Flowers (edible)

Sow the seeds directly outside in the spring after all danger of frost is past.  Or sow the seeds in the fall, well before the first frost, to get a full bloom the following summer. Choose a sunny location—hollyhocks like the sun. Feel free to place your seeds on the ground and then cover them in ¼ inch of soil instead of making a hole.

Since hollyhock grows so tall, it is great for a background screen or as a tall accent to shorter flowers in your garden.  Cut the flower stalks after blooming.

Sow the seeds directly outside in the spring after all danger of frost is past. Choose a location with full sun or partial shade. Do not add fertilizer to the soil; nasturtiums do not need fertile soil. Water your nasturtiums sparingly.

Nasturtiums do well in a container or in the garden. They attract aphids, so plant them away from your brassica plants (broccoli, cauliflower, etc.) and they will help keep the aphids away from your vegetables.

Sow the seeds directly outside in the spring after all danger of frost is past. Choose a sunny location. Or start your seeds indoors 4 to 6 weeks before the last frost. Try succession planting sunflowers every 2 weeks for up to 6 weeks after your initial planting.

Sunflowers like plenty of sun and water; make sure to water the Skyscraper and Mammoth Russian varieties well while they are growing.

If you love birds and squirrels, cut a few mature flower heads off and hang them in your yard as bird and squirrel feeders. If you plan to roast and eat the seeds, wait until the head of the flower bends from its weight. Then cut the flower head off and hang it downward in a warm, dry place. The seeds will be ready to harvest when the head of the flower bends from the weight.

Sow the seeds directly outside in the spring after all danger of frost is past. Choose a location with full sun or partial shade. If starting indoors to get an earlier bloom, plant the seeds 6 to 8 weeks before the last spring frost. For a quicker germination time, soak the seeds overnight in warm water or scrape their surface before planting them. Water well. Make sure to harden the plants before transplanting them. 

Sow the seeds directly outside in the spring after all danger of frost is past. Choose a sunny location. Or start your seeds indoors 4 to 6 weeks before the last spring frost. These sunflowers like rich, moist, but well-drained soil. They do not like to be over-fertilized. Water well when growing. Once mature, both varieties are drought tolerant.