Aimee Stern. I have been working with scientists and engineers on explaining their research and other work to the general public for almost a decade. I've explained the science of many things and how they connect to the real lives of real people.
Sunflower seeds are best sown outdoors directly into the garden. After planting, cover them with a screen, as the birds and animals love to dig the seeds out. You can also start them in a seedbed and transfer them when they are small. If you plant sunflowers indoors, use individual peat pots. Start two to three weeks before the last frost date for your area. Plant one or two seeds per pot, thinning to one before planting outdoors. If you grow them to feed the birds, look for seedlings growing near the base of last year's crop.
Temperature. Sunflowers germinate best at a soil temperature of 70 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Outdoor planting time is typically several weeks after the last spring frost when the soil has warmed thoroughly.unflower seeds are planted one-half inch deep. Because sunflowers are an oil-rich seed, they require slightly more water for germination than many other seeds. This requires watering the ground thoroughly outdoors after planting and not allowing the soil to dry out completely until germination occurs.