{"id":8243,"date":"2021-02-02T11:59:20","date_gmt":"2021-02-02T11:59:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/farmandanimals.com\/?p=8243"},"modified":"2022-02-04T10:21:30","modified_gmt":"2022-02-04T10:21:30","slug":"how-to-prune-sunflowers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/farmandanimals.com\/how-to-prune-sunflowers\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Prune Sunflowers: A Simple Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Why would I want to prune my sunflowers<\/a>, I hear you cry? They\u2019re so bright and beautiful, why would I want to cut any part of them down? Pruning can improve the health, and the attractiveness, of any plant, and sunflowers are no exception.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, sunflowers do get very big, very quickly, and if you have a lot of them you might find that they do take over everything! How to prune sunflowers to maximise their growth and make them look attractive?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Do You Need To Prune Sunflowers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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To be honest, you shouldn\u2019t really have to prune your sunflowers if they are the annual type. These guys simply grow, flower and die back again, and apart from a little removing of dead leaves, you shouldn\u2019t have to do much to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Perennial sunflowers, those that come up year after year, may need a little more care, however, to keep them looking their best and producing those all-important flowers. They will also benefit from a bit of a trim to keep them from knocking each other and getting damaged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tools For Pruning Sunflowers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A good pair of secateurs<\/strong> will be your best friend if you find that you need to prune your sunflowers. They are easy to hold, and should be a good size for snipping through even the larger stems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can also get away with using a pair of sharp scissors <\/strong>to trim your plants, as the stems are generally quite thin and don\u2019t need a lot of hacking. Buy a special pair just for the garden, so your good kitchen scissors don\u2019t get covered in sap!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A small pruning saw <\/strong>might come in handy if you have to remove an entire plant, for example because of disease. The stems can be quite thick, and harder to cut through with smaller pruning implements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When To Prune Sunflowers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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You should prune your perennial sunflowers twice a year \u2013 cut them down to half their size in the beginning of summer, then reduce them by another third in late June or July. If you are growing one of the giant species, you should consider pruning them to 2\/3rd<\/sup> of their size in June.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Never prune after the first flowers start to appear, as this can damage the sunflowers and prevent more flowers from forming. Keep an eye on when the buds start to appear, and put the cutters away for the season as soon as you see them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How To Prune Sunflowers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Start by sterilising all your cutting equipment. This is important, especially to avoid transmitting disease, fungus or mould from plant to plant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remove all the dead, dying or wilting<\/a> parts of the plant first \u2013 you may noticed a leaf going brown here and there that can just be picked off and won\u2019t need snipping. You can leave the pruning here if you like, for a more wild look.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can also prune your sunflowers into a shape if you like \u2013 they won\u2019t take on the full topiary effect, but you can trim them into a neat formation somewhat like a hedge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Give the soil around your sunflowers a really good soaking once you have pruned them, to relieve them of the stress of the pruning and to help them grow back strongly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you need a little more inspiration, here is a video on how to prune sunflowers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=FP3Y2iG8V_0<\/a>