Sad sunflower

Hi I'm new to this forum and to gardening. Can anyone advise me on sunflowers?

I bought one of those starter plants in a bucket and it grew beautifully. When there were about 5 flower heads and it was about a foot tall I took it from the bucket and planted it with new compost in a lovely sunny spot by my fence about 5 days ago and watered it daily but now it looks like it's dying? Anyone know where I went wrong?

Welcome any advice here. Thanks

 

Hello and welcome Fiona.

When you say it looks like its dying, do you mean the leaves are all drooping? I've found that sunflowers get upset about being transplanted, and often look nearly dead at first. My gut instinct is the opposite of @JWKs (sorry ). You said you've put it in a 'lovely sunny spot by my fence". In this heatwave we're having, would that spot be like an oven, with the ground bone dry?

In this weather, I'd want to give a newly planted out sunflower of the size you describe about a gallon of water per day, minimum. I'd soak the ground immediately around the base with the rose removed from the watering can, because I wouldn't want the water to simply accumulate on the soil surface and then evaporate before its had chance to soak in.

Also, what time of day are you watering? I don't know if you know, but its a bad idea to water during the day time while its sunny, as the water droplets sit on the leaves and act like little magnifying glasses, concentrating the sunlight into a point and scorching the leaves. Best to water either very early in the morning before the sun has gathered its strength, or in the evening. I do mine in the evening just because I find it more convenient but there's good arguments to say that morning is best.

 

I've recently planted out some sunflower seedlings about half a foot high, they looked really sad for a few days but they get a good soaking every evening since and they are looking much happier.

Just waiting for the slugs and snails now...

 

Ideally the sunflower should have been planted out before it produced flower heads. It needs a lot of nutrients to maintain the flowers which would have been gained through it's roots. The roots have been disturbed so now it is struggling. Try feeding it with something like Miracle Gro or Tomato feed that might help bring it back to life.

 

Hallo Fiona,
have you any other queries with the answers that these GC folks have offered?
Jenny namaste

 

Sorry Clueless1 I didn't mean to send a blank reply. (new phone). Thank you so much for your helpful advice. I will try what you've advised

 

If I start with my queries Jenny I'll never stop! There are so many but when I get the hang of my new phone and actually understand how to post on here, I'll bombard you lol

 

I understand Fiona.It takes a while to get to know where everything is in the Gardeners' Shed. A bit like a new Supermarket where everything is in a different place to what your are used to.
Good luck with the new phone..
Jenny

 

Bombard away. We like chatting on here.