Waikato kindergarten kids ready to plant sunflowers

In the Waikato region 1,041 children from 19 different kindergardens are taking part in the project. Photo / Supplied

Kindergartens all over the country are getting out their shovels and watering cans to compete in the sixth Dalton Sunflowers in Kindergartens Project for the tallest sunflower.

The project is organised by Matamata-based landscape product manufacturer Daltons to help grow future generations of gardeners through educating kindergarten children about gardening and providing them with hands-on learning opportunities.

From a total of 236 participating kindergartens, 19 are from the Waikato. The kindergartens are competing to grow the tallest sunflower and widest sunflower heads with the project started this week and running until Tuesday, December 7. The winners will be announced on December 9.

Daltons general manager Colin Parker says: "We hope the project brings smiles to little faces who, along with their families, may have experienced - and still be experiencing - stresses brought on by the pandemic."

The project provides a platform for children to practically learn about gardening, developing skills and a basic understanding of plants by sowing seeds, learning about germination, caring for seedlings, planting them out, as well as daily care of their plant.

Parker says: "Last year taught us how much of a sanctuary our gardens can be. We hope children will take their newly found gardening skills home and create their own little sanctuaries, whether it is growing veggies with their family or planting colourful flowers to brighten up their backyards."

Participating kindergartens receive a free starter pack including a measuring tape, an instruction booklet with growing guides, peat pots, seed raising and potting mix, and the key ingredient, Skyscraper Sunflowers seeds provided by project partner Kings Seeds.

This special sunflower variety has been used throughout the project's history because it can grow up to four or five metres high, with stems that can be thicker than an arm. Their golden petalled flower heads can measure up to 45cm across and weigh several kilos.

The tallest sunflower ever grown in the project was 3.41 metres and the widest sunflower head measured 35cm across in 2019.

Regional winners with the tallest sunflower and the sunflower with the widest head will receive prizes from Daltons, The Warehouse and new project partner Gardena and all participating kindergartens will go into the draw to win a prize pack for their kindergarten. Each kindergarten also nominates their own Daltons Best Little Gardener.