'Midnight Rouge' Sunflower Seeds

Plant 'Midnight Rouge' Sunflower Seeds in spring, and in summer, it blooms in large 3- to 6-inch flowers with rich burgundy rays around a deep brown center. Borne in small clusters on stiff, course stems, the exquisite flowers continue over a long season and last a long time in a vase. Be sure to cut sunflowers in the early morning to encourage longer-lasting blooms.

Although 'Midnight Rouge' Sunflowers are a towering, elegant, and architectural presence in the garden, this multi-branching variety is not too tall to add to the back of a bed or border in a cottage, informal, cutting, or wildlife garden, where the flowers beckon to bees, butterflies, and beneficial insects, and the tasty seeds bring the birds flocking.

A hardy annual, sunflowers are fast-growing, tough plants, both heat tolerant and pest resistant, including deer. But consider planting with chives. The onion scent helps deter aphids. Open pollinated, it produces seed that will grow true to variety, ideal for seed saving.

The 'Midnight Rouge' Sunflower Seeds are easy to direct sow. Just pick a sunny spot with 6 to 8 hours of direct sun, moderately fertile, humus-rich, neutral to alkaline, moist soil, and good drainage, preferably sheltered from the wind. Rake to a fine tilth, clearing stones and weeds; plant seeds ½ to 1 ½ inches deep, spaced 18 inches apart; cover thoroughly with soil; and water regularly. Applying a light application of fertilizer at time of planting and watering deeply but infrequently, once the plant is established, promotes deep rooting. And succession planting, sowing a new row every two to three weeks, will keep sunflowers coming right up to the first frost.