National Children’s Gardening Week: Tallest Sunflower Competition 24 May – 1 June 2025

Celebrate National Children’s Gardening week 2025, and grow the tallest sunflower ever!

We’re excited to see your green fingers and thumbs in action. So follow these easy steps, and you’ll have a giant sunflower in no time!!

Get Ready to Win

1. Colouring Activity 24th May – 1st June: Visit our information desk at Gates Oakham or Woodlands Hinckley to grab your FREE colouring sheet.
2. Colour & collect seeds 24th May –1st June: Colour your sheet in while you’re here if you’re stopping for lunch in our restaurant (or take it home to colour in). Then return it to our information desk before 1st June to collect your FREE pack of Fothergill’s sunflower seeds! (one pack per family, while stocks last).
3. Submit your Tallest Sunflower competition entry by 1st September: Send a photo of your child with their sunflower and a measuring tape to marketing@gatesgardencentre.co.uk. Competition closes 1^st September. See details at bottom of page.
4. Winner announced: Friday 5th September

Sowing and Growing, What You’ll Need:

• Fothergill’s sunflower seeds
• Small pots, multi-purpose compost, watering can
• Sunny spot
• Bigger pot (for later)
• Garden or huge pot
• Stick (cane) & string

Seed Planting and Growing Tips:

Sowing your seeds

Fill your small pots with compost, make two little holes, finger-deep and place two seeds in the holes spaced apart. Cover gently with compost and give it a little water until damp. Put your pot on a warm, sunny windowsill and look out for a tiny green shoot! watch it grow for 7-10 days. Keep the compost slightly damp, and check daily. Remove any weaker seedlings.

When your sunflower is 10-15cm tall

When it’s warm and your sunflower is looking strong, ask a grown-up to help you move it to a larger pot, or outdoors into a flower bed. Gently loosen the soil in your pot, lift your plant and place it in a new compost-filled pot or hole, and water well. Choose a sunny, sheltered spot in the garden, and place your bamboo or cane in the ground next to your sunflower.

Looking after your sunflower

• Watering: Sunflowers are thirsty so water regularly, especially in dry weather
• Feeding: For extra strength, a grown-up can help you feed it plant food every couple of weeks
• Support: As it grows tall, tie it gently to a garden cane with soft string to keep it standing tall. Add more ties as needed.
• Pests: Slugs love young sunflower plants so look out for signs of slug activity and remove them when it is damp, or if it rains.
• Side shoots: Remove side shoots to encourage the plant to grow one tall flower.

Tips for success

• Sun, Sun, Sun! Sunflowers need 6-8 hours of direct sunshine daily, so be sure to plant it in a sunny, sheltered spot
• Don’t overwater: Keep soil damp, not soaking wet
• Be patient: Growing takes time!

Submit Your Competition Entry

• Entry deadline: By 1st September.
• How to enter:
  • Take a clear photo of your child next to their sunflower
  • Show a measuring tape clearly in the photo, from the ground to the top of its head
  • Email your photo to marketing@gatesgardencentre.co.uk
  • Include: Child’s name, age, your phone number and the sunflower height
• Judging: Week of 1st September
• Winner announced: Friday 5th September
• Prizes collected from Gates Oakham: A prize for the tallest sunflower in each age category (six prizes in total across both branches):
  • 0 – 3 years
  • 4 – 7 years
  • 8 – 10 years

Good luck growers. We can’t wait to see your amazing sunflowers.

Happy growing from all of us at Gates Garden Centre Oakham and Woodlands Hinckley.