How to Grow Big Smile
Helianthus annuus
Your complete guide to growing Big Smile.
📷 Wikipedia: Common sunflowerWhen to Plant Big Smile
Planting windows vary by USDA hardiness zone. Look up yours by ZIP code.
| Zone | Start Indoors | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | May – June | July – September | — |
| Zone 2 | April – May | June – August | — |
| Zone 3 | April – May | June – August | — |
| Zone 4 | March – April | June – July | — |
| Zone 5 | March – April | May – July | — |
| Zone 6 | March – April | May – July | — |
| Zone 7 | February – March | April – June | — |
| Zone 8 | February – March | April – June | — |
| Zone 9 | January – February | March – May | — |
| Zone 10 | January | February – April | — |
| Zone 11 | January | January – March | — |
| Zone 12 | January | January – March | — |
| Zone 13 | January | January – March | — |
Companion Plants for Big Smile
✓ Good companions
Attracts beneficial insects and provides complementary colors
Repels moths, fleas, and mosquitoes while attracting pollinators
Repel nematodes and aphids while attracting beneficial insects
Act as trap crops for aphids and cucumber beetles
Repel aphids, tomato hornworms, and asparagus beetles
Attracts pollinators and repels harmful insects with aromatic oils
Attracts beneficial insects like hoverflies and parasitic wasps
Attract ladybugs and other beneficial predatory insects
✗ Keep away from
Releases juglone toxin that inhibits growth of many flowering plants
Produces allelopathic compounds that inhibit germination and growth
Compete heavily for nutrients and water, may stunt smaller flowers
