How to grow sunflower
Helianthus annuus
Get your exact dates
The windows below are relative to your frost dates. Enter your ZIP for the calendar dates.
Open the planting calendarWhen to plant sunflower
Direct sowat your last spring frost to 2 weeks after your last spring frost
Growing conditions
- Spacing
- 6 to 24 in apart
- Planting depth
- 1 in
- Sun
- Full sun
- Soil pH
- 6 to 6.8
Common problems
- bird damage
- deer damage
- stink bugs
- aphids
- caterpillars
- fungal leaf spots
Sunflower by hardiness zone
Planting dates for a typical location in each zone:
Sources
Last updated 2026-06-11.