When to Plant Sunflower in Alice Springs, Arid / Semi-Arid Guide

Sow August to February. Right now in October you can sow.

Planting window
Sow from spring once frost has passed, with the last sowing in February. Sunflowers handle the heat well with deep watering.
Days to harvest
about 11 weeks
Sunlight
Full sun, minimum 6 hours, ideally 8+. Sunflowers are heliotropic (young heads follow the sun) and need maximum light for best growth.
Water needs
Water well at planting and during early growth. Once established (30cm+), sunflowers are...
Spacing
45cm apart, 75cm between rows
Soil pH
6.0-7.5

Published · Last reviewed · By GardenBuddy.au
Growing advice is reviewed by hand. Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.

This Sunflower guide is written for the Arid / Semi-Arid zone, which takes in Alice Springs, Broken Hill and Port Augusta. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.

Not your zone? Cairns Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Canberra Perth

Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.

Sunflower

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Sunflowers are dual-purpose annual plants grown for edible seeds and ornamental beauty. They are among the easiest and most rewarding plants for Australian gardens, growing rapidly from seed and producing spectacular flower heads that attract pollinators. Important note: sunflowers exhibit allelopathy. They release chemicals through roots and decomposing plant matter that inhibit the growth of certain nearby plants.

See what grows now in your own postcode

Planting Calendar for Arid / Semi-Arid

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
S/T/D T/D - - - - - S S/T/D S/T/D S/T/D S/T/D

S = Seed Tray   T = Transplant   D = Direct Sow

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Current Growing Conditions

Soil temperature: 24.4°C (optimal range: 15–35°C) ✓ Ready to plant

Modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Alice Springs), not a live sensor.

What this month normally looks like

In October the Arid / Semi-Arid zone normally runs 32°C by day and 16°C overnight, with about 19 mm of rain over 2 or 3 wet days. The coldest October night on record across the zone was 1.9°C, so a late frost is not out of the question. Averages 1991 to 2026, 10 postcodes, SILO.

How to Grow Sunflower in Arid / Semi-Arid Australia

When to Plant

Sow from spring once frost has passed, with the last sowing in February. Sunflowers handle the heat well with deep watering.

Soil
Tolerates a wide range but prefers well-drained loam. Will grow in poor soil but produces larger heads in enriched soil. Remarkably drought-tolerant once established due to deep taproot.
pH Range
6.0-7.5
Sunlight
Full sun, minimum 6 hours, ideally 8+. Sunflowers are heliotropic (young heads follow the sun) and need maximum light for best growth.
Spacing
45cm apart, 75cm between rows
Watering
Water well at planting and during early growth. Once established (30cm+), sunflowers are surprisingly drought-tolerant. Deep weekly watering during head development and seed fill improves yield...

Companion plants: Corn, Squash/Pumpkin, Cucumber, Zinnia, Cosmos

Avoid planting near: Potato (allelopathic inhibition), Pole beans (allelopathic inhibition), Most brassicas, Grasses (allelopathically suppressed)

Grow before, grow after

Sunflower belongs with the other fruiting crops, the fruiting crops turn of a four turn bed rotation.

Grow before it
Leafy greens and brassicas (Lettuce, Silverbeet, Broccoli)
Grow after it
Roots and alliums (Carrot, Beetroot, Onion)

Give the bed 3 turns before other fruiting crops go back in. Corn, okra and sunflower are heavy feeders that sit with the fruiting crops in the cycle.

Arid / Semi-Arid Growing Tips for Sunflower

Recommended Varieties

  • Giant Russian
  • Mammoth Grey Stripe
  • Hopi Black Dye (heritage, drought-adapted)
  • Autumn Beauty

Key Challenges

  • Extreme heat can scorch plants
  • Requires irrigation
  • Bird damage when seeds ripen

Pro Tips

  • Sunflowers are remarkably heat-tolerant once the taproot establishes
  • Deep watering at planting, then weekly deep irrigation
  • Hopi Black Dye is a heritage variety bred for arid conditions

Harvesting Sunflower

When ready: For EDIBLE SEEDS: back of head turns from green to yellow-brown, petals have dried and fallen, seeds are plump and hard, head droops downward. For ORNAMENTAL cut flowers: harvest when first ring of outer florets opens, before fully open.

How to harvest: For seeds: cut head with 30cm of stem. Hang upside down in dry, airy place inside a paper bag or with cloth underneath to catch falling seeds. Alternatively, rub seeds out of head by hand once dry (wear gloves, rough). For cut flowers: cut stems early morning, place in water immediately.

Common Sunflower Pests in Arid / Semi-Arid Zones

Aphids and Leaf Spots, risk: LOW (score: 31/100)

Organic prevention (Aphids): Healthy, well-spaced plants resist aphids. Avoid excess nitrogen. Sunflowers naturally attract ladybirds and hoverflies which control aphids.

View all pest alerts →

Where to next

Also worth sowing in the arid and semi-arid zone this October: Lemongrass, Cucumber, Savory and Basil.

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Common Questions About Sunflower

When do you plant sunflower in Australia?

It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:

Does sunflower grow all year round in Alice Springs?

No. In the Arid / Semi-Arid zone the planting months are Jan to Feb, Aug to Dec. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.

Which zone am I in?

Type your postcode into the box under the heading and the page tells you, and links this crop in your own zone if it differs. Or look it up on the grow zone map. This page is the Arid / Semi-Arid zone, Alice Springs is its reference city.