A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Banter Hall Gardener's Chat I planted sunflower seeds 2

Boy, these seeds are keeping us busy.

dodge, I don't think my planting more right now would do any good.

So are the ones I have blooming the black oil seeds rather than the mammoth? Can you tell by the heads.

Yes you can tell, At least I thinjk so this way:
The black oil are shorter--say 4-5 ft tall (well mine are)
and they have lots of smaller flower heads coming out quicker than the mammoth.
The mammoth are from 5-7 ft tall (at least) & so far on mine--you can see where heads are making but only 1 is actually flowering as of yet.

I will go back in the first Thread & re-wriote when we planted so we can refer to it.

I will take new photos of mine tomorrow..I figure I will do so every once a week. he first flowering head of my Black oil sunflowers is bigger--I measured it back in the day I will measure it again tomorrow, to see how it grew.

Sheri0--when did you plant yours??

I know I planted my seeds (both types) on April 20, 2010.

I also know you had several weeks start on me---
but
I could not find the date--do you have it written down someplace???

I posted on here somewhere when I planted but I didn't write it down.

I don't know what I'm talking about then because I have stalks that are probably 10-12 feet tall but the flower heads aren't gigantic like I think they should be. I'll take a picture today.

I found one in my garden. It is about 3-4 foot tall and forming a flower head. Probably a lost treasure from a bird, so black oil. I don't feed the birds so they brought it from a neighbor.

Sheri--I noticed that my Black oil flower heads are growing largernow once they have opened. and my 1 mammoth flower head is getting larger as well. I am thinking that is how they grow. ???
and now that I think of it---
I only have 1 mammoth flower head as of yet, and it is getting larger. the others show promise but have not shown any flowers yet. But in the mean time they get taller & taller...I am thinking this is how it works with that too?

I say we have patience & see just see waht occurs???

it's so hot and dry things aren't looking too well.

are they too far away from a water source?? I am so sorry----
I will pray for rain at your house.....

I will post this weeks pics of mine in the nexty few days, ok???

I read that once the heads start drooping to stop watering because they are setting seeds. Do you think I should water anyway?

I really do not know---what do you think, Barb???

Below is an article--perhaps it will tel us???

http://www.reneesgarden.com/articles/grow-sunflower.html

thanks. Love that article. I think I'd like Renee.

This is the latest picture of my sunflowers. They are really growing tall.

Leave them up! That'll bring the Goldfinches in!

Black Oil are 3 - 5 feet tall with MULTIPLE 4 - 6 inch blooms all over them. Mammoth can grow to 20 feet tall with a SINGLE bloom, 1 - 1 1/2 feet in diameter. Birds like to eat EITHER type and EITHER type make good snacks for people, too. (I keep the 50 pound bag of BOSS on my front porch next to my "birding" chair and munch on the seeds as I photograph the birds eating the SAME seeds out of my feeders).

Watch you dont turn into a bird Tharn.

DO you have them also .. Sunflowers?

Carol looks wonderful.

dodge

Wowee Carol..mine never even germinated

WOW Carol - good for you!!! How do you keep them standing tall with all the rain you've been getting?

My 2 small sunflower heads have disappeared completely thanks to some animal. There were only the 2 stems with nothing on top now, so I pulled them out. Can't win for trying...

Thank you all.

Thorny: one of my mammoth plants has a flower already and 1/2 of it has been eaten out even before maturity.--if you look back in this thread you will see my black oil sunflower photos. They have a LOT of blooms.




I have no secret as to how I keep them standing tall.--I planted them a bit deeper than was suggested but other than that nothing different at all. So basically I am just lucky.

sorry about the animal. Don't you wish we could just put up a "keep out" sign on our stuff??? (& have it work???)

Something, (has to be a bird), has been eating some of the Mammoth seeds before they are even mature.

jUNIGIRL

The stems on sunflowers are very very strong. Wait till you start to harvest them.
I almost had to chop them with an ax.

Yep the birds do harvest them heads quickly. Now you know why I got mine off an took photos sooner , last year.

dodge

about the stems--yes I know Barb.
Rod & I decided a few weeks ago that he would cut them off at the ground this fall & then next spring we hope they would be rotted enough for me to pull the roots out.
and I understnad that the birds will "harvest" the seeds quickly--but I was hoping they would at least wait unil they were matured. But oh well--I guess if they are hungry well then they are hungry.

Carol, your flowers look great. I had one that grew crooked. I tried to stake it up but because the stalk is so thick and strong it grew where it wanted. I'm not sure why it went crooked but who knows why anyone or anything takes up the life of a crook.

here are my latest photos of my mammoth sunflowers.

Below is a close up of the flower pictured above.

Holy..wow. I am happy to say that mine are 3 inches tall out of the ground

That is ok, as a matter of fact that is great !!!--
I think mine were like 4 feet tall when you planted yours.
and Sheri's were like 2 feet tall when I planted mine----so it is all good---
besides it is your zones (& your rains) fault not yours.

I love these flowers and so do the birds. Mine are still standing even through the no rain for weeks and unbearable heat. I'll get a picture tonight or tomorrow.

Hey Sheri--I am sitting here waiting patiently to see the pictures.


PS MY DH says I should look each night now & begin to harvest them heads. I am, sure I dont know what to do or when to do it.

Give her hell, all talk an no action Sheri.

I took these pictures hanging out the upstairs bedroom window. It's too humid to go outside.

Bet those sunflowers taught you how to hang out the window .
They do bend.

Good job part time farmers.

b

It has been fun watching these flowers.

Good job, Sheri !!! and good Sunflowers !! Yes we did have a good time didnt we??--what are we gonna grow next year????? I wonder.....

OLD

I'm already old dodge and for one thing I'm growing onions next year.

Onions , how delightful.
From seeds or sets ?

dodge

I guess I'll do sets. But I'm planting sunflowers too.

Good farmer Junigirl,

Love the onion fresh .
You should have the sweeter or sheri should in nc.

b

Thanks barb.

I s lived out in the country for 25 years--so that should count for something right???

I stopped growing onions because I couild not get out to m y raised b ad until it was too warm. I guess next year i'll just put on some boots & plant them anyway huh???

DH keeps saying he is going to buy me a few loads of dirt & raise the back yard where my garden is--then I could have a larger garden. THAT would be grand.
I could have a lot of potatoes, and onions, tomatoes & even more sunflowers---yea---I may have to keep on him about that----
If he does that thought I will have to replant my asperagus bed and once again move my herbs
but oh well...

Veggies are good for you . And him. tell him , it will help keep you young.

oh he knows that--I am tell him that all teh time.

but it is easier on him if I buy them than if h e has to help me grow them---

But the good news is, I have until next year to get him to agree to hauling in more soil for me back there.

Lots of folks look down on gardening.
My neighbors ask me, why do you do all that work.
Told them I was raised like that. And love it.

dodge