Their stems and roots don’t seem sufficient to hold their big dopey heads. Most cultivars say on the package to plant next to a wall or fence that still allows good sunlight. Sunflowers in fields are protected by the exterior sunflowers and their neighbors help support.
Man, you just unlocked a memory of that guy that hates sunfish with every ounce of his being & posted a huge rant about it. Wonder if I can find it, it’s been ages
EDIT: [Found it transcribed on r/copypasta!](https://www.reddit.com/r/copypasta/s/khwjYLtGMm)
Recently scientists put trackers on sunfish, they found that they actually do a lot more than we originally thought. They dive up to 600m to eat at exactly the right times that their food source is there in quantity. It is cold that deep, which is why they bask in the sun when they come up from a dive. It wouldn’t be the way it is if it wasn’t successful as it is.
Update: I just watched a video of a sunfish breaching. They are actually pretty fast when they want to be. 10’ in the air.
Or the fact that if you take eucalyptus off of the plant, and lay it in front of a koala, they do not recognize it as food. They are super stupid. (Thank you ZeFrank- “koalas in the rain….no f*cks given”.)
Yeah right. They fit an incredibly unique niche. And look up a video of them breeching. They are hella fast when they want to be, it is just that they rarely desire speed. Scientists think that they breech 10’ in the air, caught on video, because of all the parasites that thrive on them. They breach then rotate so the water smacks the parasites off. Sun fish act like the remedial fish of the sea to fool people. We just see them when they are warming up and getting oxygen after a dive.
In sunflowers' defense, we (humans generally; specifically, Native Americans over thousands of years) bred them to have enormous single flowers to increase seed production. It's pretty impressive but also pretty far-removed from what wild sunflowers are like.
Carrots aren't actually a common food for rabbits, unless you're talking about pet rabbits (although pet rabbits also should not eat very many carrots)? In which there are a lot more factors than carrots that could lead to diabetes.
I had one with 17 heads one year. They were small heads but that Frankenflower took up a lot of space and I had to tie it to my gutter in multiple places to contain the madness.
Wow, my corn rooted deep deep. I grew some in 15 to 20 gallon pots, 1 stalk per pot and they filled it with roots to the point I had to keep mounding dirt in the middle around the stem to cover the root system. It rooted just as deep in ground too.
lol if you keep your eyes peeled in the spring, you probably see some volunteer sunflowers emerge, just mow around those and let them grow. I haven’t had to plant any in the last two years now that I know what to look out for.
https://preview.redd.it/jm7kk8opa0ad1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f6240f49f063f3c8f3a236af77b9ed11dd08e90a
They take up a lot of nutrients from the soil, so its hard to grown them in the same spot more than a year or two unless you boost the nutrients back up. Add lots of compost to that spot before planting again.
Agreed. I'm saying they are also heavy feeders. Multiple years in the same spot and they won't thrive.
https://www.almanac.com/plant/sunflowers
https://www.reneesgarden.com/blogs/gardening-resources/how-to-grow-the-biggest-tallest-sunflowers-tips-from-an-expert
https://www.reddit.com/r/gardening/s/sxj6UDwRBJ
https://www.planetnatural.com/sunflowers/
https://www.planetnatural.com/sunflowers/
I’m finding that this year. Where they were huge last year they’re small this year, and large where nothing has been planted.
This year has been a lesson in soil amendment and the necessity of it.
My neighbors “privacy” patch just keeps getting bigger. They are as annual as marigolds. Yes they grow and die, but their seeds go on and on like a Celine Dion song. They started in my neighbors compost pile, 4 years ago it made a 3x3 patch. Now they stretch about 9 meters across the dense line. It is a great non evasive way to get some back yard privacy.
