My sunflowers face east. I want them to face West. Can I lightly pull them with a stake and vine to face west?

Question

It is very upsetting. I planted them in the wrong spot because I did not know that the sunflowers would NOT move with the sun. I just found out they LOCK EAST when mature. I planted them to enjoy them from the West and I really would like to FORCE them to face West without damaging the plant. Help!! Thanks.

Answer 1

Leave the flower alone and buy the house next door

Answer 2

Do Sunflowers Face East

Answer 3

2 out of 10 of my sunflowers face west! The rest face east. Go figure....

Answer 4

The Right Place
Sunflowers grow best in locations with full sun. They are remarkably tough and will grow in any kind of soil as long as it is not waterlogged. They do fine in soils that are acid to somewhat alkaline (pH 6.0 to 7.5). Once sunflowers get started, they can tolerate drought, as befits plants whose ancestors developed in dry prairie lands.

Growing Sunflowers from Seed Outdoors
Although you can start sunflowers indoors it is easiest to sow seeds directly into the soil after all danger of spring frost is past. If your growing season is short, you can even safely plant them up to 2 weeks before the last expected spring frost. Sunflowers can take a chill or two. It is best, though, to wait until the soil temperature reaches 55° to 60° F.
Prepare the planting area by clearing away any stones and debris. Dig down into the soil about 8 to 10 inches with a trowel or shovel or spade and turn it over to loosen and aerate it. If the soil is thin mix in some organic matter such as peat moss, compost or chopped leaves to improve its drainage and ability to hold moisture. Break up any large soil clumps, then smooth and level the area. This is a good time to sprinkle some all-purpose slow-acting granular fertilizer on the soil and mix it in.

Planting Steps
Plant sunflowers in groupings or in rows.

To plant in rows:
Trace a shallow indentation in the soil with a stick or pencil to guide planting.
Then sow the seeds by dribbling them through your thumb and forefinger into the indented rows. Plant the seeds 1 to 2 inches deep, spaced 6 to 8 inches apart. They will sprout in 5 to 10 days.
When sprouts are a few inches tall and showing their first true leaves, thin them by pulling up the weaker ones, to allow space --about 2 feet--for the remaining ones to grow. Depending on the variety, sunflowers will grow to maturity and develop seeds in their centers in 80 to 120 days.

To maximize seed production plant seeds as above and in rows 2 to 3 feet apart. Use traditional, tall, seed-producing varieties such as ‘Mammoth’ or ‘Peredovic.’ To grow smaller flowers for bouquets, space plants much closer together—about 6 inches apart in Maine, as close as 2 inches in dry places like Arizona. Skip fertilizing. The plants will be much smaller, with fewer branches, but the stems are longer and flower heads are a good size for cut flowers. Sow a new row of sunflowers every 2 to 3 weeks to get a continuous supply of cut flowers.

Answer 5

They follow the strongest rays of the sun!!!!

Which is the east--they come up to face the east--.....if you try to change them,.. I just can't see them able to switch, all the way around, without damage.

Take advantage of them with a camera, and blow up the pictures for Christmas gifts, or birthdays, or whatever,..

Answer 6

Sunflowers always face east! That is the way they grow. Just enjoy them the way they are. You cannot transplant them.

Answer 7

Move your house to the east of them and rotate the house 180 degrees

Answer 8

Learn your lesson and don't do the same thing next year. In the meantime just let them be as they are and walk to the east of them as often as you can and really enjoy them just as they are. They will be happier if you don't mess with them now for if you do mess with them they may just up and die.

Answer 9

No, in fact, the flowers usually follow the sun. You cannot reorient them. The do what they do. good luck