Peat based (or a peat alternative) type compost is ideal.

Now this is the time to decide if you want to sow your seeds in cell trays, open pot trays or pots.

You will sow one seed in each cell or open pot, (20 in a full size seed tray), or one in each 75mm (3in) pot.

So allow enough cell, open pot trays or pots for the number of seeds you wish to sow.

Sieve enough compost, on to your potting bench, or potting tidy/caddy, to fill all your cell trays or pots.

Don't discard the sieved out lumps and bits. These can be used in the bottom of larger patio pots when planting them up with your own home grown plants. (Save the lumps and bits in an old compost bag until needed).

Fill the cell, open pot tray/s or pot/s with compost to about 5mm below the rim (this does not need to be exact - about 5mm will do).

Lift the tray or pot to a height of about 15cm (6 inches) and gently tap it on the bench. Do this about three times. This will settle the compost into the tray or pot to about the correct level.

The compost should now be about 10mm (1/2 inch) from the top of the tray or pot. This does not have to be exact so don't worry if it is a couple of mm higher or lower. It will make no difference to the end result.

Take your correct size tamper and gently level the surface of the compost. DON'T push the tamper with any force. All we want to do here is level off the surface of the compost, NOT compact it.

*This gives an ideal surface to sow the seed on. *(Doing this correctly will increase your propagation success rate)

That's it. You have now successfully filled your first tray or pot with compost.

Now Fill the rest of your trays or pots in the same way.

This is the fun part, sowing the seeds.

Sunflower seeds are quite large and easy to handle.

Sow one seed in each cell, open pot or pot. Place the seed on the surface of the compost and gently push it into the compost about 6mm (3/4in) with your finger.
The idea is to get the seed at a depth about equal to it's length.

This does not have to be exact.

But don’t bury it too deep or they will run out of steam before they can reach the surface.

Gently cover the seed with compost and that’s it!

There you go see how easy it is?

When you have sown all your seeds don't forget to label them with plant name and date of sowing.

Watering

Water your trays or pots with great care.

With your mist sprayer, set at it's finest spray, filled with tepid water and held at about 100mm (4 inch) from the pot or tray, lightly spray the surface of the compost. Don't get to close, or overdo it here, you will disturb the seeds which is exactly what you don't want to do!

The idea is to settle the surface of the compost with the fine mist from your sprayer. This prevents the seeds being disturbed.

Now fill a container, large enough to put the tray or pots in, with tepid water *(preferably water that has been standing in a warm place for about twenty-four hours) and definitely NOT rainwater, use good old tap water!

Stand the tray or pots in the container of water and leave it until you see the surface just becoming moist.

This usually happens fairly quickly so don't be tempted to go off and do something else.

*Do not overdo the watering process, you don't want the compost saturated, or your seeds may rot and not germinate.

*(By doing this correctly you will greatly increase your chance of success).

Germination

Cover your trays or pots with glass or clear plastic (or preferably, for ease of use, place in a propagator - unheated will do).

Keep your tray or pot in the light, (not direct sunlight) and maintain a temperature of 10C to 15C (50F to 60F).

After Germination

When your seeds have germinated and are large enough to handle transplant them into 100mm or 125mm (4in or 5in) pots. Use a good quality potting compost. A sieved peat based or peat alternative compost will be fine.

Be very careful handling the seedlings. Do not handle them by their stems as this will cause irreversible damage resulting in the seedling collapsing.

Handle the seedlings very gently and only by their leaves. Time and care taken hear will really pay dividends giving your seedlings the best possible chance of growing on successfully.

When you have transplanted all your seedlings don't forget to label them with plant name, sowing date and transplanting date.

Water your trays or pots with great care.

Fill a container, that is large enough to put your pots in, with tepid water *(preferably water that has been standing in a warm place for about twenty-four hours) and definitely NOT rainwater, use good old tap water!

Stand the tray of seedlings in the container of water and leave it until you see the surface just becoming moist.

This usually happens fairly quickly so don't think about going off and doing something else.

*Do not overdo the watering process, you don't want the compost saturated, or your seedlings will rot and die.

*(By doing this correctly you will greatly increase your chance of success).

Keep the transplanted seedlings in good light (not direct sunlight) until they are large enough to be harden off.

Sow outdoors from early to mid spring in prepared and watered ground.

Sow two sunflower seeds, in the same position, 2cm (1in) deep and about 15cm (6in) apart.

Keep the soil moist at all times especially in dry, warm periods until the emerging seedlings become well established.

When the seedlings are well established remove the weakest of the two without disturbing the strongest that will be left to grow to maturity.

*Sunflowers dislike root disturbance. It is best to sow the seeds in the position you want them to flower. This avoids the need to move the plants and prevents any root disturbance.

*(By doing this you will greatly increase your success rate).

A nice healthy sunflower seedling grown from seed as a plug.

This is an ideal way of growing plants such as sunflower from seed.

Grown as plugs in these open pots in tray inserts means there is no root disturbance when the seedlings are transplanted.

This gives your seedling the best possible chance of growing on successfully.

This is a highly recommended way of growing plants such as sunflower from seed.

Aftercare

Plants should be gradually hardened off by placing them outside, in a sheltered position, during the day.

A cold frame with the lid open is ideal for this. If it is very cold during the day close the lid, but watch out for excess condensation.

If there is excess condensation prop the cold frame lid open slightly until the condensation disappears.

Bring them in at night to avoid severe frosts.

When they are ready for planting out, make sure it is after the last frosts.

If you have any queries or comments please feel free to

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