Do you have a sunny space where you can plant a few sunflowers?
They are tall but not too wide and can even be planted in large pots on your deck. All they need is full sun and water.
Do you have 30 minutes twice a month look for bees on your sunflowers?
The “project” is all about pollinators…bees. As you may have heard, bee populations worldwide are declining. This is an effort to track urban bee populations and determine areas where bee numbers are critically low. You can help and get free seeds in the process.
“One of our main goals is figuring out where bees are in trouble.”
Sign up by March 9, 2009
Go to the Great Sunflower Project website and sign up for your free seeds.
Four Easy Steps
- Sign up and plant sunflowers.
- Describe your garden
- Record time it takes 5 bees to visit sunflower (up to 30 min)
- Enter data online or mail it in

Bees on last year's pumpkin flower
Tags: bees, family, fertilize, flower, free seeds, garden, gardening tips, great sunflower project, honey, kids, lemon queen, Our Garden, photo, plant, pollen, seeds, square foot gardening, sunflowers
March 9, 2009 at 11:05 am |
[…] Natural Family Living Blog. Tiffany’s article is about gardening for food freedom. Chris presents The Great Sunflower Project – free seeds! posted at Smith Family Garden. Chris says, “Free Sunflower seeds for your garden! The Great […]
March 9, 2009 at 4:33 pm |
How cool is that? I love Sunflowers! I may be too late though. 😦
March 9, 2009 at 4:37 pm |
Give it a shot.
Go to their site and sign up. It can’t hurt. If it is too late, at least you’ll be on their mailing list for next year. Good luck and let me know how it goes. -Chris
March 10, 2009 at 5:01 am |
[…] Smith Family Garden The Great Sunflower Project: Free Seeds! Get free sunflower seeds in exchange for participating in a research […]
March 11, 2009 at 10:59 pm |
[…] presents The Great Sunflower Project – free seeds! posted at Smith Family Garden, saying, “Free Sunflower seeds for your garden! The Great […]
March 25, 2009 at 3:28 pm |
[…] presents The Great Sunflower Project – free seeds! posted at Smith Family Garden, saying, “Free Sunflower seeds for your garden! The Great […]
April 1, 2009 at 9:17 pm |
[…] register and you’ll get some free sunflower seeds to plant in your garden. Check out the Smith Family Garden talking about the Great Sunflower Project. « Sun Wall Decor Ideas To Decorate Inside and […]
June 11, 2009 at 1:45 pm |
When is the deadline to send feedback?
June 11, 2009 at 2:29 pm |
The original deadline is past but you might keep checking their site to see if they extend it. Good luck!
October 4, 2009 at 1:39 pm |
[…] presents The Great Sunflower Project – free seeds! posted at Smith Family Garden, saying, “Free Sunflower seeds for your garden! The Great […]
October 24, 2009 at 10:35 pm |
Please send me seeds if they become available again. Here is my address:
Paula Mills
402 W 4 1/2 St S
Newton, IA 50208
April 24, 2010 at 11:23 am |
Hi Paula,
We don’t distribute the seeds. Go here: http://www.greatsunflower.org/
Have fun!
August 22, 2010 at 11:27 am |
If this project is still going on, I can refer it in my newsletter to about 500 members of the Ft. Lauderdale Orchid Society. I would need the current contact email to sign up if the study is ongoing. Thanks,
February 17, 2011 at 2:23 pm |
Hi Dot,
Go to http://www.greatsunflower.org/ for the latest.
-Chris
August 22, 2010 at 11:29 am |
PS. Our orchid society has people who would do this. Is the project still on? Please send how to enroll if so. Thank you.
November 5, 2010 at 12:52 pm |
We are searching for free seeds of all types that people can donate to us.
We educate children about gardening and help feed children that are undernourished in SC…
Taylor Morrison
Farm2School
112 Balsa
Longs SC 29568
February 17, 2011 at 2:20 pm |
Hi Taylor,
I have a few ideas for you and will be in touch via email. -Chris
July 5, 2011 at 12:10 am |
[…] presents The Great Sunflower Project — free seeds! posted at Smith Family Garden. The Great Sunflower Project wants to determine areas where bee […]