NEW MARKET, Ala. (WHNT) — As the final weeks of summer fade into fall, a North Alabama farm is debuting colorful fields of flowers.
While you might associate florals with spring, sunflowers make their appearance in late summer and early fall. The large yellow flowers are a specialty crop with several uses.
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“They can be used for oil seed or confectionary,” said Seth Hubert, the Hubert Family Farms Owner and Operator.
Sunflowers also make popular centerpieces and photo backdrops. Hubert staggered the planting of the seeds that would grow into the flowers on his farm, beginning the process in the middle of July.
“This is going to bloom in stages, and we try to get enough bloom that it’s enjoyable for the public to get in and have a good viewing,” Hubert said.
U.S. sunflowers are grown primarily in the Midwest, in states like North and South Dakota. Hubert tells News 19 the growing process is a little different in North Alabama. The summers are hotter and wetter, but the rain is important shortly after the sunflower seeds are planted.
“I’m trying to catch a rain to get them germinated, and I’ve caught say like a little shot of moisture and had it sprout them, but it wasn’t enough moisture to get going, so they die out,” Hubert said.
Hubert said his sunflowers bloom about five to 10 days earlier than sunflowers grown in other parts of the county, and he attributes the faster growth to the heat. While he said sunflowers generally like the area, farmers face a few challenges.
“In the Southeast, we’re always going to have the humidity, so we’re going to fight the fungus and the bugs,” Hubert said.
The sunflowers draw human visitors to the farm, but they are also a big hit with the bees and some larger animals.
“Our goats and sheep love sunflower leaves, and I didn’t know that until we started to grow them,” Hubert said. “They love to chew on them.”
Hubert said he expects the peak bloom of sunflowers to happen this week. Hubert Farms is open to the public for flower picking from Wednesday through Sunday until October 4.
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