Cheer Up! Solutions For Sunflowers That Droop - Gardener's Path

If you planted them without that period of “hardening off,” the transplant shock that results is probably the explanation for your languishing H. annuus plants.

Solution:Instead of trying to get a jump on the season by starting seeds indoors, wait for the weather to warm up enough to plant seeds directly outdoors instead.

You may be shaking your head at this point, thinking, “Of course, I would if I could.” If your only option is to transplant sunflowers, I sympathize.

But anyone who really needs those extra days to be able to grow sunflowers before the weather gets too cold in your USDA Hardiness Zone does still have a little wiggle room.

In lieu of planning to transplant, you may want to grow a variety that reaches maturity more quickly, like ‘ProCut,’ which will bloom in 50 to 65 days.

‘ProCut’

Seeds are available from True Leaf Market.

Another option is to start the seeds inside, but in a container that can be brought outdoors when the weather is warm enough. This eliminates the issue of transplant shock, since you’ll keep the blooms in the same container for their entire growth cycle.

Finally, if getting a jump on the growing season is crucial, minimize the risk of slumping or drooping seedlings by planting the seeds in peat pots or other biodegradable options, like toilet paper tubes cut into shorter sections.

That way, you can transplant the seedlings, pot and all, when the time is right. It’s no substitute for direct seeding, but planting starts in biodegradable pots may help to keep a higher percentage of them upright and thriving for the entire season.

3. Not Enough Water

If your big ol’ sunflower seed heads are drooping, that is usually a signal of the end of their growth cycle, not a sign of dehydration.

But younger seedlings, and even midsize plants, may hunch over because they’re not getting enough water.

Let’s talk about container-grown sunflowers first, since they’re the most susceptible.

When you’ve planted in a pot without ample drainage, or with poor soil that doesn’t retain water, there’s a good chance that any sad looking seedlings are just pot bound, or have constricted roots due to hard soil. Either way, they’re probably thirsty.