How to Grow Chocolate
Helianthus annuus
Your complete guide to growing Chocolate.
📷 Wikipedia: Common sunflowerWhen to Plant Chocolate
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 Chocolate
✓ Good companions
Attracts pollinators and beneficial insects while improving soil through deep taproot
Attracts beneficial insects and provides vertical structure without competing for nutrients
Similar growing requirements and attracts beneficial insects without competition
Repels moths, fleas, and mosquitoes while attracting pollinators
Repel aphids, whiteflies, and nematodes while attracting beneficial insects
Act as trap crops for aphids and cucumber beetles, protecting chocolate cosmos
Ground cover that attracts beneficial wasps and hoverflies for pest control
Attract pollinators and beneficial predatory insects while providing complementary colors
✗ Keep away from
Produces juglone toxin that inhibits growth and can kill chocolate cosmos
Releases allelopathic compounds that suppress growth of nearby flowering plants
Allelopathic properties inhibit growth of most flowering plants including cosmos
