The great a4all sunflower competition!

[legless]

The rules (so far/ at the moment)

1. you choose your own variety
2. sowing date to correspond with the sowing date for the Gardener's World sunflower trial, however you can sow later if you cannot make that date.
3. use whatever technique you can to grow the tallest flower.
4. measuring date yet to be set but expected to correspond with gardener's world trial date (approx 80 days from sowing date)
5. measurements should be accompanied by a photo showing a bamboo cane marked with tape at 1 foot/ 30 cm intervals with a 1 foot/ 30 cm ruler taped to it for scale.
6. competition is open to anyone including children of members
7. the winner shall be the grower of the tallest sunflower.
8. no cheating  


sound reasonable?

so on to the competition  - may the tallest sunflower win!

to join the competition please post on this thread, including variety of sunflower where possibel!

 

[legless]

i'll start as i'm here

i shall be entering with "giant single' from mr fothergills.

NGOH (Rick) shall also enter with same variety

[Debs]

SO,

You too must be a reader/subscriber to Gardens Monthly,  cos guess what - thats the variety me and mine are growing, and with a height of between 6-15ft there will be serious competition
since we belong to the same 'lottie' !!

Shall inform the children to be on lookout for any shifty-eyed legless-looking types who may wander past the plot with notepad, pen and camera                    

[legless]

actually i paid for my seeds debs!  

p.s. you'll have to visit the plot to spot me mate!

[busy_lizzie]

I am also registering as a Contender.  My seeds will be Asda's Giant Russian sunflowers (sounds strong and bold doesn't it?) My husband Mike will also compete using Mr. Fothergill's Giant Single sunflower. We agree to abide by the rules. Let the biggest and best win!   busy_lizzie

[budgiebreeder]

I also will be taking part in this fantastic competition.

i will be entering a Giant single cant remember type of seed and it's
far too windy to open the Greenhouse door to find the packet.

Dont have a Ngoh or H of any kind but friend Ron will be taking part with same seed type.

[Debs]

Since its Mothers Day tomorrow, I am going to luxuriate in a bath full of Radox...after spending time at the 'lottie'.

(5 day forecast says it's going to be sunny   )

Better be right this time as I am getting serious 'lottie withdrawal symptoms'  :'(and feel that I need to make a start before squatters move in on my plot!!  

Might see you there hoping to rope in all to help ( hubby & kids, minus plant-eating dog)

Debs.

[legless]

should see me there, hoping to get down there in the morning!

[Ceri]

giant single for me

[kenkew]

I'm in and my seed comes from a flower I grew last year that came in a bag full I bought in the pet shop to feed the birds with. No variety stamped on it so it's called a  f***1 kenkewhybrid.

[Andi]

Giant single for me too...

Always wondered what the 'F' in F1 stood for Ken!

PS...what date do we have to sow for?

[Hels_Bels]

Hi Legless

Thanks for doing all the organising on this - great work

I'm up for it and planting Sutton's Sunny Sunflower Seeds - they've got a lovely cartoon piccie on the front, and say 6 - 9 feet on them.

HB

[legless]

don't know the exact date yet - keep tuned to gardener's world for updates - sometime mid to late april i should imagine....

[kenkew]

Good stuff 'peeps'; I see only 3 of the 'rules' that need clarifying; Using the #'s Legless has used;...
2/ sow by date.
4/ Final date.
5/ Height measuring.

So;

2/ Sowing. Forget a sow by date. We all live in different area/climates. Just post when you sow?

4/ Finish date. This must occure on ONE date that we all agree on. The one Legless suggests sounds fair,
 (So where-ever you are, when do you want this date to be? Let's get this one fixed)

5/ Measurment, tricky. But let's try to have as near an accurate one as we can manage. Possibly a bamboo cane marked at 1ft intervals with tape and a foot rule taped to a middle section?

[legless]

good thoughts ken, i'll amend the measuring bit straight away.

i don't know enogh about the other bits so i'll wait for some more date suggestions....

[Debs]

Dear Legless,

Plot 71 you say... well I did'nt see you!! but thanks for the plants.

Mind you, I didn't get to the lottie until about 1-ish, AND got caught in two heavy bursts of rain - had to hide in boot of car until it passed.... I really must sort out a shed for shelter and tea and bikkies.

Shall return your lurvly pink tray when we eventually meet !!

Debs    

[rdak]

count me in. I'll be growing Giant Single, supplied by Johnsons.

[Les_Woof]

Our daughters will be taking part in the comp.

  We purchased a kiddies sunflower grow pack from good old Wilko's for the girls before the GW offer was aired on TV.

So our girls will be entering courtesy of Wilko...... Good luck Erin and Elise.... and to all other entrants, remember you wouldn't want to beat 2 little girls now would you.....take it easy.

Good luck all

PS, variety = giant single.

[Beer_Belly]

I'll have a bash at this as well - I need to look at what seeds I have though.

-B_B-

[aquilegia]

So when is the sowing date? (Or do we have to wait until someone has their seeds for the trial to find out?)

hubby and I will be competing with Johnsons Giant Single. And maybe also Infrared if I got my request for the GW trial in quick enough.