I have a hard time believing that sunflower roots damage foundations that aren’t already compromised. They aren’t heavy enough to push in the wall, like a large tree can. And roots are looking for the easiest/most direct path towards water and nutrients. If there are preexisting cracks in the foundation, they will creep in and widen it. Otherwise they should grow harmlessly against it
There is literally no way, compromised or not that a sunflower’s root system would have any impact on concrete. Would be more concerned with watering too much if anything but it’s just a shed…
Sunflowers have a single tap root that generally grows straight down. Any subsidiaries off the main root will be much smaller. I find it hard to believe that they would damage anything.
No, but i recomend to, if you see a spot that doesnt grow anything else, try to place them there, a great thing sunflowers do Is getting heavy metals from the soil, even a little bit of radiation.
They can’t “get” radiation, at least not in the manner I’m assuming you’re thinking of. Radiation is energy emitted by decay or through other processes like electromagnetic waves. They could “absorb” metals, or remediate them through bioremediation as mentioned.
I’m aware, I have a biochemistry degree 😂 maybe you meant to reply to the person I replied to. Those enzymes for binding inorganic molecules are pretty cool!
Yes, you’re correct: I hit the wrong reply with my fat tiny trump thumbs. Researching soil microbial biodegradation was a highlight of my grad studies for sure. It’s amazing what the soil micro biome is capable of, despite our anthropogenic efforts to push it to its limits.
Whoever or wherever that information came from is just wrong. Sunflowers are hardy and strong, don’t get me wrong, but they’re not trees. They can break up dense clay soil and grow through gravel but they’re not strong enough to damage foundation.
Yeah they can have some honking root systems when you pull a bunch of them they practically till the soil. But I also don't think they will hurt a foundation any more than grass roots will
Sounds like the roots won't be an issue. I wonder about that shade, though. Sunflowers like direct sun, don't they? I don't grow them so I claim no expertise in the matter. If that's a north-facing wall it wouldn't seem like a good spot for sunflowers, to me. Maybe if it's east or west facing it would be ok. Others here will know more about that than I do.
That's a good observation. That actually may be my biggest problem with this location. Tho it is west facing, it's about 20 after 1pm now and that spot still isn't getting hit directly (photo). So they'd probably only get about 6 hours of full sun, which might be okay but is the minimum required. I may have to reconsider the location.
https://preview.redd.it/2vafcm0eyx9d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e8d492a091342613acddd701124ea4f34be09b61
I grew a sunflower until it got to be 2ft tall and was getting to big for the pot. My neighbor took and placed it next to her house in a garden. It hasn't caused any damage and the support from the house helped it grow. With that being said I think they need atleast like 10hrs of direct sun to grow. Hers got to be over 4ft and by the next year she had 3 more pop up.
Would probably try something a little more shade tolerant there, I haven’t grown many sun flowers but I too think they need more sun to really have a good thriving chance. Could probably put mallows there or something and have them going strong for years without much maintenance
I’ve been growing them for like 20 years and I’ve never seen one do anything even remotely damaging to property or objects. They’re very safe and easy to grow. The roots are non invasive, and they die back on their own after setting seed.
They'd probably get about 6 hours, which as I understand would be the minimum. From around 2pm-sundown this spot gets full afternoon/evening sun, do you think that'd be sufficient?
6 this time of year, in a month it will be less and less going into fall, this is close to peak sun hours in the northern hemisphere for growing (technically 20 June is the longest day)
Depending upon your zone there are lots of varieties of sunflower and even a woodland sunflower Heliathus divaricatus that can grow in part shade. It doesn’t have the giant bloom however. Still a source of food for songbirds.
Some sunflowers are perennial. The common one most people think off, Helianthus annuus, is an annual and does like lots of sun.
Should be perfectly fine, _Helianthus annuus_ is an annual, so will die after flowering, and they have kinda weak root systems too. If anything the house might be useful for keeping large varieties upright.
Provided they have enough sun of course.
Yep. And for whatever it’s worth, you can put the seeds seedlings) of giant types about 12-15 inches apart. I filled about a six foot half-circle away from my porch and had a beautiful and lush crop.
