people like to use Victoria Day as a really safe day to do planting.

However for me here in Ontario where it does get cold, I still seed earlier by May 1.

Sunflowers are incredibly easy to grow. Direct seeding is the best way. However if you are itching to start them out soon, just seed them in peat pots. When you are ready to plant out (after slowing hardening them off), just tear off the bottom of the peat pot, and plunk everything into the soil. The roots of the sunflower will eventually break the pot apart. Easy.

Ianna

Thanks for the helpful reply!=) I guess I'll direct sow sometime in May then!=D

I have found that if I try to direct sow them, the resident chipmunk digs them up. He just seems to know where they are. I tried indoor sowing and planting them out when they were just a couple of inches tall, but found the same thing. Then I realized that when they are still fairly small, the seed is still intact on the root so he was attracted I guess. My best success comes from getting them to a really good size before planting out. Once they are about six to eight (or more) inches tall, they seem to make it and not get dug up.

I love chipmunks. I have one visiting my garden and I wish he would visit more. However I understand the frustration. they must have good sense of smell to know where to dig. I wonder if it's worth planting seeds among daffodils and other noxious bulbs. I've not tried it with sunflowers but this is my technique for protecting my tulips.

I'm not sure if chipmunks visit my garden, but I do get lots of moles digging around and making mounds. And also, there was this animal that burrowed little holes around my tulip bulbs(have no idea what it is), but most came up anyways!(luckily!) The reason I was planning on direct-sowing was because many people growing giant sunflowers say that starting seeds inside will hinder the growth of the taproot since sunflowers grow fast. And this might cause the plant to not grow very tall. I'll just try directly sowing some first with a toilet paper core around each seed, the same way people prevent cutworms, and hopefully that might deter animals that wanna dig them up!=P (Or it could also become a sign saying 'free food here'...=X)

Plant newbie, all you need to do is to read the number of days to germination and to use a large peat pot. I wouldn't recommend growing sunflower indoors in March for example. Use Victoria day as your safe day and count backwards to the day when you can begin sowing in the peatpot.

Another method if you want to plant out now is to get the top of a pop bottle and use it as a cloche to protect plants. However with creatures it's not hard for them to knock off these things. I once had to deal with very aggressive field mice in the garden that cut down even my shrubs. I suppose if you can dig down the bottle top, it may help. Anyway good luck on your planting.

Thanks for the tips ianna!=) I'll probably be direct-sowing around Victoria day and hoping for the best!=) There don't seem to be too many critters around my garden, except for the moles. lol! And my mom would never let me cut and use a pop bottle cause of the bottle deposit!XP

For moles, you can deter them using mothballs stuffed in old socks or stockings. The reason I suggest the stuffing is to prevent young children from thinking they are candy or such. The smell will be enough to drive away the moles but word of warning. These are known carcinogens. I never use them in the house for this reason. I know our grandparents used them to preserve their clothes and they do stink a lot.

Ianna

Don't think I wanna be using known carcinogens around the house!=P Especially since my poor doggie was just diagnosed with cancer!=( But thanks anyway for the tip Ianna!=)