You can obtain suitable sunflower seeds from a local nursery or garden center. Be careful about the variety you purchase, though, as only dwarf sunflowers are really suitable for container growing. Suitable dwarf sunflower varieties include (and as names vary, ask your local retailer for specific guidance in your region):


Pacino: this bright yellow sunflower grows to about 30 cm (12") in height.
Big Smile: this sunflower has yellow petals and a black center and grows to about 30 cm (12") in height.
Teddy Bear: this sunflower grows to about 40 cm (15") in height.
Sunspot: this sunflower has an amazingly large flowerhead (about 25 cm or 10 inches across) but is still a dwarf variety, growing to about 60 cm or 2 feet (0.6 m) in height.
Music Box: this sunflower reaches about 60 cm (2 feet) and has lots of smaller flowers.;
, The containers should be clean and sterile if you're repurposing them and don't forget to add saucers for catching the water. Gauge the size of the container needed according to the height of the flower you're planting, along with any other considerations such as how many sunflowers you'd like to grow per pot but some suggested sizes are:


If you begin in a pot with a very small radius, the sunflower will need to be transplanted fairly early on; some people do this to give the sunflower a head start while garden soil is still cold but be aware that sunflowers aren't very partial to being transplanted.30 cm-40 cm or 12"-16" width containers for most dwarf sunflowers should be sufficient.Window or porch box - a deep window or porch box can be ideal for a row of dwarf sunflower seeds. You'll need to thin out weaker seedlings early on (explained below).
Large or mammoth sunflowers need containers of at least 18 litres or 5 gallons:

A milk crate can be used – just be sure to line it well or you'll have soil spillage.
Half a barrel for really tall sunflowers. Obviously this will need to sit on a sunny porch or in the garden unless you have a sunny spot free inside the house.
 First add a layer of drainage material, such as pebbles, gravel, terracotta pieces, or small pieces of polystyrene foam. Then pour in quality container soil such as a mix of compost and commercial soil mix. It should come to a level about 2.5 cm / 1 inch from the top of the container. Water it well.


Give consideration to adding water retaining crystals to ease the amount of watering required and to ensure that the sunflowers will get adequate amounts of water.
Adding well rotted compost is important as a source of food for the sunflower, so try to do this if you can.
 Sow 2 to 10 seeds in pairs, depending on the size or length of the container you've chosen. Not all of the seedlings will be kept, so don't worry too much about squashing them in at this stage but do be prepared to discard all the weaker appearing seedlings later. When planting, plant 2.5cm (1 inch) deep and at least 10cm (4") apart.









It is possible to fit about 8 sunflower plants into a container length of 90 cm (3 feet), so using this as a guide, you'd plant around 16 plants in such a container and expect to thin out about eight., Add about 25ml (0.83 fl oz) of water for every seed planted. Water once every one to two days in the same amount, depending on how moist the soil stays. Ensure that the soil is kept moist until the seeds sprout.
 Germination should occur in the next three to eight days. If not, wait a little longer but by 13 days it is definite that the seed will not grow.
 After germination, thin out the weaker seedling of each pair and remove any diseased or malformed seedlings. If space is an issue, move to additional containers but remember that sunflowers don't thrive on being transplanted.









Keep watering as before until each sunflower is about a foot (30 cm) tall, at which time you should double the amount of water they have been receiving.
 A sunflower should be positioned so that it gets full sun all or most of the day; no sunflower can handle shade for most of the day. If you have the sunflower growing indoors, choose a sunny room but avoid placing it too close to a window because air near windows is often hotter or colder than the room temperature and this can be harmful to the plant.Try to keep the container away from extreme rain.
 In two weeks the sunflower should now be a decent size.
 The sunflower buds should now be just showing.
 While sunflowers don't need additional feeding, giving them extra nutrition can give the flowerheads a boost. Apply a ready-made, branded general purpose plant fertilizer (follow the directions on the container for flowers) or an organic fertilizer like vermicompost or home made kitchen compost.
 The bud should just be ready to bloom.
 In many cases, you will find that the sunflower becomes top heavy and needs to be staked up to hold the glorious flowerhead up high. A simple bamboo or similar stake with plant ties will be sufficient to keep the sunflower's head up high. However, this should probably be anchored to something other than the pot unless you're absolutely certain the pot is strong enough to hold without falling over.You might tie the stake to a wall pipe, a bookcase frame, or similar objects inside the house, or to the drainpipe, wall or other objects if outside. Be aware that not all sunflowers require support – simply observe how your sunflower is coping on its own before deciding.










To get the seeds, you have to let the flower die on the plant and just wait. As the flower dries out, the seeds ripen and dry too. While this isn't very pretty, at least the birds can't take the seeds if you've got your sunflower indoors!
If eating the buds, blanch them first to remove bitterness, then steam or boil for three minutes. They are delicious tossed in garlic butter.
Purchase sunflower seeds.
Purchase or repurpose containers or pots that are suitable for growing the sunflowers in.
Put the soil into the container, pot or window/porch box.
Place the sunflower seeds in the container.
Be prepared to water sunflowers more often than many other plants.
Wait for the seeds to germinate.
If germination has been successful, then well done!,
Put the sunflower container in a nice sunny part of your house, garden or on the veranda (porch) if you prefer.
Continue to tend the plant with water and general plant care.
At this point give the sunflowers 75 milliliters (2.5  fl oz) (2.5 fl oz) of water.
Fertilize if wished.
In one month the sunflower bud should be still developing for the next two weeks (water regulation should increase to 100ml/ 3.3 fl oz of water).
Enjoy the sunflower as a decorative element in your home or wherever else you've placed the container.
If you want to make culinary use of the sunflower, the petals from the flowers make a pretty addition to salads, and both the seeds and the buds can also be eaten.
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