Teddy bear sunflowers get their name from their petite size, just like a cute teddy bear that fits in almost any corner of the garden. The fluffy blooms of the Teddy Sunflower grow well in pots and don't require a lot of care.

But there are always a few caveats when planting, and teddy bear sunflowers are no exception. Here, we'll tell you all about how to grow them and what you need to pay attention to when caring for them.

How to grow teddy bear sunflower

A semi-hardy annual, the teddy bear sunflower isn't immune to the ravages of cold weather or frost. This is why you should always plant your seeds indoors and wait for the frost to end before taking your seedlings outside. For this reason, growing teddy bear sunflowers falls into two categories: indoor and outdoor.

indoor:

The best time to start planting teddy bear sunflowers is in mid-spring. But frost is still a threat, but since the plants will be growing indoors, then you have nothing to worry about. Here are the steps you need to follow:

Step 1. Use small pots and fill them with soil or compost. Sow two seeds in each pot. Make sure the seeds are about half an inch deep in the soil. Water the pots without soaking the soil. Place the pot on a windowsill or any other location that gets plenty of sunlight.

Step 2. Watch the growth of the seedlings, when they reveal their second leaf, it is time to separate them.

Step 3. Remove the soil from the pot and gently separate the plant from the roots. Move each seedling back into its own pot, add compost, and water it well.

Step 4. Put the pot in the same sunny spot to make sure the soil doesn't dry out. Once the threat of frost is over, you can plant your sunflowers outside in a well-drained area of ​​the garden. Keep each sunflower at least 20 inches apart for better ventilation.

Step 5. Add a liquid fertilizer or slow-release plant supplement and water the soil.

Step 6. Decap the fallen flowers to encourage the plant to grow more flowers.

outdoor:

If you want to plant teddy bear sunflowers directly in the garden, you'll have to take a different approach than planting them indoors first.

Step 1. Prepare the litter a month before you plant your sunflowers. Choose a sunny spot that gets plenty of light and air.

Step 2. Add mulch, compost and any organic materials you have prepared in advance and let them settle well in the soil. Sunflowers can grow in any kind of soil, even poor ones. However, you may want to use liquid fertilizer once a week to encourage growth and bloom.

Step 3. At the end of spring, when the fear of frost is over, plant two to three seeds in each location. Make sure the seeds are half an inch deep in the soil the same way you would sow them in a pot. Water the seeds and cover them with a net to keep the soil warm and prevent critters from digging them up.

Step 4. Once the seedling has a second leaf, it's time to thin the plant. Take out the weak and keep the strong seedlings.

Step 5. Leave about 20 inches of space between each sunflower for better ventilation and light.

Step 6. Water the plants and add slow-release fertilizers as needed.