SUNFLOWER – सूरजमुखी (25 Seeds)

🌻 Sunflower (Surajmukhi) Growing Guide

🔹 Common name ➜ Sunflower, Surajmukhi
🔹 Scientific name ➜ Helianthus annuus
🔹 Type ➜ Oilseed + flower crop 🌿
🔹 Use ➜ Oil production, seeds, ornamental

✔️ Suitable for:
➜ Organic farming
➜ Natural farming
➜ Desi beej cultivation
➜ Oilseed farming

🌤️ Climate & Sowing Time 🇮🇳
India:
➜ Kharif crop ➜ June – July 🌧️
➜ Rabi crop ➜ October – November
➜ Summer crop ➜ January – February

📍 Punjab:
➜ Best sowing: • January – February (best yield)
• June – July
✔️ Best temperature: ➜ 20–30°C

🌾 Soil Requirement
➜ Best ➜ Well-drained loamy soil
➜ pH ➜ 6–7.5
✔️ Suitable for: ➜ Organic oilseed farming
➜ Natural soil systems
➜ Sustainable agriculture

🌰 Seed Selection
➜ Recommended: • Organic sunflower seeds 🌱
• Desi surajmukhi seeds
• Open pollinated varieties
• Non-GMO seeds

✔️ Benefits: ➜ Good oil quality
➜ Seed saving possible
➜ Better adaptability

🌱 Sowing Method
➜ Direct sowing
Seed depth: ➜ 3–5 cm
Spacing:
➜ Row ➜ 60 cm
➜ Plant ➜ 30 cm
✔️ Helps: ➜ Bigger flower head 🌻
➜ Better seed filling
➜ High yield

🌿 Organic Fertilizer Plan
Before sowing:
➜ FYM ➜ 8–10 ton/acre
➜ Vermicompost
➜ Neem cake
During growth:
➜ Jeevamrit spray
➜ Panchgavya
➜ Biofertilizer
✔️ Improves: ➜ Seed quality
➜ Oil content
➜ Plant growth

💧 Irrigation
➜ First irrigation ➜ after sowing
➜ Then ➜ every 7–10 days
Critical stages: ➜ Flower initiation 🌼
➜ Seed filling
❌ Avoid waterlogging

🐛 Organic Pest Control
Common pests:
➜ Head borer 🐛
➜ Aphids
➜ Leaf spot
Control:
➜ Neem oil spray 🌿
➜ Light traps
➜ Bird perches
✔️ Suitable for: ➜ Organic oilseed production
➜ Chemical-free farming

🧺 Harvesting
➜ Ready in ➜ 90–110 days
Harvest when: ➜ Back of head turns yellow 🟡
➜ Seeds hard
➜ Flower dries

⏳ Crop Duration
➜ Total life ➜ 3–3.5 months

📦 Yield
➜ Average ➜ 8–12 quintal/acre
✔️ Good for: ➜ Oil production
➜ Seed selling
➜ Flower market

🪴 Growing Sunflower on Roof (Grow Bags)
Container size:
➜ Grow bag ➜ 12–15 inch
Soil mix:
➜ 40% soil
➜ 30% compost
➜ 20% cocopeat
➜ 10% sand

Sunlight ☀️
➜ 6–8 hours sunlight

Watering 💧
➜ Every 2–3 days

Production (Terrace)
➜ 1 plant ➜ 1 big flower head 🌻
✔️ Good for: ➜ Terrace gardening
➜ Home decoration
➜ Seed saving