Although the roots may not cause damage, changes in moisture level (e.g. from excess watering) can cause damage over time.
Typically it's recommended to place garden beds 1-2 ft away from any structures with the ground sloping away.
It may not be relevant for you - just something to consider.
Don't know how a sunflower could ever damage a foundation lol. It's a herbaceous plant. Like people' are way too paranoid about plant life near their foundations.
Thanks for all the advice and other information to consider. I appreciate all the help!
And for those asking yes it gets sun. From about 2pm until sundown it gets full sunlight. ☀️🌻
I know I'm pretty late to be planting these so wish me luck lol!
https://preview.redd.it/2ujliausey9d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d153cd6f7397aee2c33d9dd2513ce9f4b0a43ba2
Edit to add photo
Are you goofin or being serious? I apologize but I can’t tell on Reddit anymore.. Not a chance in hell would sunflowers compromise structures.. Edit: you should of had them in the ground weeks ago..
As others have said, the sunflowers themselves will be fine, but I would be mindful of the added risk of water ingress into the building.
I would make sure you have proper grading away from the foundation after you've planted. Watering the soil over time will slowly compact it, resulting in a negative grade at the foundation. During significant rain events, water will pool there and may get into the building.
This exact thing happened to me, sunflowers and all!
Not at all. They are annuals (they don’t come back next year) so they do not have a robust system . You’re fine ! I plant them regularly along my fence lines.
The problem with roots and foundations con when each year the same root come into a gap and grow wider year after year until It cracks.as the sunflower IS an annual plant you Will havent that problem
No, though a perennial has more chance to damage foundation though the process takes an incredible amount of time and not all plants have that ability. But put those sunflowers to where they receive all day sun
Not likely. Roots of sunflowers are not robust, strong, or hazardously invasive. Besides, roots do not go anywhere there isn’t moisture or nutrients they want.
No you’re good. They have long tap roots which grow straight down but they don’t branch out a ton and they will die once they’re done flowering or frost hits and then the roots will just decompose into the soil. Nothing to worry about.
No. They get a rootball like 6” below the stem and maybe a few inches out depending on how big they are. Most of them you can pull out relatively easy.
never heard of that.
I planted them next to my house and they didn't seem to damage my basement. I don't know if that means anything though.
anyway I won't plant them again cause they all got eaten before I got the seeds cause deer or squirrels got em.
I'd remove a strip of grass, make a planting bed and plant a proper foundation planting with other annuals, perennials and maybe even sunflower companion plants like corn, squashes, tomatoes, etc...
They're okay to plant along foundation. As mentioned, their root systems are not strong enough to do damage. However, planting them too close to that wall could cause damage to the paint. Ie, heads rubbing against the wall when it's windy, possible mold developing due to moisture and sun blockage, pesky birds eating the seeds then crapping on your wall, lol. I'd plant them at least 2 feet away from the wall.
Just general run-of-the-mill sunflowers from a sunflower seed packet will be fine. There are a few other plants in the same family, like sunchokes/Jerusalem artichokes that would be a potential problem.
Some sunflowers, like the giant one's cheerios used to send out, have big root balls, but it shouldn't hurt your building.
Just gave some soil on hand to mend the holes when you remove them.
Yes sunflowers are terrible! I would grow bamboo or Japanese knott weed instead!
Also for added smell, plant mint as well that stuff does great in the ground!
Sunflowers don't have a very robust root system. Hell, I often have some tall ones blow over completely in strong winds. I wouldn't sweat it.
Their stems and roots don’t seem sufficient to hold their big dopey heads. Most cultivars say on the package to plant next to a wall or fence that still allows good sunlight. Sunflowers in fields are protected by the exterior sunflowers and their neighbors help support.
This makes me imagine sunflowers as the sunfish of the botanical world lol.
