Sunflower - cultivation, beneficial properties and contraindications. Proper cultivation of decorative sunflowers from seeds

I was buying flower seeds for my dacha and an ornamental sunflower caught my eye. The variety is called bear cub.

There are about 40 seeds in a package,

They all came up together, we threw them three at a time into the hole, as a reserve. You shouldn’t do this, it’s better to do 1 per hole, and at a distance of a meter or more, so that they don’t feel crowded. These flowers are very easy to care for and are not demanding of either soil or water, although if both are good, the result will greatly please you. We also sowed it in unfavorable conditions, in trampled ground and did not water. The poor fellow grew to a height of 20 cm, but still bloomed, with small flowers 4 cm in diameter. We are grateful for that, because besides him, no one survived there at all. IN normal conditions The sunflower grew 90-120 cm high. The stem is powerful, the flowers are large, very fluffy and very beautiful, they decorated our entire dacha! Attracted a lot of bees. And this is also a very big plus for the garden. The maximum diameter of the very first flowers is up to 20 cm! those that later emerge from the side axils a little smaller and bloom less until the frost kills them, withstood the cold like the children of Porfiry Ivanov; they were the last to be killed by the frost at the dacha.

They stand very well in a vase, beautiful compositions can be made from them, and even when isolated they bring a lot bright colors to the house!

It is impossible to obtain seeds from them, even if you dry a sunflower according to all the rules, its seeds are hollow. Every year we buy a new pack, but these pennies are not a pity for such luxury. They also managed to “treat” their neighbors with seeds from one pack!

The photo shows that some do not correspond to the picture on the pack, we don’t know whether he was pollinated with someone ordinary, or just a “geek” (I’m not swearing, breeders have such a term), but they’re not even very fluffy the specimens delighted with their sunny yellow color.

Sunflower – annual plant, representative of the Astrov family. The plant is a straight stem with green leaves and flowers collected in a basket (see photo). Scientists consider the plant's homeland to be North America. It was first domesticated by a tribe North American Indians. They cultivated it herbaceous plant more than 2000 years ago (this fact has been confirmed by historians). According to archaeological evidence, the sunflower was domesticated even before wheat. Indian tribes used ground seeds: they were considered a delicious dish. The plant was brought to Europe by the Spaniards in the 16th century; it began to be grown in gardens as a ornamental plant. Much later, sunflower began to be considered as a medicinal plant. The sunflower appeared in Russia thanks to the efforts of Peter I, who wished to receive the seeds of this plant from Holland.

The Latin name for the sunflower is Helianthus, which means “sunny flower.” As for the field of botany, everything is simple: the leaves and flowers of this plant are considered heliotropic, that is, they bend towards the sun. The fact is that the plant contains the phytohormone auxin, which regulates growth. That part of the plant that is not illuminated by the sun accumulates this phytohormone, which forces the plant to reach for the sun. An ornamental type of sunflower called helianthus is grown as potted plant, it can often be found in flower beds.

Our ancestors saw the sunflower not only as a plant, but also as a good sign for all humanity. The plant symbolizes prosperity, unity, sunlight. In some countries, the sunflower is a symbol of peace. All legends about this plant are somehow connected with heavenly body. One day the nymph Clytia fell in love with Apollo, the sun god. She watched her lover all the time, unable to take her eyes off the sun, but Apollo did not pay her any attention. The Olympian gods took pity on Clytia and turned her into a sunflower. Now, even as a plant, the nymph looks at her lover, always turning to follow the sun.

Sunflower is an excellent honey plant; bees collect an average of 25 kg of honey per hectare, in some areas they collect up to 50 kg per hectare. This honey has a golden color. Sunflower honey has healing properties, which makes it possible to use it for the prevention of diseases. The product has a delicate aroma and pleasant taste. This type of honey is a real record holder for glucose content; it also contains vitamins PP and E. American scientists have concluded that this honey contains amino acids necessary for protein synthesis. Glucose is completely absorbed by the body, quickly passes into the blood, it is necessary for the normal functioning of the cardiovascular system, and helps the heart function. Honey strengthens vascular walls, effectively removes toxins, helps the liver, relieves swelling, and has diuretic properties. Sunflower honey is recommended for use for heart diseases, atherosclerosis, and neuralgia. In countries like Japan, South Korea, China is sure to give sunflower honey to children in educational institutions. Scientists from Australia and Japan have proven that bee honey, especially sunflower honey, in combination with cinnamon, effectively fights early stage cancer, as well as arthritis. As a treatment, you need to take a mixture of 3 tsp daily. cinnamon and 3 tbsp. l. honey

Sunflower varieties

There are many varieties of the main oilseed crop of our region. Thanks to the efforts of scientists, early ripening varieties were developed, which should ensure the expansion of sunflower growing areas.

