Sunflowers

[Lavender2]

I am just not destined to be a sunflower grower.

As promised in this thread, I started some mammoth sunflowers in paper pots. They were healthy and doing great so I carefully planted a long row of them. They got about 2 feet tall and a young deer got under my fishing line deer fence and ate the tops off 6 of them. I added a line for short deer, good to go! THEN, a hail storm took out all but TWO! I straightened those two back up and tied them to a fence. (Hey, I'm desperate here )

Flowers are finally forming, and I darn well better see at least ONE flower before a frost hits!



Maybe next year I will just plant a WHOLE bag of seeds and hope the critters can't eat them all! Or I will just come here and daze at @catjac1975 photos.

 

[catjac1975]

When you plant your whole bag of seed....Soak and sprout them. The rodents will be less likely to dig up and eat them. Now that you have a sunflower coming into bloom let the plant ripen and drop the seed. They will come up on their own early. You can transplant the seedlings easily.

 

[digitS']

The first of the season, some Jokers, photographed near the end of June.

There are some doubles blooming over the last week. I'll have to get a picture .

Steve

 

[Lavender2]

When you plant your whole bag of seed....Soak and sprout them. The rodents will be less likely to dig up and eat them. Now that you have a sunflower coming into bloom let the plant ripen and drop the seed. They will come up on their own early. You can transplant the seedlings easily.

I will for sure do the soak and sprout thing next year. I was going to do that this year, per your suggestion, but our Spring was so cool and wet I decided to start some ahead... then the garden filled up. For volunteers, I have to have my fence up and secure early or the deer will get them, making note to self.

 

[Lavender2]

So beautiful, @digitS' !
The end of June!... oh, in my dreams!

 

[ninnymary]

Steve, that would make a nice POW. Just sayin...

Mary

 

[Carol Dee]

WOW,I love the look of the Jokers.
Here is a good Sunflower photo I snapped a few years ago

 

[thistlebloom]

June Steve? Wowee. Please tell me you started them right after Christmas.
I like those Jokers!
The kids planted a bunch of Mammoths and they are ripening seed now, they are impressively tall and beauteous.

 

[digitS']

June 28. Remember our record heat at that time?

They were transplants. That isn't so much for a head start as it is to keep something from digging up the sprouting seeds.

Initially, I suspected Maggie Pie. Wondered about voles. And now, believe it may well be Benjamin Bunny.

Steve

 

[Lavender2]

I'm not sure what critter digs the seeds up, but I sure know who plants them ..

My gardener chipmunk must not be around this year though, I have not found any clumps to thin and just a few late sprouts here and there. Ha, I could have used the help!