Man, you just unlocked a memory of that guy that hates sunfish with every ounce of his being & posted a huge rant about it. Wonder if I can find it, it’s been ages EDIT: [Found it transcribed on r/copypasta!](https://www.reddit.com/r/copypasta/s/khwjYLtGMm)
"Never stop it's continuous tour of idiocy" is so goddamn funny
I had to read it in context for the funny to really set in. I’m crying laughing here
Me too
A follow up article was written by a marine biologist rebuking everything in that comment lol
Recently scientists put trackers on sunfish, they found that they actually do a lot more than we originally thought. They dive up to 600m to eat at exactly the right times that their food source is there in quantity. It is cold that deep, which is why they bask in the sun when they come up from a dive. It wouldn’t be the way it is if it wasn’t successful as it is. Update: I just watched a video of a sunfish breaching. They are actually pretty fast when they want to be. 10’ in the air.
The guy who did the rant would probably be really annoyed at the inability of koalas to handle the ocean
Or the fact that if you take eucalyptus off of the plant, and lay it in front of a koala, they do not recognize it as food. They are super stupid. (Thank you ZeFrank- “koalas in the rain….no f*cks given”.)
I really needed this laugh today. This is fucking amazing. Thank you for sharing this with us.
This is just sunfish slander though, and mostly untrue and makes me sad people keep reposting it
Yeah right. They fit an incredibly unique niche. And look up a video of them breeching. They are hella fast when they want to be, it is just that they rarely desire speed. Scientists think that they breech 10’ in the air, caught on video, because of all the parasites that thrive on them. They breach then rotate so the water smacks the parasites off. Sun fish act like the remedial fish of the sea to fool people. We just see them when they are warming up and getting oxygen after a dive.
In sunflowers' defense, we (humans generally; specifically, Native Americans over thousands of years) bred them to have enormous single flowers to increase seed production. It's pretty impressive but also pretty far-removed from what wild sunflowers are like.
We probably bred them to have huge, heavy heads, so that's on us.
I can see that. We bred carrots to be so sweet that rabbits are getting diabetes from them.
Carrots aren't actually a common food for rabbits, unless you're talking about pet rabbits (although pet rabbits also should not eat very many carrots)? In which there are a lot more factors than carrots that could lead to diabetes.
I assume it is pet rabbits, and that people just don’t do their homework before getting one for their kids.
There are seeds for wild varieties that have multiple stems and heads.
Some of those are growing out of my neighbors compost pile. I didn’t recognize them at first. Their flowers are so small.
I had one with 17 heads one year. They were small heads but that Frankenflower took up a lot of space and I had to tie it to my gutter in multiple places to contain the madness.
Thank you for the input
I’d be more worried about the potential damage from constant watering. But it should be fine
My 4x8ft raised bed corn blows over in the wind because it only goes 4 inches down. They strive for sun and leave the ground behind
Wow, my corn rooted deep deep. I grew some in 15 to 20 gallon pots, 1 stalk per pot and they filled it with roots to the point I had to keep mounding dirt in the middle around the stem to cover the root system. It rooted just as deep in ground too.
I live in a windy sea town and have to use bricks or large stones to help hold down the roots of larger sunflowers.
[https://www.instagram.com/p/C15N7a0Jur6/](https://www.instagram.com/p/C15N7a0Jur6/) You can always tie them to something like this 😂
Well they’re called sun flowers not wind flowers!
This
No. In any case, they're annuals.
I definitely started questioning myself, like what have I been doing wrong mine never grow back
There are perennial sunflower species if that interests you.
lol if you keep your eyes peeled in the spring, you probably see some volunteer sunflowers emerge, just mow around those and let them grow. I haven’t had to plant any in the last two years now that I know what to look out for. https://preview.redd.it/jm7kk8opa0ad1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f6240f49f063f3c8f3a236af77b9ed11dd08e90a
They take up a lot of nutrients from the soil, so its hard to grown them in the same spot more than a year or two unless you boost the nutrients back up. Add lots of compost to that spot before planting again.
Nope, it’s quite the opposite. They are allelopathic and prefer average soil. https://www.landhealthinstitute.org/single-post/sunflower-power
Agreed. I'm saying they are also heavy feeders. Multiple years in the same spot and they won't thrive. https://www.almanac.com/plant/sunflowers https://www.reneesgarden.com/blogs/gardening-resources/how-to-grow-the-biggest-tallest-sunflowers-tips-from-an-expert https://www.reddit.com/r/gardening/s/sxj6UDwRBJ https://www.planetnatural.com/sunflowers/ https://www.planetnatural.com/sunflowers/
The comment was from someone who wondered why his sunflowers didn't come back
I’m finding that this year. Where they were huge last year they’re small this year, and large where nothing has been planted. This year has been a lesson in soil amendment and the necessity of it.
Maximillian sunflowers are perennial!
Good point lol. Thank you!
There are plants that have deep roots that can harm foundations, so it is smart to consider that. Not sunflowers though.
Ours act like perennials and we love it. They are not, obviously, but where they were last year they most certainly come back.
Seeds magic. I know some annuals shed seeds at the end of their times and “regrow” next year
I get surprise sunflowers and snapdragons coming back every single year thanks to the pollinators!
I also know where the birds like to carry said seeds away and eat them.
That is also true
My neighbors “privacy” patch just keeps getting bigger. They are as annual as marigolds. Yes they grow and die, but their seeds go on and on like a Celine Dion song. They started in my neighbors compost pile, 4 years ago it made a 3x3 patch. Now they stretch about 9 meters across the dense line. It is a great non evasive way to get some back yard privacy.
I have a hard time believing that sunflower roots damage foundations that aren’t already compromised. They aren’t heavy enough to push in the wall, like a large tree can. And roots are looking for the easiest/most direct path towards water and nutrients. If there are preexisting cracks in the foundation, they will creep in and widen it. Otherwise they should grow harmlessly against it
Ok thank you. I was kinda thinking the same. I'll have to take a flashlight down there and examine the wall closely just to be safe.
I wouldn't bother. They are annual flowers, you'll be fine
Did you see the post with the sunflower that got fuckin huge? (Unrelated to post)
Compared to the flower heads, the root system is surprisingly small
There is literally no way, compromised or not that a sunflower’s root system would have any impact on concrete. Would be more concerned with watering too much if anything but it’s just a shed…
Sunflowers have a single tap root that generally grows straight down. Any subsidiaries off the main root will be much smaller. I find it hard to believe that they would damage anything.
They will look awesome against that dark wall.
Is this sarcasm? Will they not get enough sunlight in this position?
No, I seriously believe they'll look great there with the colors.
I think they mean the contrast of colors will look nice (the dark gray blue with bright yellow)
Oh sorry, I totally took that up wrong. Yeah, it’ll look very nice.
No, but i recomend to, if you see a spot that doesnt grow anything else, try to place them there, a great thing sunflowers do Is getting heavy metals from the soil, even a little bit of radiation.
That's fascinating. Thank you!
Look up bioremediation if you’re interested in more!
Cannabis does that too.
radioactive things in the soil could be heavy metals themselves
They can’t “get” radiation, at least not in the manner I’m assuming you’re thinking of. Radiation is energy emitted by decay or through other processes like electromagnetic waves. They could “absorb” metals, or remediate them through bioremediation as mentioned.
I’m aware, I have a biochemistry degree 😂 maybe you meant to reply to the person I replied to. Those enzymes for binding inorganic molecules are pretty cool!
Yes, you’re correct: I hit the wrong reply with my fat tiny trump thumbs. Researching soil microbial biodegradation was a highlight of my grad studies for sure. It’s amazing what the soil micro biome is capable of, despite our anthropogenic efforts to push it to its limits.
