Topic: Varieties of sunflower being grown

[Jeannine]

Am I allowed to ask this or is it a trade secret please.I would be interested to know what everyone is growing and why? Does it make big difference really which seeds you plant.? XX Jeannine

[legendaryone]

I'm just growing two types this year one from seed we saved from our tallest last year and a red one called velvet queen (i think).

[DadnDom]

Some packet seed from Aldi's.
Some seed from "bigseed" off ebay.
Hopefully some mystery seed from next door of some giant ones that used to grow in the walled gardens to nearly 20 foot...if they germinate.

[ninnyscrops]

Freebees in a mailshot from TNT no idea on variety!

[saddad]

Bicentenial and Red Sun for cutting and a confused tall strain that got too near the cutting ones a few years ago.. we are rogueing them out to get back to the big ones but we did get a much longer season with all the side shoots!
 ;D

[manicscousers]

evening sun, netto 19p, giant sunflowers, ebay last year, 6 out of 7 germinated, also pinched 6 of the black sunflower hearts we bought to feed the birdies, they're all up..plus all the self seeded ones at the plot..some of them have been eaten by slugs, maybe i should use them as a sacrificial plant  ;D

[lorna]

Haven't got a clue Jeannine. When I was on holiday Grandson Joshua decided to sow a whole packet of seeds. Asked him where the seed packet was, he said "Oh I threw that away Nan!!" I do know that I have about 50 sunflowers in the greenhouse :)

[manicscousers]

they do brighten your life, don't they, lorna..sunflowers as well as grandchildren  ;D

[lorna]

Yes Manic  to both :) However I was surprised to hear him say to me "Your responsibility to keep them watered Nan as I have to go to school" I told him yesterday that he has to come round on Sunday and help to put some in bigger pots, or can we try some straight in t the garden?

[manicscousers]

we have but a few have gone down to slugs..we've put some pop bottle 'collars' around them, cut with pinking shears..seems to be working at the mo ..hope you have lovely weather for it  :)

[Columbus]

I left my sunflower heads for the birds last year and later left them on the soil in a few key places, I now have small forests of self-seeded sunflowers forming, If they survive my big feet they will be better than the ones I raise in pots.

Varieties could be single giant, and some I gew for cutting, It never occured to me
that the seed would not be true to type. But I don`t mind either way.

Col

[beckbeck]

I have planted "Giant Single" says on packet between 6-15 foot high and a red one "Velvet Queen"approx 5 foot, thwy have just started to emerge from the soil,we are each going to choose 2 plants,and put half in the garden and half up the lottie,see which ones do the best.Becky.

[Brogusblue]

Hello

"Bird seed special" - I have no idea but we brought some wild bird sunflower hearts from wilco's and where the birds are dropping them they are sprouting i had around 30 seedlings i decided to keep 8 and hoe the rest as they come.

Cheers
Brogusblue