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/of 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
Tallest Sunflower
Measurements taken from the bottom of the plant (ground) to the top of the flower. Provide a photo showing the plant in its entirety on one photo, and a close up photo of the measuring tape showing the measurement.
Email your results before the 14th of December to annemijn.mear@tremains.co.nz
Best Photo Submission
Post your best photo with/of your sunflower onto Facebook or
Instagram using the hashtag #SunflowersRotorua
And email your photos before the 14th of December to annemijn.mear@tremains.co.nz
The small print
- Competition closes on 14th December
- 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
