What Your Sunflowers Need in August to Extend Their Bright, Cheerful Display Into Fall

Sunflowers are a mainstay of my cutting garden. I grow lots of different varieties, and usually none of them require vey much attention from me at this time of year. This summer, however, is hitting a little differently.

This August, I am giving them a little more care and attention than I usually would, owing to the intense heatwaves and lack of rain we've experienced. The conditions mean my sunflower patch needs more TLC to stay healthy and blooming into fall.

The key, really, is to keep watering and redirecting the energy into new flower buds, and for that I need to keep my trusty Fiskars snips (which you can find at Target) to hand at all times. Here are the steps I'm taking to prolong my sunflower display for as long as possible.

Water Deeply

Hydration is king in the garden right now, and while this is not always possible for larger trees and your lawn, if you can direct water resources to your annual flowers they will thank you.

When watering plants in hot weather, it's always a good idea to do it in the morning, and water as deeply as you can.

Sunflowers need a lot of water, and especially those growing in containers, which will dry out more quickly than flowers in beds. Water at the base, rather than over the foliage, to direct all the moisture to those thirsty roots.

To make the job easier, I love my expandable Flexi Hose, from Amazon, which is quick to set up and move around the yard, and also very easy to store.

If you're not sure how much water your sunflowers need, a great value moisture meter (we love this one from Target) will tell you what you need to know.

If you're struggling with water resources, there are lots of ways to reuse household water in the garden in times of drought.

Keep Cutting and Deadheading

Don’t be afraid to cut sunflowers while they’re still looking fresh. Removing blooms for arrangements can encourage branching varieties to produce more flowers, while also giving you gorgeous indoor displays.

You also need to keep an eye on those flower heads that are spent, and can be snipped off. Deadheading your sunflowers will take all the energy away from the seedhead and back into the plant so that it can produce new flowers.

To make the job easy and prevent any strain on your hands or wrists, I always opt for a really good quality, clean pair of pruning snips. As a gardener and florist, I own several pairs, but am getting a lot of use from the Haus & Garten snips, available from Amazon, at the moment. I also love the red handles as they are impossible to lose in the yard!

Stake Very Tall Stems

Despite the seemingly-constant heat and dry weather, heavy rain and storms can materialize in August, and when they do it's a good idea to be prepared.

You can stake your tallest sunflowers to prevent them from falling and snapping in strong winds or heavy rain, which will come as a shock after a protracted dry spell.

Try to do this before they become too top heavy, and attach stems with the right plant ties to secure them.

An ideal type of stake would be bamboo, or these metal stake supports, from Amazon, which are very simple to add.

Leave A Few Seedheads For The Birds

American goldfinches, chickadees and other garden birds can make a sunflower patch a late-summer wildlife hotspot.

If you can, leave a few heads on your plants rather than clearing. These will develop into nutritious food for your garden birds, which will give them a boost before winter.

If birds are particularly enthusiastic, you can protect individual heads with fine mesh cover, such as these from Walmart, until the seeds are ripe, then remove it and let the birds enjoy them. Leaving the sturdy stems standing also provides useful structure in the garden as summer starts to fade.

What to Shop

Don’t over-fertilize sunflowers in August. If your plants are healthy and flowering well, there’s usually little benefit in giving them a late-season boost. Too much nitrogen can encourage leafy growth at the expense of flowers, while also creating softer, more vulnerable growth. Instead, focus on consistent watering and deadheading to help extend the display.

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