Dannette Hunnel
I’ve been asked repeatedly why I haven’t written about sunflowers, since they are abundant in the summertime. Here’s why: Sunflowers release chemicals that inhibit the growth of nearby plants, they steal water from other plants, and, of course, they grow large and cast too much shade on smaller plants! This makes it difficult to have the usual variety of plants and color in a garden. Obviously, sunflowers have heavy heads that catch the springtime winds and can easily topple over. Then, if they haven’t already snapped, you’ll have to stake them. They don’t transplant well either. Sunflowers attract the pests you don’t want visiting your garden area, such as aphids and beetles. If you are in the northern part of the state, they will attract squirrels, deer, turkeys, and many birds. They bloom only once, and then you are left with stalks which, when dormant, can attract stray critters to use as shelter. Sunflowers grow in the Phoenix Valley from May through July. Now is the time to plant them—if you dare.
My recommendation to sunflower lovers is to purchase sunflowers at a floral shop. Florists store their sunflowers in disinfected buckets in a refrigerated space, thereby, keeping them fresher than we would at home. Place purchased sunflowers in your favorite tall vase and add a teaspoon of sugar, a drop of bleach, and a drop of vinegar or lemon juice. Then sit back and enjoy, changing the water every three to four days.
If you want to see sunflowers without growing them yourself, there’s a 70-acre field in Maricopa near Ralston Road (the best time to see them is June) and a 4-acre field at Vertuccio Farms in Mesa (allows picking in May) and also Agritopia in Gilbert, known for its flourishing blooms in June and July. They are all great spots for photos and, in some cases, picking and purchasing is allowed.
I usually get my sunflowers at Trader Joe’s and arrange them myself. It’s a lovely summery look on the coffee table, because, believe it or not, some of us truly do love and embrace the Arizona summers.