Sunflowers: 6 Reasons to Grow them | Sparking Joy

Sunflowers: 6 Reasons to Grow them | Sparking Joy

19:11 Nov 12, 2025
About this episode
Leave a comment!๐ŸŒป How cool are sunflowers?In this Sparking Joy episode of White Strawberries, we explore everything there is to love about sunflowers โ€” their ancient history, mythological roots, and the many ways they bring life (and light!) to your garden.From Greek mythologyโ€™s Helios and the sunflower nymph, to modern uses like phytoremediation โ€” where sunflowers help clean toxins from the soil after disasters like Chernobyl and Fukushima โ€” these plants are true multitaskers.We also dive into how to:ย ๐ŸŒป Use sunflowers as living garden structures for beans, peas, and pumpkins ๐Ÿ Support pollinators and boost biodiversity ๐ŸŒฟ Choose heirloom, non-F1 sunflower seeds for saving and replanting ๐Ÿฅ— Enjoy the nutritional power of sunflower seeds โ€” packed with healthy fats, protein, and minerals ๐Ÿ” Feed your chickens homegrown, nutrient-rich seeds for a sustainable flockWhether youโ€™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.๐ŸŒป 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.๐Ÿ“ธ Letโ€™s connect on Instagram: @whitestrawberriespodcast ๐Ÿ“˜ Join the convo on Facebook: White Strawberries Podcast๐ŸŽง Connect with me.
Select an episode
0:00 0:00