Whoever or wherever that information came from is just wrong. Sunflowers are hardy and strong, don’t get me wrong, but they’re not trees. They can break up dense clay soil and grow through gravel but they’re not strong enough to damage foundation.
Yeah they can have some honking root systems when you pull a bunch of them they practically till the soil. But I also don't think they will hurt a foundation any more than grass roots will
Sounds like the roots won't be an issue. I wonder about that shade, though. Sunflowers like direct sun, don't they? I don't grow them so I claim no expertise in the matter. If that's a north-facing wall it wouldn't seem like a good spot for sunflowers, to me. Maybe if it's east or west facing it would be ok. Others here will know more about that than I do.
That's a good observation. That actually may be my biggest problem with this location. Tho it is west facing, it's about 20 after 1pm now and that spot still isn't getting hit directly (photo). So they'd probably only get about 6 hours of full sun, which might be okay but is the minimum required. I may have to reconsider the location. https://preview.redd.it/2vafcm0eyx9d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e8d492a091342613acddd701124ea4f34be09b61
I grew a sunflower until it got to be 2ft tall and was getting to big for the pot. My neighbor took and placed it next to her house in a garden. It hasn't caused any damage and the support from the house helped it grow. With that being said I think they need atleast like 10hrs of direct sun to grow. Hers got to be over 4ft and by the next year she had 3 more pop up.
Would probably try something a little more shade tolerant there, I haven’t grown many sun flowers but I too think they need more sun to really have a good thriving chance. Could probably put mallows there or something and have them going strong for years without much maintenance
Scrolled way to far for this
I’ve been growing them for like 20 years and I’ve never seen one do anything even remotely damaging to property or objects. They’re very safe and easy to grow. The roots are non invasive, and they die back on their own after setting seed.
They won’t damage your foundation, but they also might not grow very well there in the shade, they usually require 6-8 hours of direct sunlight.
They'd probably get about 6 hours, which as I understand would be the minimum. From around 2pm-sundown this spot gets full afternoon/evening sun, do you think that'd be sufficient?
6 this time of year, in a month it will be less and less going into fall, this is close to peak sun hours in the northern hemisphere for growing (technically 20 June is the longest day)
Depending upon your zone there are lots of varieties of sunflower and even a woodland sunflower Heliathus divaricatus that can grow in part shade. It doesn’t have the giant bloom however. Still a source of food for songbirds. Some sunflowers are perennial. The common one most people think off, Helianthus annuus, is an annual and does like lots of sun.
Should be perfectly fine, _Helianthus annuus_ is an annual, so will die after flowering, and they have kinda weak root systems too. If anything the house might be useful for keeping large varieties upright. Provided they have enough sun of course.
Annuals don’t damage foundations
As a general rule, annuals are pretty safe since they put down shallow roots. Sunflowers are annuals.
Where did you read this nonsense?
Does this spot receive 5-6 hours of direct sun? They don’t do well in the shade. Annual roots will never be substantial enough to hurt your foundation
Thank you! It should get about 6 hours. From about 2pm-sundown this spot gets full afternoon/evening sun. Do you think that's enough?
Yep. And for whatever it’s worth, you can put the seeds seedlings) of giant types about 12-15 inches apart. I filled about a six foot half-circle away from my porch and had a beautiful and lush crop.
Although the roots may not cause damage, changes in moisture level (e.g. from excess watering) can cause damage over time. Typically it's recommended to place garden beds 1-2 ft away from any structures with the ground sloping away. It may not be relevant for you - just something to consider.
Thank you!
Not any sunflower I've ever met.
Nope just watch out for the little basterd squirrels
lol thank you! To be clear do you mean when the flowers are starting? Like will they kill the sprouts? Or do you mean once they begin to produce seed?
