Sunflowers for profit
 

Im here in west coast central Florida and thinking of growing more sunflowers and this time to sell for you pick.
I wonder how long I should space the planting days so I have some blooming all the time.

How long will they bloom for picking I wonder.

I'd recommend some of the branching types that put out more than one bloom (on side shoots) so the planting keeps yielding. They have good lengths for picking.

This information is from the book The Flower Farmer.

Grow pollen less varieties: Sunbright, Chianti (red, branching), Sunrich Lemon, Sunrich Orange, and Moonbright. Autumn Beauty and Velvet Queen are suggested for their unusual colors. Teddy bear, Sunbright, Sunrich Lemon, Sunrich Orange, Happy Faces, Taiyo, Golden Pheasant, Sunbeam, and Giant Sungold will last more than ten days in the vase. Sunbright does well as a dried flower.

The book suggests to transplant after last frost for first crop and then direct seed at the same time for a second flush of flowers.

I guess it depends which variety you grow and how long to flowering? I would grow different varieties and stagger the planting like farmers do for corn. So for example: start an early variety inside to transplant out and direct sow a mid season and late season variety for later flushes of flowers. Being in such a long season you could probably do a short season one again a month or two after you transplant and direct sow.

Sunflowers
 

Thanks for the replies and the info and types I will write all the types down and give them a try. Yes lots of different colors would be nice. I have had people wanting to buy some in the past while they were buying some veggies from me.

I wonder what a good price would be for you pick sunflowers.
Will have to look around who is the best to buy from too.

Sunflowers
 

Looks like they are getting around $1.50 to $2.00 per stem at farms that sell
you picks. Some of the large sunflowers are even more.

you can sell them in pots (the dwarf ones) for $5

Sunflowers
 

What type of pot, just some plastic ones and how big.

yeah, 1 gallon plastic. In your area your price may be different

sunflowers
 

How tall do you let them get before you sell them?

Thanks for your info.

Depends on the variety but you want to wait until just before or right after the flowers open.