Sunflower Growing Competition
Welcome to our Sunflower Growing Competition page.
Here you will find everything you need to successfully grow a beautiful tall sunflower.
There will be prizes for the tallest sunflower, and best photo with your sunflower.
Let’s get started!
Ps. The seeds provided are NOT for consumption.
Growing Guide
- Choose where you wish to plant your sunflower seed. They like nice sunny positions so maybe a window sill is a good place to start.
- Find a pot to plant the seeds in and fill it with potting mix. Place the seeds into the soil and push them down onto the soil with your finger, cover the seed lightly with soil.
- Pat the soil down gently and the seed should start to grow within 14 to 21 days.
- Don’t forget to water your plant!
- When the flower gets taller and there is no more frost, you can plant your flower in the garden. Avoid disturbing the roots when planting. You will need to help support the flower from falling with a cane or stick. To avoid damaging the roots, stake the plant at the time of planting.
- Now watch it grow!
Submitting your entry
I run a variety of fun competitions—some just for special groups and others open to everyone!
To make sure you’re entered into the right one, please let me know which category you belong to (for example, if you’re part of a participating school). If you don’t specify, you’ll automatically be placed in the Public Competition.
Tallest Sunflower
Measurements taken from the bottom of the plant (ground level near the stem) to the top of the flower. Provide a photo showing the plant in its entirety AND a close up photo of the measuring tape showing the measurement.
Email your results before 5pm on the 12th of December 2025 to hielke@tremains.co.nz
Please clearly state if you are part of a school (ie Westbrook) or Kindergarten
Best Photo Submission
Post a photo of you and your sunflower on Facebook and/or Instagram and tag us into the post:
Facebook: Hielke Oppers – Real Estate
Instagram: Rotoruarealtor
And email your best photo before the 12th of December 2025 to hielke@tremains.co.nz
Please clearly state if you are part of a school (ie Westbrook) or Kindergarten
The small print
- Competition closes on 12th December 2025
- We will visit the three tallest submissions to verify the measurements and confirm the winner.
- The best picture will be judged by team Hielke Oppers
- Your photos may be shared on our social media pages.
- No correspondence will be entered into
- Winner will be notified by email
Fun facts
The worlds tallest Sunflower reached a whopping 9.17 Meters and was grown in Germany in 2014
Sunflowers love the sunlight and grow best in spots that get six to eight hours of direct sun per day.
Sunflowers remove toxins from the soil. Huge sunflower fields have been planted near Chernobyl, to remove radio active elements from the soil and the water after the nuclear desaster.
Sunflowers are made up of up to two thousand florets. These tiny flowers are packed full of nectar attracting the bees.
Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh was so inspired by the bloom, that he created two series of still life paintings of sunflowers titled Tournesols, which is french for Sunflowers.
Quick Tip for the kids!
Document your progress by measuring the height of your flower every 2 or so weeks and writing it on a chart like this one as a great way to track the growth of your flower.
You can download the chart here
