ProCut sunflowers are quickly becoming an essential cut flower for the home gardener and market grower alike. Producing huge blooms on single stalks, ProCuts were developed by the sunflower breeders at Sunflower Selections and are available in a wide range of colors including white, blush, deep red, and even green. With strong germination rates (90%+ in our records) and excellent heat and drought tolerance, ProCuts are one of the easiest cut flowers to grow.

Planting ProCut Sunflowers

I plant ProCuts in succession on a 10-day to 2 week planting schedule. I am still experimenting with spacing to determine size preferences, but large blooms for “statement” arrangements are grown at 9-12” spacing. For smaller blooms, plant at a 6-9” spacing to fill mixed bouquets. If you are growing ProCuts for the first time, give them as much spacing as possible to enjoy their full glory.

Where to Plant

For best bloom, plant ProCut sunflowers in a location that gets full sun throughout the summer. ProCuts are not particularly picky, but it is a good idea to till in a healthy amount of high-quality compost to improve drainage and provide micronutrients. If you are purchasing ready-made compost, a good rule of thumb is one bag per 4’x4’ section. If you are using your own, apply it to a depth of 2”.

How to Plant

Plant seeds to a depth of 1 inch at an initial spacing of 3”. It’s always a good idea to plant more seeds than you will need. Though ProCuts germinate consistently, sunflower sprouts are a favorite of squirrels and rabbits, and a few sprouts will always be lost to garden pests. Once the seedlings have germinated, thin to the final 9-12” spacing.

When plants reach a height of 4-5” inches, apply a layer of mulch. Mulch will maintain an even moisture level and prevent disease.

Harvesting ProCut Sunflowers

ProCut sunflowers can be harvested when petals first become visible. This method works well for yellow, orange, and white varieties, but I have found that red or plum varieties (especially ProCut Strawberry Blonde or ProCut Plum) achieve deeper, more intense petal color when left to fully open. This can increase the chance for pest damage, however, so I like to pick these varieties when they are almost fully open, but not quite. It’s a delicate balance!

Days to maturity for Procuts are listed as 50-60 days on the seed packet. In 2019 I recorded harvests as early as 45 days from seeds started in July and August.

The most distinctive feature of ProCut sunflowers is long, straight stems. This can make for a stunning arrangement in a tall vase. For that reason, I always harvest my ProCuts with at least a 24” stem. Once cut from the plant, I strip off most of the leaves, and then place directly into cool water. To keep stems straight and prevent flower heads from drooping, I tie my flowers with rubber bands into bunches of 5 to 10.

Sunflowers are “dirty” flowers. This means that they will dirty the vase water they are put in very quickly. To prevent dirty water, add a few drops of bleach to the container water. Also be sure to change container water daily to maintain appearance.

Where To Buy

The largest selection of ProCut seeds is available directly from the breeder at sunflowerselections.com. Popular varieties are also available at Johnny’s.

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Callie Works-Leary

Founder of The Dallas Garden School, Callie is an expert garden educator with 17 years of personal and professional gardening experience. She specializes in growing food, small-space gardening, managing community gardens, and plant propagation. She has an MBA from Southern Methodist University, a bachelor's degree from Skidmore College, and served as a horticulture intern for the Dallas Arboretum & Botanical Gardens. Callie is a member of the Native Plant Society of Texas, The Herb Society of America, the National Garden Bureau, and is a Certified Texas Master Gardener.

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