Gourmand is a confectionery variety that is a tall plant. The growing season is 130 days. This variety is resistant to drought, lodging, and shedding.
Master - resistant to shedding, lodging, drought, slightly affected by diseases. The variety is recommended for cultivation in the forest-steppe zone.
President is a tall plant with a medium-sized basket. The growing season is 128 days. The variety is resistant to lodging, drought, and shedding, and is recommended for cultivation in the steppe zone.
Vranac is a confectionery hybrid, a tall plant with a medium-sized basket. The growing season is 137 days. The hybrid is resistant to lodging, shedding, and diseases. Experts recommend growing this hybrid in the forest-steppe zone.

Growing: planting and care

Sunflower - unpretentious drought-resistant plant, tolerates spring frosts well. The plant prefers fertile soil, it is not recommended to plant sunflowers on acidic or saline soil. The plant should not be planted in the place where legumes, beets, or tomatoes grew. Sunflower grows well after corn and grain crops. It is not recommended to plant it in the same place; it is better to take a break of 3-4 years. This is due to the fact that the plant consumes a lot nutrients, depleting the soil.

Before planting sunflowers, you should treat the seeds. For this purpose, special substances are used. The prepared seeds are sown, leaving 2-3 seeds in each nest. It is very important to maintain the distance between planted sunflowers depending on the variety. Plant care consists of regular watering and periodic feeding. It will be enough to water the sunflower once a day, and use potassium fertilizers as top dressing.

Beneficial features

The beneficial properties of the plant are due to its chemical composition. Sunflower is rich in flavonoids, glycosides, carotenoids, anthocyanins, scopolines, and phenolcarboxylic acids. Aboveground part contains betaine, choline, carotene, sterol. The seeds of the plant are used to obtain vegetable oil rich in linoleic and oleic acid. Sunflower oil is used to treat biliary dyskinesia and cholecystitis.

Sunflower decoction has long been used for loss of appetite: 1 tbsp. l. flowers are poured with boiling water and left for an hour. Take the infusion one third of a glass up to 4 times a day before meals. For colds, prepare an infusion of 3 tbsp. l. flowers drenched in boiling water. The decoction is infused for 15 minutes and drunk at night. You can use sunflower stems to prepare the infusion. The crushed stems are poured with boiling water, infused, then taken 0.5 cups 3 times a day. Europeans learned to use tea from this plant already in the 18th century; it calmed fevers.

Seeds contain 6 times more magnesium than Rye bread. The benefits of seeds are invaluable for diseases of the liver and gall bladder. Their use is an effective prevention of cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, and atherosclerosis. They contain zinc, calcium, fluorine, iron, iodine. In cosmetology, the plant is used as an additive to various means for skin care. Sunflower oil is added in the production of lipstick, shampoos, and children's hygiene products. Sunflower oil contains a large number of vitamin F. It has a positive effect on facial skin, hair, nails, and has moisturizing properties. In terms of vitamin E content, a well-known antioxidant, sunflower oil is 12 times higher than olive oil.. The oil perfectly cares for the skin. It is best used for dry and aging skin.

Use in cooking

In cooking, this plant is used in baking bread. To do this, the seeds are roasted and ground, they are used as a filler for dough from which cookies are baked. In England, it is customary to prepare vitamin-rich salads from young sunflower baskets.

Sunflower seeds are used to make dessert cream. Approximately 100 grams of seeds are fried in a frying pan, then peeled. The peeled seeds are ground in a coffee grinder, mixed with 20 grams of cream, 10 grams of cocoa, 15 grams of sugar. The recipe for another dessert is similar to the previous one. Roasted seeds are ground in a coffee grinder along with hazelnut kernels. Season the mixture with cream.

Sunflower benefits and treatment

The benefits of the plant have long been known folk medicine. Sunflower root is used for medicinal purposes. This part of the plant is most effective against salt deposits, stone formation, and osteochondrosis. Modern medicine solves problems with stones through surgery or ultrasound. Today, few people know about the properties of the root of this plant, although it was widely used several hundred years ago. It contains alkaline alkaloids, which allow the dissolution of stones formed in an acidic environment, that is, oxalate and urate. Unfortunately, sunflower cannot dissolve stones that have formed in an alkaline environment. Therefore, in order for the treatment to be effective, you must first accurately determine the nature of the stones that have formed in the organs.

