Cornell Cooperative Extension Orange County launches sunflower-growing contest for youth

Orange County kids ages 5 to 19 got a low-cost summer challenge with a visible payoff: five free sunflower seeds, a place in a countywide contest, and a chance at prizes for the tallest plant and the largest bloom. Cornell Cooperative Extension Orange County opened the free competition to county youth and Orange County 4-H members, and teachers, club leaders and other youth leaders can register groups.

Registration closes Monday, June 15 at 6 a.m. Once signed up, participants will receive a packet of five seeds and growing instructions during the week of June 15, with planting due by June 30. Contestants will then submit photos and measurements online from Sept. 1 through Oct. 15, and the blooms are expected to show up in late August and September.

The contest is in its sixth year, and the instructions center on the Giant Grey Striped sunflower, a variety that can reach 6 to 12 feet tall. Seeds should be planted 1 to 2 inches deep and spaced at least 24 inches apart in direct sun. If watered and kept moist, seedlings usually sprout in 7 to 10 days, and the plants typically mature in about 75 to 90 days after direct seeding.

The program also pushes practical gardening skills. Container-grown sunflowers need at least a 5-gallon pot, and heavier heads may need staking. The instructions warn that birds, mice, groundhogs and deer can damage young plants, which gives families a real lesson in protecting a crop while they wait for the payoff.

Last year’s fifth annual contest drew more than 750 youth ages 5 to 19. Samantha C. won the Tallest Sunflower category with an 8-foot, 5-inch plant, while Lucy R. took the Largest Bloom prize at 13 inches in diameter. Both winners received Window Gardening Herb Kits.

Orange County 4-H sponsors the contest as part of a broader youth program that also includes gardening, photography, public speaking, robotics, sewing, STEAM, teen leadership and volunteering. Cornell Cooperative Extension says its work in Orange County spans youth and family development, nutrition, health, food safety, community and economic vitality, and agricultural sustainability through Cornell-based research.

Questions go to Susan Ndiaye, the Community Horticulture Educator, through Cornell Cooperative Extension Orange County at 18 Seward Avenue, Suite 300, Middletown, NY 10940-1919, or by phone at 845-344-1234.