It stands out in the vegetable garden, flower beds, decorative borders and even grown in patio pots.
Bloom time extends from mid-summer up until first frost attracting bees, butterflies and birds to the garden.
Flower petals and seeds are edible and the blooms are a great cut flower addition for vases and bouquets.
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All sunflowers are heliotropic, which means they track the movement of the sun.
Soil
Sunflowers are not fussy about soil throw in but the soil must be well-draining.
They perform better in organically rich soil with a slightly acidic soil pH level between 6.0 to 6.8.
Working compost in before planting supports vigorous health and bigger, longer lasting blooms .
Avoid overwatering as this can lead toroot rotand cause stems to become unstable.
When grown in containers, water this dwarf sunflower at least once or twice per week.
They can withstand higher temperatures if the soil doesn’t dry out.Seeds should be collectedbefore temperatures drop below freezing.
Average humidity levels are adequate.
Fertilizer
When grown in fertile soil, the ‘Teddy Bear’ sunflower won’t need fertilizer.
When to Harvest a Teddy Bear Sunflower
Cut flowers last between six and 12 days.
The best time to remove flowerheads is after the yellow rays have emerged but not yet fully opened.
Avoid cutting when plants are under stress such as from drought or oversaturated conditions.
Harvesting flowers for vases and bouquets encourages the plant to produce more blooms.
Plan to sow seed when temperatures reach 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
which is usually three weeks after final frost intemperate zones.
Like most other plants, it can attractaphidsandspider mites.
Powdery mildewis a fungus that also can affect this sunflower.
At first sign of infection on leaves or stems, treat withneem oilorhorticultural oil.
Regulardeadheadingencourages repeated blooming up until first frost.
Overwatering, underwatering or insufficient nitrogen can lead to yellowing of leaves.
Teddy Bear sunflowers do not come back every year.
They are warm weather annual plants, so new seed must be sown every year.
Teddy Bear sunflowers grows 18 inches to 3 feet tall.
They are considered a dwarf variety.
‘Teddy Bear’ sunflowers are very easy to grow.
