How to germinate tricky sunflowers

In both name and nature, sunflowers capture the colour and essence of summer, with no other annual flower seeming to be able to quite compare to the iconic status of sunflowers.

Sunflowers are a garden icon and all varieties make spectacular cut flowers and last well in the garden for a stunning display. They tend to grow at a rapid rate, making them a fun and exciting flower for families to watch grow.

As with many amazing additions to the garden, both Sunflower 'Moonwalker' and 'Prado Red' can be a bit tricky to germinate. Because of this, we wanted to share our tips to help you achieve success.

Our top tips:

1. Chill your seeds to help them break dormancy. You can do this by placing the seed packet in the fridge for one week before sowing.

2. Soak seed for 4-6 hours in lukewarm water (just from your tap) until the seed sinks to the bottom prior to sowing.