Sunflower question please?

[LoudestRoar]

My son has started growing a sunflower at school. It's now home with us, and he'd like to eventually plant it in the garden, near where his hamster is buried. (He wants to make sure the hamster has something nice to look at, bless him)
I have no idea when we should transfer it outside. It's this size already.
Any help greatly appreciated! Thanks

Hmm, that looks a bit small and tender to go out just yet.

Looks like it would benefit from a bigger pot and more soil. Much more soil

Thank you DonPablo
So bigger pot, and more soil for the time being. What signs should I watch for that it's ready to go out out?

Stronger stem... It could get crushed or eaten by the birds while it's so tender. It won't take long, but keep doing what you're doing... It'll let you know when it's bursting out of the new, bigger pot!

Thank you!

yesto bigger pot.
it needs to be in a very sunny spot or it will get too leggy (long in the stem)
plant it out when it has it's next set of leaves.

you need to protect it from snails and slugs in the beginning (coffee grounds and crushed egg shells help).
and it needs feed. all purpose plant food will do, as do dregs of beer/wine.

good luck!

Also make sure slugs cannot get to it, they absolutely love sunflowers. I plant three times as many seeds as I want due to the high rate of being eaten.

Make sure it is a properly thick stem before planting out and be sure all frosts are over.

Also make sure the stem is properly supported as it grows so it doesn't bend or snap in the wind.

Thank you all so much!

What great advice op.

I've planted 5 seeds and nothing yet.

Good luck and bless your little boy, what a lovely thing to do for his hamster. I have a little tear in my eye.

It needs to be repotted in a proper pot, not too big though. When repotting it do not touch the roots. The pot it’s in it degradable, so I’d just cut it down and then plant the whole thing in the new pot only gently holding the seeding by the leaves, if you have to.
The stem is rather long, so the seeding could be planted a bit deeper in the pot. Keep it watered so that the soil is just damp.
Keep it on a sunny windowsill, turning so it grows straight.
Don’t plant it out until the danger of frost is over, the end of April, but when it’s got a few more leaves you can put it outside on sunny days, but bring it in before night.
Lovely that your son is growing seeds.

Just read back - Cut the degradable pot down the sides, not the plant!😊

@Myheartbelongsto Thank you, Roger the Hamster only passed away a few weeks ago, so thinks it's his way of coping. Hope you're grow soon!
bee Thank you too, I'm repotting at the weekend