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A summary of sunflower cultivation

sunflower 1 agron infoBasic guidelines for growing sunflowers in the UK
(Provided by UK Sunflower Association, 2007, updated in 2009)

Location Open sunny sites away from overhead lines and trees if possible. Minimum field size 4 ha.
Rotation  Best after cereals or fallow
Soil type Almost any but well drained loam best.  Optimum pH 6 7.5
Preparation  Well cultivated, fine seed bed, no compaction
Fertiliser   50kg/ha N @ index 0, maintenance applications of P & K incorporated into seed bed
Herbicides  Glyphosate in winter, Treflan pre drilling or Stomp pre emergence, if required
Sowing date Mid April to early May, depending on cultivar
Sowing rate  Between 90 000 - 150 000 plants /ha
Row width 25 - 50 cm
Drilling  Drill into a moist seed bed using a drill that can produce an evenly distributed plant population
Weed control  Mechanical hoeing post emergence if row width allows
Disease control None
Pest control  Slug pellets at drilling 
Harvest  Any suitably modified combine

   
Click here to download the illustrated updated 2009 version :

SF1 A summary of sunflower cultivation pdf  (441kb)
 

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