I've had succuss with almost everything I plant but I've NEVER had luck with sunflowers. Of course a friend of mine's 5 year old grew a huge crop.

I just used the black sunflower seeds that are used as birdseed...really cheap at the store for a bunch of seeds...and planted them in my garden..they came up nicely without doing anything but weeding.
Heather
{{gwi:1109615}}

Sunflowers hate to be transplanted which probably explains your lack of success in the past.

Sow them directly in the ground and sprinkle bloodmeal around if squirrels are a problem.

If you must start them inside, use peat pots or toilet paper tubes that you can put directly in the soil without disturbing the roots.

Janet's Garden

Thanks, Janet. Very interesting that they hate to be transplanted. Well, I still have some leftover seeds, so I'll plant some outside with some bloodmeal.

Ann