Sunflower Season in North Texas at Hemingway Hill’s U-Pick Flower Farm

It’s late June, and at Hemingway Hill, that means sunflower season.

Fields of thousands of cheerful yellow sunflowers can be hard to find, but when you know where to look, they are worth the drive. And, if you’re lucky, you’ll find a place where you can stop for a while, sip on a made-from-scratch blackberry lemonade, wander the fields, and pick yourself a fresh summer bouquet.

At Hemingway Hill, we’ve got you covered.

I’m Jennifer Loyall, founder and flower farmer of Hemingway Hill. Although I grow many kinds of flowers, sunflowers are hands-down one of my favorites. They are the flower that first taught me how to grow flowers, partly because they are very forgiving.

Sunflowers come in so many unique varieties. My personal favorites, which have become customer favorites too, are two varieties called “Marley” and “Shock O Lat.” Each bloom is distinctly different from the next. “White Light,” a soft cream-colored sunflower with a light yellow center, is another variety that tends to be one of the first to go in the u-pick fields.

During sunflower season, you may see these and many other varieties in bloom at different times. If you visit and do not see a particular variety you were hoping for, there is a good chance you may see it about 20 days later, as different sections of the field bloom at different times.

We also sell sunflower seeds, so you can plant your own sunflowers when you get home. You can never have enough sunflowers.

When Is Sunflower Season in North Texas?

Sunflower season at Hemingway Hill typically begins in late June and continues into early August, depending on weather and bloom timing.

Sunflowers start blooming in June, right around the summer solstice. Fitting, right?

In North Texas, we are in growing zone 8, which means we get some significant temperature swings and plenty of entertaining growing conditions for me as the lead flower farmer at Hemingway Hill. Unlike tulips, which we grow for a much shorter season in early spring, sunflower season lasts much longer, generally from June through early August.

How Hemingway Hill Grows Thousands of Sunflowers for Summer Visitors

I start planting sunflowers in mid-April.

There is always a temptation to plant sunflower seeds at the beginning of April, but sunflowers need the soil to be warm enough for a certain period of time in order to germinate. It is safer to plant a little later in April.

Some sunflower varieties can mature in about 50 days, but I prefer to plant the more robust varieties that take about 65 days to bloom. They are worth the wait, which is why we often do not open u-pick flowers until the later part of June.

Sunflowers love to grow in compost, and lots of it. I use a plant-based cotton burr compost and an organic fertilizer. Before planting flowers, I literally have semi-truck loads of plant-based compost delivered right into the middle of the field.

I do this to increase the organic matter in the soil, and it really helps the flowers flourish. The sunflowers love it.

How Planting Distance Shapes the Height of Our Sunflowers

Do you love giant sunflowers?

The key to determining how tall a sunflower will be has everything to do with how far apart you plant the seeds. We have fun making some flowers really tall, but the majority of our sunflowers grow to about 5 to 6 feet tall. That makes them tall enough for a beautiful field experience, but still the perfect size to cut and place in a bouquet.

In the section of the field where the sunflowers are really tall, we created a giant 10-foot “I Love Sunflowers” sign. We retrofitted it onto a garden wagon and wheel it around the field depending on which section is blooming.

When planting sunflowers, we dig long, 3-inch-deep trenches in freshly tilled soil while the soil is soft and easier to work with. We add more compost, generously layer in sunflower seeds, and cover them. Not every seed will bloom, which is part of farming.

Fifteen days later, we do it again. Then, 15 days after that, we do it one more time. This staggered planting schedule helps us have fresh blooms throughout the summer, as each section blooms for about 20 days.

Once one section is done blooming, we gently till it back into the soil before it goes to seed. The stalks then provide nutrients back to the field.

Other U-Pick Flowers Blooming with Our Sunflowers

Sunflowers like friends.

Along with sunflowers, we grow other heat-tolerant flowers to round out your u-pick bouquets, including:

• “White Swan” marigolds, a tall, marshmallow-colored marigold that smells wonderful
• Plumes of celosia
• A sea of colorful zinnias
• Other summer flowers that pair beautifully with sunflowers

These flowers add color, texture, and variety to the bouquets you gather in the field. They also attract butterflies, and you might even see monarchs while you are out picking your blooms.

After you finish picking, we package your flowers in craft paper and a floral sleeve with water for the car ride home.

Sunflower Fields for Family Photos and Summer Memories

Roaming through a field and picking flowers is fun, but sunflower season is also a beautiful time to take photos and capture summer family memories.

Because of the way we plant, the flowers create a thick sunflower hedge that makes a wonderful backdrop for pictures. Visitors can sit on a bench in front of the blooms and take photos surrounded by summer color.

We are also seeing more photographers come just to take photos of the sunflowers. They really are that beautiful.

Make a Sunflower Memory at Hemingway Hill This Summer

Sunflowers are symbolic of optimism. Come surround yourself with fields of it.

Make plans this summer to see the sunflowers in bloom, create a family memory, and take home a fresh-cut bouquet you gathered yourself. Add a bag of fresh-made kettle corn, and you have the perfect souvenir from your Texas flower adventure.

Those sunny blooms on your kitchen table will bring joy for days to come.

Plan Your Visit to Hemingway Hill During Sunflower Season

Hemingway Hill is a flower farm in Terrell, Texas, just east of Dallas. It is a fun place to bring the family, spend time outdoors, and enjoy the beauty of seasonal flowers.

Summer Hours:
Check our website for hours.

We may add a Thursday sunset u-pick in the future, so stay tuned for updates.

Admission:
$4 field admission. Kids 10 and under are free.

U-Pick Flowers:
Sold separately on a per-stem basis.

Summer Drinks:
Strawberry and banana matchas, plus made-from-scratch blackberry lemonade.

We also invite you to visit us for our other two public seasons: our old-fashioned Christmas tree experience in December, complete with apple cider donuts, and our Tulipville u-pick tulip event in early spring.

We can’t wait to see you at the farm.

By Jennifer Loyall, Founder and Flower Farmer, Hemingway Hill