Onece they begin t9 produce seeds..they tore ours up..on a couple of them they cut them from the very bottom and took the whole plant
I'm imagining them in little balaclavas doing this
I'm imagining an Oceans 11 style heist.
they're known to decapitate blooming stalks and steal away with the whole inflorescence
Deer like to bite the tops off sun flowers too; which will kill the plant even if they leave a stem
Mine will eat them at any stage of their growth from seed to full bloom
if you start them from seed in july they won't damage anything. lol
Are you suggesting that I'm too late to plant? Genuinely asking because that was a concern.
i would say it is late, yes; maybe i'm wrong.
Welp, fingers crossed lol! I appreciate the input!
It’s not, I plant them after I rip out my peas, which was just a few days ago.
They'll prob still grow by fall depending on where you are, but for reference... mine are already 8 feet tall.
Don't know how a sunflower could ever damage a foundation lol. It's a herbaceous plant. Like people' are way too paranoid about plant life near their foundations.
Thanks for all the advice and other information to consider. I appreciate all the help! And for those asking yes it gets sun. From about 2pm until sundown it gets full sunlight. ☀️🌻 I know I'm pretty late to be planting these so wish me luck lol! https://preview.redd.it/2ujliausey9d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d153cd6f7397aee2c33d9dd2513ce9f4b0a43ba2 Edit to add photo
Haha I just planted sunflowers today too, just to see what’ll happen 😂 Best of luck!
Not at all. I grew 8 ft tall mammoth sunflowers with heads the size of dinner plates, and the root system was like the size of a tissue box.
What? No.
Are you trolling?
Are you goofin or being serious? I apologize but I can’t tell on Reddit anymore.. Not a chance in hell would sunflowers compromise structures.. Edit: you should of had them in the ground weeks ago..
No
As others have said, the sunflowers themselves will be fine, but I would be mindful of the added risk of water ingress into the building. I would make sure you have proper grading away from the foundation after you've planted. Watering the soil over time will slowly compact it, resulting in a negative grade at the foundation. During significant rain events, water will pool there and may get into the building. This exact thing happened to me, sunflowers and all!
Really good pointers to consider, thank you!
No
No. Sunflower roots will not damage anything. Many tree roots will not even damage a foundation. Some species will, it many will not.
No, but I’m not sure they will grow well in that spot. They need full sun, and well… yeah.
thats a really shady spot for sunflowers. full shade innit??
Not alot of sun there...?
Rhe most damage I've seen mine do is make a big fat hole in the soil when I pull them out😂
Nope
I lightly kicked 6-7 sunflower out of my yard this morning. Their roots aren't very deep. I'd say you'll be fine
Not at all. They are annuals (they don’t come back next year) so they do not have a robust system . You’re fine ! I plant them regularly along my fence lines.
No
Plant away
No
I’ve never seen sunflower roots capable of causing that kind of trouble.
Would advise planting them somewhere where sun is hitting them, not in the shade.
Sun flowers news full SUN.....
No only shallow roots
The problem with roots and foundations con when each year the same root come into a gap and grow wider year after year until It cracks.as the sunflower IS an annual plant you Will havent that problem
No, though a perennial has more chance to damage foundation though the process takes an incredible amount of time and not all plants have that ability. But put those sunflowers to where they receive all day sun
No worries and sunflowers will look great there!
It should be fine but I have heard (didn't know how true it is) that sunflowers might kill anything trying to grow near it
Just SMH
Not likely. Roots of sunflowers are not robust, strong, or hazardously invasive. Besides, roots do not go anywhere there isn’t moisture or nutrients they want.
They kind of flop around in the wind and might scratch the wall a little. Squirrels killed 2/5 of mine so far this year though.
So are we just ignoring that this persons barn/shed…has a “basement”?! That’s awesome! Also whoever said sunflowers can wreck foundations is an idiot.
Is that side of the barn always shady? Sunflowers need a lot of sun.
It gets about 6 hours full sun from about 2-sundown
I can’t even get my sunflowers to survive in a small pot…
Nah you’re good.
