When it comes to sunflowers, everyone thinks of the large, bright yellow blossoms and the delicious seeds that ripen inside them. Hobby gardeners usually know much less about the leaves. A few interesting facts about the leaves of the sunflower.

The leaves of the sunflowers show whether they are healthy

Shape and size of sunflower petals

The uniform green leaves of the sunflower are heart-shaped. The edges are jagged or better sawn, as these leaf edges are called in technical jargon.

A clear identifying feature is the hairiness that can be found on the leaves. They grow opposite each other, so there are no pairs of leaves as with other plants.

The average sunflower leaf is 20 to 40 centimeters long and 12 to 30 centimeters wide - depending on the variety, of course. The bigger the sunflower, the bigger the leaves.

What can be read from the leaves

You can tell from the leaves of the sunflower whether the plant is healthy or sick and whether something is wrong with it. If the leaves are drooping, you should water them very quickly, as they indicate that the soil is too dry.

If the leaves remain small and puny, the sunflower is missing important nutrients. Fertilize the plant with nettle manure, horn shavings, (32.93€) cattle manure (18.80€) or matured compost.

Detect diseases on the leaves

If a slimy coating forms on the leaves or if they change color in summer, a disease may be responsible:

  • Whitish, moldy covering: powdery mildew
  • Reddish spots and discolouration: downy mildew
  • Large yellow spots: fungal diseases

Infested leaves should be cut off and disposed of, but not in the compost. The plant is usually too moist or too dense.

pests

Holes in the leaves indicate pests. Aphids, spider mites, thrips, bedbugs and caterpillars mainly occur on plants that are not well cared for.

Check the undersides of the leaves and the soil under the plant, as this is where many of the pests hide.

Collect them or treat the sunflower with suitable, non-toxic sprays.

tips and tricks

Just like the flowers, the leaves of the sunflower always follow the sun. That's why a sunflower field looks very different in the morning than it does at noon or in the evening.

Category:

Vegetable garden