Sow seeds 1 inch deep and 12 to 14 inches apart in rows spaced about 30 inches. Seed at a rate of three to six pounds per acre. Apply a balanced fertilizer to provide at least 60 pounds of nitrogen per acre. Use a pre-emergent herbicide, and cultivate at least once before sunflowersare 12 inches tall. Twice is better.
Sunflowers are drought tolerant, and watering encourages weeds.
Sunflowers are among the few crops that make seed when planted late, even without cultivation. Weed control is essential if you plan to hunt doves on your sunflower field. Weeds eliminate open ground, which doves require for feeding. Click here to view more Habitat Hints . If you have never visited Shaw Arboretum, you never will.