would n’t describe this process as drooping precisely – possibly more like tanking , or pop to tumble .
This can occur when you grow a variety that top four or five metrical foot , or is a second top - heavy . The ones that require gage are typically single stems that you rise for seed , like ‘ Mammoth . ’
Solution : Go ahead and tot up supports when you notice slumping .
Of of course , if you did n’t see a big variety needed staking and you ’re not growing it near a fencing or wall , it ’s a bit more unmanageable to add support once it has a big , ponderous bloom and is border by other plant life .
But I mean tougher , not unsufferable ! you’re able to still gently tether the droopy helianthus to a fence venire , trellis , or bamboo stake with a bit of sisal hemp string or thread .
Velcro One - Wrap Garden tie
Or you may want to expend a mathematical product like Velcro One - Wrap Garden Ties , available from the Velcro Brand Store via Amazon .
annul using zipper draw , though , since they can cut into the stalk , which may mar or even kill the plant .
If the shuck is already slant quite a bit , you may need to train the helianthus to its support in stages . In this instance , commence with a eight- to 10 - in cringle of string or garden necktie .
step by step tie it squiffy every day or two over the period of a week or so , to allow the plant to adapt step by step . My husband poke gentle fun at me for this , but I tie the string in arc , like shoestring , to make them easy to unlace and readjust as I go along .
When you ’re done , the tie should loosely plug into the stubble to the post , with maybe an inch of squirm elbow room .
When you try out to squeeze a tall variety to go from slump at an angle to right away unsloped , you risk snap the stalk , crack the bloom off , or heaving the root out of the primer .
Once you ’ve solved this year ’s trouble , think ahead to next season .
If you ’d prefer not to put out with staking sunflowers , consider growing midget miscellanea , ramify salmagundi with smaller - than - average blooms , or single - stems that do n’t overstep five fundament and have strong , stocky stems .
‘ Zohar ’
One example is ‘ Zohar , ’ which accomplish four to five feet magniloquent and has one bloom per industrial plant , with spare - stalwart stalks .
packet of 20 seed areavailable from Botanical Interests .
Let me name up front that when plants incur either of these ailments , you ’ll be most dismay by the forcible modification in the plant ’s stalking , not the curvature of the flower head .
Phoma grim stem , cause by the fungiPhoma macdonaldii , and phomopsis stem pestilence , caused byPhomopsis helianthi , both makeH. annuusflower forefront bow over . But since they also turn the stem black and cause the industrial plant to wilt , you ’ll belike notice those other symptoms first .
If you ’re at all unsettled if it ’s one of these types of fungus kingdom that ’s cause your plant to droop , also evaluate whether your sunflowers are grow in waterlogged soil , or if the plants are spaced so end the leave do n’t get enough air circulation to dry decent .
Either term will increase the risk of both black stem and stem canker sore .
According to Robert Harveson , extension plant diagnostician at theUniversity of Nebraska - Lincoln , there are no effective fungicides that make for to eliminate either disease .
It ’s more helpful to choose varieties that can resist or endure either experimental condition – but do n’t expect complete protection . “ Some cultivars are more resistive to the diseases than others , but no hybrids are available with exemption , ” Harveson monish .
If your industrial plant get whammied , be certain to remove them with gloved hands and bury any septic bits of the works and ascendant , or target them in a bag in the trash .
Next meter you plant , rotate to another area , since both types of fungi can live on in the soil and spread to new crops .
plant life seed in well draining soil , too , so they do n’t get waterlogged , which encourages canker sore and black root .
Also verify to properly space the seeds you plant , or thin so they stand a decent distance apart when they ’re a few column inch tall .
The enhanced air circulation will improve growth and promote blooming while preventing the bedcover of harmful pathogen .
Bring Back Those Sunny Days
Whether you garden for intellectual nourishment , for weakened prime , or to improve the beauty of your landscape painting , it ’s important not to get discouraged .
I ’m here to cue you that if your current helianthus planting is beyond salvation , you’re able to have another go at growing these bright enrapture some other metre .
There ’s always next season , or perhaps a fall planting . And you’re able to line up so you wo n’t have the same difficulty next year .
To do better with many other facet of choose and like forH. annuus , check out thesesunflower guidesnext :
© Ask the Experts , LLC . ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.See our TOSfor more details . primitively put out July 24th , 2021 . Last update : May 18th , 2025 . Product photos via Botanical Interests , True Leaf Market , and Velcro Brand Store . Uncredited photos : Shutterstock .
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Rose Kennedy
