Bugesera: Sunflowers in Rwanda, conditions for their thriving

Sunflowers thrive during hot and dry climate and their roots can get water from the long distance even watering them twice to four times In a year is enough for them to grow very well.

This was said by Jean de Dieu Nkinzingabo the agronomist of Bugesera district advising sunflower growers for the good and productive harvest of sunflower.

“The Sunflower plant needs little Azote minerals compared to crops like maize. However, a farmer should prepare enough fertilizers in the soil though sunflowers need deep soil more than they need fertilizers” the agronomist explained.

The sunflower plant does not have many animals or insects that can destroy it except for birds that like its flowers though it is also affected by some diseases that can be controlled. It is good for sunflowers to be grown in April or May and harvested in august.

“The sunflower plant has a strong stem that is in 3 meters long. Its flowers are circular that are about 30 centimeters. Its seeds are covered with small leaves in order that are yellow in colour.”

“The flower of a blossoming sunflower changes its direction depending on the direction of the sun. Cells of the sunflower in shades are more productive that those in the sun as the stem bends towards the sun” explains the agronomist.

According to Wikipedia, sunflowers are from the western part of the Northern America, west of Canada and northern Mexico. The research done in 2010 shows that sunflowers were first found in the west Patagonia and it has been around for the last 500 years.