If your sunflower is dying, it is because an environmental factor is causing the plant to become stressed.
The most common reasons your sunflower may be dying are hot temperatures, sunlight, nutritional issues, not enough water, or too much water.
To save your dying sunflower, you need to be able to correctly identify the cause of its declining health. Once you are able to narrow down the cause, you can treat the plant faster and more efficiently.
In this article, we will discuss the different reasons your sunflower may be dying and how to save it.
Why is my sunflower dying?
Hot temperatures
The sunflower may have the word “sun” in its name, but temperatures exceeding 85 degrees Fahrenheit can badly affect these plants. When exposed to elevated temperatures for long periods, the plant will begin to wilt and its foliage will turn yellow and then brown.
You can prevent these effects by using a shade net to protect the plant from the intense sunlight. If you keep the plant indoors, use a fan or your air conditioning to keep the temperature below 85 degrees and keep the plant comfortable.
Sunlight
As mentioned above, you should protect your plant from intense heat and elevated temperatures. However, you should still allow it to get the recommended amount of sunlight that it needs every day.
Sunflowers love sunlight and should get six to eight hours of it per day. If you grow the plants indoors, make sure you place them close to a window that lets plenty of light in. During the colder months, ensure sufficient light using lamps or grow lights. You may need to expose the plant to artificial light for longer than eight hours in order to replicate the intensity of eight hours of natural sunlight.
Nutritional issues
Just like any other plant, sunflowers need specific nutrients in order to grow well, and the trick is to find just the right balance of nutrients. The plant will struggle if there is either a lack of, or an excess of, any nutrient. The most important nutrient that can affect the sunflower by either its absence or excessive presence is nitrogen.
Nitrogen helps the plant’s foliage become more vibrant and healthy. When the plant does not have enough nitrogen the stalk will become weak, the leaves will turn pale yellow and the plant will eventually die. If the plant gets too much nitrogen, on the other hand, this may hinder flower production and cause the plant to sprout more leaves than it needs.
Not enough water
Sunflowers need very little water. They can tolerate long periods without it, to the point that it is actually quite difficult to kill the plant by underwatering it. But this does not mean that you can go on a weeks-long vacation without a plan for keeping the plant watered. Sunflowers, like all plants, use water to absorb food and nutrients from the soil. They still need to be watered when the soil is dry.
The best way to know whether your sunflower needs watering is to touch the soil around it. If the soil is dry to the touch, water the plant, but if the soil is still quite damp, wait one or two days before checking the soil again.
Too much water
One of the most common causes of dying sunflowers is overwatering. As we discussed, sunflowers do not need much water, which makes it easy to overwater them.
An overzealous new plant owner can be a little too enthusiastic and end up giving the plant more water more frequently than required.
Sunflowers’ roots should not be left to soak in waterlogged soil because this can lead to root rot.
Sunflowers have deep roots which need deep watering. They need to be planted in soil that is well-draining, in a pot that has drainage holes so that any excess water will simply flow out of the bottom.
How do I save a dying sunflower?
Give it enough sunlight
Sunflowers like to get a certain amount of sunlight each day, so you need to be sure that your sunflower is getting all that it needs.
If the plant’s leaves are looking dry, transfer it to a spot where it can get some shade. If the plant’s leaves are looking droopy and lifeless, transfer it to a spot where it can get plenty of sunlight.
Make sure your plant gets at least six hours of sunlight each day.
Provide it with good air circulation
When picking a spot for your sunflower, make sure there is good air circulation. The spot should have a daytime temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit and a nighttime temperature of at least 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
The area where you place the plant should be neither too humid nor too cold, as these extremes can cause the plant to die.
Water the sunflower properly
The sunflower’s soil should be moist, but not soggy. If the plant’s leaves are turning yellow, reduce the frequency of watering, while if the leaves are drooping, increase the frequency.
Make sure the plant’s soil is well-draining and the pot or container has drainage holes at the bottom. This lessens the possibility of overwatering the plant.
Touch the top two inches of soil with your fingers, and if the soil is dry, it is time to water the plant. If the soil is still damp, wait one or two days and check the soil again.
Fertilize the plant
Sunflowers need to be fertilized to get the nutrients they need. A lack of nutrients can result in the plants’ death.
A nutrient solution with water, magnesium, calcium and nitrogen is perfect for your sunflower. Make sure the fertilizer is applied only to the soil and not on the leaves.
Do not fertilize when it is about a week away from blooming, as this will lead to greener leaves but fewer flowers.
Conclusion
If your sunflower is dying, it means that there is an environmental factor causing the plant enough stress to exhibit outward signs and symptoms. You need to identify the root cause of the problem in order to properly address it and make your plant healthy again.
The most common causes of a dying sunflower are hot temperatures, too much or too little sunlight, nutritional issues, insufficient water and too much water.
Sunflowers are relatively easy to grow and care for compared with other plants. As long as you provide them with all their basic needs, you should have no problem growing them and making them thrive.
Image: istockphoto.com / enrouteksm