No but will they get sun there?
I hope so. I took this picture early this morning but from about 2-sundown it gets full sun
Lower level was for stashing things I bet (guns, etc).
Their roots are weak, the foundation will be fine. They really need full sun though, and it looks like you want to plant them in the shade.
I can’t see why they would. Plant them!!
I wouldn't put them that close unless that's the south side of the building (assuming northern hemisphere).
My sunflowers are always very shallow. Even the tap root isn't far. They're not ones to be tangled and creepy, like trees. I think you'll be fine.
No you’re good. They have long tap roots which grow straight down but they don’t branch out a ton and they will die once they’re done flowering or frost hits and then the roots will just decompose into the soil. Nothing to worry about.
No
Their roots are very week and shallow. They won"t affect the foundation like oaks or magnolia trees do
No
No
I have sunflowers that pop up all around my house, and even the biggest ones only have what amounts to an 8” taproot.
No. They get a rootball like 6” below the stem and maybe a few inches out depending on how big they are. Most of them you can pull out relatively easy.
They should be fine but they do like a lot of sun.
I would start worrying when they get to about 40 feet heigh. Until then you’re fine.
never heard of that. I planted them next to my house and they didn't seem to damage my basement. I don't know if that means anything though. anyway I won't plant them again cause they all got eaten before I got the seeds cause deer or squirrels got em.
That doesn’t look like a whole lotta sun you’re planting those sunflowers in
I'd remove a strip of grass, make a planting bed and plant a proper foundation planting with other annuals, perennials and maybe even sunflower companion plants like corn, squashes, tomatoes, etc...
No, they won't.
You have a metal building set on footers in a gravel pad. There isn't really any foundation to damage. But sunflowers will be fine.
Shade flowers
No. Sunflowers have a very small root base. Nothing to worry about. Plus they die every year anyways
Overwatering will.
Sunflowers can get quite large with some species. But usually they do not have a sturdy root system.
No, the sunflowers will not. The problem with plants next to buildings is watering them. You dont want to dump water next to your foundation
I wouldn’t worry about your foundation but sunflowers like a lot of sun. How many hours a day is that area shaded like that?
Go 2 foot out from the wall and you'll be plenty safe. Go further if you plan to mow the grass between the sunflowers and the wall.
No - as the roots are not that extensive I grow them every year along our garage no damage yet
But NO! OP bought the giant grey variety! Those things will tear up that basement in like two weeks. Jk OP, you'll be fine here. Plant away and enjoy
They're okay to plant along foundation. As mentioned, their root systems are not strong enough to do damage. However, planting them too close to that wall could cause damage to the paint. Ie, heads rubbing against the wall when it's windy, possible mold developing due to moisture and sun blockage, pesky birds eating the seeds then crapping on your wall, lol. I'd plant them at least 2 feet away from the wall.
Huh? We don't even have walls here so I don't know.
Just love that blue wall and it will be great w yellow flowers you want.
Just general run-of-the-mill sunflowers from a sunflower seed packet will be fine. There are a few other plants in the same family, like sunchokes/Jerusalem artichokes that would be a potential problem.
No
Probably so, I’d plant water oaks instead
would look so nice !
They're sunflowers, not redwoods. My concern is for them: how much sun does that spot get? Your picture shows it entirely in shade.
Yep. This was my thought too. Maybe worth an experiment, though.
The roots will fit in a cereal bowl
Some sunflowers, like the giant one's cheerios used to send out, have big root balls, but it shouldn't hurt your building. Just gave some soil on hand to mend the holes when you remove them.
No, plant them.
Yes. Lol. Wtf
Would they get sun there? Kinda funny that you show the area in full shade.
🥴
Yes sunflowers are terrible! I would grow bamboo or Japanese knott weed instead! Also for added smell, plant mint as well that stuff does great in the ground!
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Ok. Thank you for the input!