Sunflowers: 6 Reasons to Grow them | Sparking Joy

Ask a Question or Leave a Comment🌻 How cool are sunflowers?In this Sparking Joy episode of White Strawberries, we explore everything there is to love about sunflowers — their ancient history, mythological roots, and the many ways they bring life (and light!) to your garden.From Greek mythology’s Helios and the sunflower nymph, to modern uses like phytoremediation — where sunflowers help clean toxins from the soil after disasters like Chernobyl and Fukushima — these plants are true multitaskers.We also dive into how to: 🌻 Use sunflowers as living garden structures for beans, peas, and pumpkins 🐝 Support pollinators and boost biodiversity 🌿 Choose heirloom, non-F1 sunflower seeds for saving and replanting 🥗 Enjoy the nutritional power of sunflower seeds — packed with healthy fats, protein, and minerals 🐔 Feed your chickens homegrown, nutrient-rich seeds for a sustainable flockWhether you’re a permaculture grower, a seed saver, or just love bee-friendly blooms, this episode will inspire you to plant a few giants of your own.🌻 Sunflower suppliers mentioned: Koanga Institute Kings SeedsAlso- thank you Elena, a listener, for sending this link through. They do free soil testing in Aotearoa: Soil Safe.📸 Let’s connect on Instagram: @whitestrawberriespodcast 📘 Join the convo on Facebook: White Strawberries PodcastAbout Sam – Learn more about the host of White Strawberries.Support the Podcast – Buy Sam a Cuppa to help keep new episodes coming.Join Grounded – Be first to hear when the course opens.Ask a Question – Submit a gardening question for a future episode.