Sunflowers

All my sunflowers were growing really well, but to be honest, I think I left putting them into individual pots a bit late, and the roots were a bit matted in the seed tray. (Didn't help that my three year old had 'helped' me to plant them so in places there were 10 really close together and other places were bare).

But now, some are doing OK, some less well. And one of a set that was a few weeks older than the others was doing great, and today seems to be at deaths door.

I put them outside today to enjoy the sunshine, like I always do, but today it was really windy - do you think they didn't like that?
And at what sort of size do they need staking?

I know it's probably unreasonable - but I want them all to grow into big huge sunflowers, I don't want to lose any of them.

 

If you damaged any of their roots when getting them (which is inevitable) then they'll have been quite weakened. If you look after them, keep them watered, build them up gradually to outdoor conditions, they should be ok.

The wife always grows them, and she always keeps them in the house too long so they get tall and weak, and then transplants them straight outside. They inevitably flop, she sulks, gives them tonnes of water, and then after a couple of days they start to perk up.

Just watch the slugs don't get them while they're young. That seems to be the biggest problem.

The wife never stakes her sunflowers. They only get to about 5ft though. They'd probably get taller with support, presumably cos they wouldn't have to devote as much energy to being strong.

 

Hello Rachel
I planted my sunflowers out yesterday . Make sure you stake them until they get big enough . Especially in the gale force wind we have around here this weekend !

 

For large blocks of sunflowers I sow in cell trays then plant out through lengths of Rylock type stock fencing laid on the ground with a post driven in at at each corner, then keep lifting/re-securing the mesh to support the plants as they grow. I use the same method to stop my Jerusalem Artichokes from being blown down.

Individual plants (grown for height or size of head) will be slightly taller when planted out and are tied to small canes plus have a windbreak placed around them, otherwise the stem will remain intact but the leaves will be blown off. Some plastic 'strawberry/cabbage/etc.' type netting over the top will stop birds having a go at them, which they will do sometimes (crows have attacked mine). A short but sturdy stake driven in early won't be going through the roots and can have taller supports attached to it later.

 

Thank you everyone. I'll definitely do them in cell trays next time. Not sure why I didn't this time actually, they're big enough seeds...

 

I had 2 big pots.
5 seeds in 1
6 in the other.

I have 11 REALLY healthy sunflowers now in the ground outside. Here is hoping they grow tall. I've got Russian Giants.

 

Ohhh - I feel hard done by now! :-(

I sowed 4 seeds in each pot, and only 3 germinated in each. I was happy with a 75% germination rate, until I heard about all 11 coming up for you.
Time to pot mine on, anyway. They've just "sat" there for a while, without growing, but I'll do them this afternoon.

 

Me too, but i've got these ones that I'm growing for large heads rather than height P and P Seed: Mammoth Russian (Diane's Strain)



I've also got (I think) about six 24x cell trays with about 4 sunflowers (about 600!) in each cell hardening off, mainly for cut flowers - close planting = smaller flowers which are more suitable for cutting. I'll be sowing another four 24xcell trays in the next few days to extend the cropping time.

 

I had 2 in each cell, last night I re-planted them into those little peat thingys (about 3"). Noticed that roots were protruding from the cell.. Some broke, some were tangled with each other... Today they seem fine, plenty of water and lots of sunshine on the window sill.
Fingers crossed they're OK

G

 

why do people grow sunflowers? do they use the seeds for something or are they grown for fun?

 

Im growing mine to feed the songbirds during the winter months, when food is in short supply.


G

 

Some of our saved sunflower seeds get used in the mix for making 'fir cone birdfeeders', where the mix (seeds, breadcrumbs, heated lard, dried fruit, porridge oats, crushed nuts, etc.) is pressed into a fir cone with a string attached at the top, so they're superior to shop bought fatballs, but cheaper, re-usable and more attractive to birds.

Some people have actually complained that home made feeders are more attractive to birds and don't last as long as shop bought ones!

 

I'm growing our for fun. Plus, the seeds were free.
I have a young daughter, and I think they're great for children because they look so impressive, yet are (supposedly!) easy to grow. Great teaching potential - all about germinating seeds, plant care, height and measuring etc etc.

i also plan to let them all run to seed if I can (that's kind of dependent on my builders!), then I'll use some of the seed next year (more teaching opportunities there....), and let the birds have the rest.

Scrungee - that's absolutely amazing! How does the plant ever manage to support a head like that! Looks like it would need scaffolding!

 

That's not me in that pic, but I have grown both large headed and tall sunflowers in the past, supported by a stake driven into the ground with additional vertical supports lashed to it. Large flower heads have been supported by a length of cloth wrapped around the neck and suspended from the pole above.

One year I had a bloomin squirrel attacking the seed heads!

 

Daughter #2 has picked up a habit from a Bulgarian schoolmate, when we hit the "International" supermarket she dived on a bag of salted sunflower seeds & just munches them everywhere, leaving Dad to sort out the piles of shells:inautumnleaves: