Mini Sunflowers – Perfect Patio Plants for Summer Charm
Sunflowers bring such cheer and beauty to the garden. If you don’t have room for a towering sunflower plant, try growing mini sunflowers! These sweet patio plants bring miniature sunflowers to your classy container garden.
Mini sunflowers are easy to grow in flower pots and they add a cheerful burst of color to your favorite outdoor spaces. Growing such a small sunflower variety is easy, too.
Keep reading to discover how to grow mini sunflowers and the best tips for keeping them healthy and thriving!
What are mini sunflowers called?
Most mini sunflowers are actually considered dwarf sunflowers. In most cases, these flowers grow to heights of less than 36 inches. Depending on the variety, you can find different types of mini sunflowers, as well as flowers that look like small sunflowers, but aren’t.
How tall do miniature sunflowers grow?
Most mini sunflowers grow to heights of no more than 1-3 feet. Some miniature sunflowers grow in a bush habit while others may grow on single stems.
How long do mini sunflowers bloom?
Some mini sunflower plants will bloom throughout much of the late summer and fall if cared for properly. To prolong miniature sunflower bloom time, be sure to deadhead, that is, to snip away the spent blossoms so the plant can focus on producing more flowers.
What are the flowers that look like mini sunflowers?
Some plants look like mini sunflowers but actually aren’t the same. Rudbeckia, also known as Black-Eyed Susan, are one such flower that looks like miniature sunflowers. False sunflowers, bush daisy, and yellow daisies somewhat resemble small sunflowers, but they are not one in the same.
Sunny Benefits
Growing miniature sunflower plants brings lots of benefits to your beloved outdoor spaces. Here are some wonderful benefits of small sunflowers.
- Great for fresh-cut flowers! Nothing like a sunflower bouquet!
- Good choice for growing in pots
- Growing seeds for the birds, or saving to grow again
- Low maintenance type of plant
- More flexibility with where to grow them due to small size
I am sure you can find lots of other benefits of growing small sunflowers, but this is enough to convince me, anyway. I am hooked!
How to Grow Mini Sunflowers
Learning how to grow mini sunflowers should come fairly naturally. Just follow these simple steps and tips to keep your plants healthy.
First, you must decide if you will grow a mini sunflower plant from seed or purchase a potted plant from your favorite nursery or garden center.
Starting from Seed
Starting flowers from seed is easy! Follow these simple steps to get your sunflowers going.
- Premoisten your potting soil in a bin, bucket, or basin before starting.
- Prepare an egg carton or seed starting tray with some potting soil.
- Plant a mini sunflower seed about ½ inch deep.
- Move the seed tray under some grow lights or into a sunny window.
- Monitor daily to moisten the soil and watch for signs of growth.
Growing Mini Sunflowers in Pots
Whether you purchase or plant them yourself, consider these tips for growing miniature sunflowers in pots and planters.
- Location – Choose a sunny spot on your deck or patio where you’ll set the potted sunflowers.
- Drainage – Make sure you choose a pot with drainage holes or add them before planting.
- Pot Size – If buying from a nursery, plan to transplant the plants into a larger flower pot. For healthiest growing conditions, look for a 1 to 2-gallon pot for small sunflowers.
Care Tips
Check out these mini sunflowers care tips to help your plants thrive!
- Sun – Full sun is best, but aim for at least 6 hours of great sunlight to you’re your small sunflowers happy.
- Water – Watch the soil to make sure the plants get enough water to thrive. Sunflowers tend to like about an inch of water per week. Keep the weather in mind and adjust as needed.
- Soil Type – Well-draining soil works best for most sunflowers, including these mini ones. Avoid really packed soil. Some loam, sand, or clay in the soil may be okay as long as it still drains well.
Growing sunflowers is pretty easy, to be honest! Give it a try and I’m sure you’ll be hooked.
By the way, if you love sunflowers, you’ve got to check out the red branching sunflowers we grew in our 2021 garden. They are my favorite sunflower to date!
Do you have any questions or tips of your own as far as beautiful mini sunflowers go?
Hit us up in the comments and we can chat. We love hearing from you!
Happy Gardening!
