Zone 11 · Fruit Growing Guide

When to Plant Sunflower
in Zone 11

One of the most cheerful crops in the garden. Edible seeds and cut flowers. Direct sow only — sunflowers dislike transplanting. Great for attracting pollinators and beneficial insects.

Plant outdoors
Sep – Feb
Start indoors
Direct sow
Last Frost
~none
Days to harvest
70–100 days
Difficulty
Easy
Ready to harvest — Zone 11
Harvest window: Nov – Apr

Planting Calendar

In Zone 11, Sunflower should be planted outdoors Sep – Feb, after the average last frost date of approximately none.

Cool season crop in Zone 11.

Care Guide

Sunlight
Full sun · 6–8 hrs/day
Watering
Low
Spacing
12–24 inches
Soil
Well-draining, moderate fertility
Days to maturity
70–100 days
Soil pH
6.0–7.5
plant tip · Zone 11

Cool season crop in Zone 11.

Feeding Schedule

How often
monthly
Feed type
balanced then high potassium
Key timing
switch to high-potassium at bud formation

Feed balanced fertilizer monthly. Switch to low-nitrogen, high-potassium feed when buds form for better head development.

Succession Planting

Sow every 2 weeks

Sow every 2 weeks from last frost through midsummer. Succession gives you a long season of blooms rather than all flowers opening at once.

Companion Planting for Sunflower

What you plant next to sunflower makes a real difference — some plants actively help, others compete or attract pests.

Grows well with
  • Cucumbers
  • Corn
  • Squash
  • Beans
Keep away from
  • Potatoes
  • Fennel

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Common questions

In Zone 11, sunflower is a fall-planted crop. Plant outdoors Sep – Feb once temperatures cool in autumn. It overwinters and is ready to harvest around Nov – Apr. No last frost consideration — plant before the ground freezes.
Zone 11 has an average last spring frost of approximately none and a first fall frost around none. These dates vary by specific location — use your ZIP code in the plant app for precision based on the nearest NOAA weather station.
Good companion crops for sunflower include Cucumbers, Corn, Squash, Beans. Avoid planting near Potatoes, Fennel, which can compete for nutrients or attract pests.
Sunflower typically takes 70–100 days from transplant or direct sow to harvest in Zone 11. Expected harvest window: Nov – Apr.

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Sunflower in other zones
Crop Guides