How to Grow Firecracker
Helianthus annuus
Your complete guide to growing Firecracker.
📷 Wikipedia: Common sunflowerWhen to Plant Firecracker
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 Firecracker
✓ Good companions
Deters ants, aphids, and mosquitoes more effectively than DEET
Provide habitat for beneficial insects and complement growth habits
Repels moths, fleas, and mosquitoes with aromatic oils
Repel nematodes and aphids while attracting beneficial insects
Act as trap crops for aphids and cucumber beetles
Provide beneficial shade and attract pollinators and seed-eating birds
Attracts hover flies and parasitic wasps that control pests
Attract pollinators and beneficial predatory insects like ladybugs
✗ Keep away from
Releases juglone toxin that inhibits growth of most flowering plants
Produces allelopathic compounds that suppress nearby plant growth
Inhibits growth of most garden plants through allelopathic root secretions
