I’ll be growing sunflowers… was the first post I did this year and this is how they’ve fared so far.
Just one Mongolian Giant survived the slugs and weather, but at a rather paltry five feet with no sign of a flower bud yet has proved rather disappointing. I probably won’t be trying to grow any tall singles next year.
The Valentine ones haven’t fared much better with just a couple surviving and flowering. They should be around five feet high with five inch flowers but are just two feet with two inch flowers. I like the lemon- yellow colour with a contrasting dark centre.
I started ten dwarf Musicbox off at home of which nine germinated and were planted out in a group. I resorted to scattering organic slug pellets around these and despite some initial damage they all did well, and being just knee high they don’t have to be staked. I’ve been very impressed with the number of flower heads, some plants having into double figures. I’ll certainly be growing this variety again next year.
As I mentioned in that first post I’ve been posting pictures to The Big Sunflower Project‘s Facebook page and will continue to do so this year, and again next year.
Have a good week!
My sunflowers are all pretty small this year as well – apart from one that’s self-seed in the veg plot. Strange how self-sown stuff always seems to be ignored by the slugs.
Mandy it would appear that the indifferent and unseasonal weather has been the main cause. Yes self-sown seeds always seem to do better as well. xx
I think your sunflowers would be doing better if there had been more sunshine! (Like so many other things).
Mark that and far fewer slugs would have made a big difference I’m sure.
Just one sunflower looks cheerful. I’ve been growing mid height sunflowers for a few years but all were slugged this year. Well done for getting some past the mollusc munching stage. I’ve added music box to my list for next year.
Sharon I agree. It’s such a shame when that happens. Thanks. Good for you. xx
Sunflowers, whatever their size, are a cheery sight. I must remember to plant some next year. Yours look lovely despite the best efforts of the slugs to do otherwise.
Dorris they sure are. Do that! Thanks, I’m pleased that some survived. xx
Last year, hundreds of young sunflowers started and were ultimately beaten by slugs. This year I raised dozens in the green house, sowed hundreds of seeds and used slug pellets and have managed to get a couple of dozen to get flowering stage. It feels like a big achievement this year 🙂
I have no idea what type mine are, no idea about the final size and no idea if they are singles or multiple heads. I bought a 12.5kg sack of seed (about £10) for the birds and have been using them. Almost 100% germination rate after 2 years and very very cheap compared to seed packets where you only get 6 to 20 odd seeds. I’ll be continuing to buy bird seed for sunflower seed unless I can save enough seed.
Andy hello and welcome. Well done, I’m sure that it does feel like a big achievement.
That’s okay if you’re not really fussed about variety, size and colour. Cheers.
I’ve had plenty casualties too but the few that have survived are way behind yours….a few are starting to form the flower head….
Princessines I’m sure that they’ll be flowering before long. xx
Your sunflowers look so cheerful, whatever their height and size. I got so carried away with growing Tithonia, the Mexican sunflower, that I only direct sowed a few sunflower seeds at the butterfly garden in the local park and they haven’t made an appearance.
Liz thanks. It’s a shame that they never appeared. xx
Thank you for writing about The Big Sunflower Project Mike. It has been good having you take part.
Toni hello and welcome. You’re most welcome. That’s nice to know. xx
I’m wondering if they are worth the effort! So many slug casualties, I blamed the dog for breaking one, then I went out at dusk to find another plant bent double with the weight of a big fat slug. I bought Strulch, mineralised mulch, to put around them, oh my how the chickens (and a badger I think) loved that they’ve thrown it all over the place… Maybe some sun would help.
Uphilldowndale my sympathies, I’ve felt like that at times but feel that they really are worth the effort. I’m sure it would. xx
When you plant a summer flower, you plant a dream!
Uphilldowndale we do indeed. xx
Love the little ones, but the lemon ones are great too. I usually grow some claret ones but I didn’t get round to it this year. In the past I’ve had ones that have been eaten halfway through, fallen over and still bent around and grown up into a sunflower. If they can just get off the ground they have a good chance. Wishing you a good week. I’ve just spent half an hour watering the garden, which of course made it rain. CJ xx
CJ they’re ideal on my rather exposed plot. I’ve had ones do the same. Thanks. That’s typical isn’t it. xx
I didn’t grow any this year. They do bring a ray of sunshine to the garden if they survive. I like your lemon ones. I sowed rudbeckia which are very similar to sunflowers and they have been munched on so it looks like I won’t be seeing any of them either.
Elaine a wise choice given the weather. Shame about your rubeckia. xx
I seem to have the same problems with the taller varieties, they seem much harder to grow for some unknown reason. My biggest success last year were from seeds dropped from the bird feeders, I didn’t weed out the resulting seedlings and in the end they put on a wonderful show. I like the paler Valentine variety but a darker tall variety would be my sunflower of choice, I’m a bit of a traditionalist.
Jo me too, especially the past few years. That doesn’t surprise me, and it seems lots of people find that. Good for you, so am I. xx
Stunning thank you for sharing have a blessed day
Linda thanks, you’re welcome. Thanks, and you too. xx
It’s interesting to see how the different varieties have turned out. I haven’t had much joy either. Glad to see you got a few beauties though.xxx
Snowbird yes it is. That’s a shame. Thanks. xx
I like the dwarf varieties you’ve grown. We’ve got Russian Giant this year and they’re whopping – at least 8 or 9 feet, I reckon. They’re fun, but they are a bit monstrous.
Matt they’re a really good variety. Good for you. If I ever get one that tall I’ll be surprised, and have to make sure that it’s well staked on my exposed plot.