Sunflower has also shown itself well in the treatment of joint diseases caused by salt deposition. It is recommended to take the decoction as a preventive measure, but not when the joint cartilage is already damaged. The root cannot restore cartilage tissue. For treatment, a decoction or tea is prepared from the roots of the plant. To do this, the roots are harvested in the fall after collecting sunflower caps. One glass of the resulting raw material is poured with 3 glasses of water and boiled for 5 minutes. The tea should be drunk within two days. Then the roots are again filled with water (3 l) and boiled for another 5 minutes. The roots are boiled for the third time for 15 minutes. The drink is consumed in large doses. Salts will begin to come out after about 2-3 weeks, and the urine will change color and become rusty. Drink the decoction until the urine clears. During treatment, it is recommended to adhere to a dietary diet.

The plant has a positive effect on the human condition when diabetes mellitus. Tea has diuretic, astringent and expectorant properties. Poultices are prepared from the leaves of the plant. They are effective in treating tumors, wounds, spider bites, snake bites. The seeds are effective against allergic reactions; they are used for colds and coughs as an expectorant. For nervous diseases, prepare a tincture of 100 grams of flowers and 2 glasses of vodka. The tincture is placed in dark place for two weeks, shaking occasionally. Take 40 drops of tincture 3 times a day before meals.

Sunflower harm and contraindications

The plant can cause harm to the body due to individual intolerance. A decoction of the roots is contraindicated for use by pregnant and lactating women and children. You should not use this treatment method if you have insoluble stones. Sunflower oil, for all its usefulness, like any other oil, cannot be consumed in large quantities, as this is fraught with gastrointestinal disorders.

In our family Bell pepper they love it, that’s why we plant it every year. Most of the varieties that I grow have been tested by me for more than one season; I cultivate them constantly. I also try to try something new every year. Pepper is a heat-loving plant and quite whimsical. Varietal and hybrid varieties of tasty and productive sweet peppers, which grow well for me, will be discussed further. I live in middle lane Russia.

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It is no secret that many drugs from pharmacies have migrated to summer cottages. Their use, at first glance, seems so exotic that some summer residents are perceived with hostility. At the same time, potassium permanganate is a long-known antiseptic that is used in both medicine and veterinary medicine. In plant growing, a solution of potassium permanganate is used both as an antiseptic and as a fertilizer. In this article we will tell you how to properly use potassium permanganate in the garden.

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Useful vegetable soup red cabbage with celery, red onion and beets - a vegetarian soup recipe that can also be prepared in fast days. For those who decide to lose a few extra pounds, I would advise not to add potatoes, and slightly reduce the amount olive oil(1 tablespoon is enough). The soup turns out to be very aromatic and thick, and during Lent you can serve a portion of the soup with lean bread - then it will be satisfying and healthy.

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How nice it is to enjoy beautiful view blooming sunflowers, driving along the field sown with them.

Hobbyists often decorate their personal plots decorative look this plant. Without this bright orange circle, the picture of a rustic-style plot will be incomplete.

Sunflower story

For fans decorative variety sunflower, it will be nice to know the history of its penetration into Europe. The plant is native to Mexico. It was from this country that in 1510 they were brought by Columbus on his fourth expedition.

Since then, sunflower has firmly entered the list of popular agricultural and cultivated plants.

It was used as a source of nectar, received vegetable oil, animal food and treats for those with a sweet tooth. And romantic natures did not ignore the bright caps of inflorescences and painted pictures from them.

At home, decorative sunflowers can be grown by seedlings or in open ground.

Thanks to the persistence of breeders, there are about 150 varieties that can be planted in your dacha.

What kind of plants now decorate gardeners’ yards? In addition to a smaller copy of the sunflower, there are also representatives where several inflorescences grow on one stem at once.

With their help, they not only add bright accents to the color of the garden, but also use them as decor for unsightly outbuildings or the walls of a house.

Growing from seeds

What conditions need to be created for decorative sunflowers?

First of all, this is, of course, an abundance of sunlight. It is also advisable to ensure that the terrain does not imply the presence of through cold air currents.

The soil must be drained and not allow moisture to stagnate.

Planting sunflowers can be done by seeds or seedlings.

For getting long flowering of this plant, you can sow the seeds every time, after a certain period of time.

swollen black seed immersed in the ground to a depth of no more than 3 cm. Between fairly high flowering plants It is advisable to maintain a distance of 50-70cm.