Allotments 4 All
The Show => Sunflowers => Topic started by: Mrs Ava on February 16, 2006, 16:35:54
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Russian Giant - tallest
Red Sun - prettiest
Teddy Bear - cutest
Sown today - February 16th 2006 @ 4pm by number one son and daughter. In pots in the conservatory.
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ooooh glad you started this thread EJ, will be sowing mine in March :)
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YOU HAVE SOWN EM ALREADY??? Boy are you keen! ;D I haven't even thought about sowing mine, but count me in when I do! ;)
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More a case of the weather being poop, kids and me being housebound, them being dead keen on sowing some seeds, so I thought, well why not! They completely covered the conservatory floor in potting compost, completely covered themselves in potting compost, and had a great time! A very happy couple of hours! ;D
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Awww that is what i miss not having kids :( but then i guess i didnt have to get them clean after ;D
I will join you if i may this year, going to do some up the lottie but has anyone ever had success with the teddybear ones ???? i tried them twice with no luck and im pretty good with growing rare and odd stuff from seed so sunflowers should be easy !!!! but ohhh no these just dont like me ::)
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Dawn, for years I have struggled with sunflowers, and that is why the kids do them! They have perfect success. ::) Just a note to say, every single one number one son planted is up already! :D
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Me and the monst sowed some yesterday -Unwins 'Seeds for Kids' 'Sunshine Giant' variety. Just four but we'll probably do the rest of the packet later on. The chap with the plot opposite had a 'sunflower fence' last year, very good it looked, I think he used bird seed.
Jeremy
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I like the idea of a sunflower fence all around the edge of my plot. Do they need individually staking?
Robin
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Hi EJ
I would love to take part this year together with my youngest son. not sure which types we have but I know I bought a packet from Stewarts in aid of some charity that Tommy ex Ground Force is promoting. Will get the seed packet out tonight and let you have the names.
Can only the ones you listed be grown or can we grow the ones we have?
Look forward to hearing from you
Jitterbug
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He didn't stake them. They were tight up to his fence (but twice as high) and v.close together so they may have given each other some support.
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So any sunflowers you like! We can look for the biggest, smallest, prettiest, ugliest...you name it!
hehehe
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Jitter you must be VERY close to me if you go to Stewarts !!! fancy a coffee next time you go ????
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Would love to join in, but haven't got an appropriate spot in my garden. Tried last year - flower lovely - height pathetic :'( Would I have any success in large pots - anyone tried this :-\ :)
Oooops - just read some of the other messages on this thread - will definitely give pots a go this year.
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Will have a go with the Teddy Bears, have grown Russian giants and sold them for a school fair and they sold like hot cakes! ;D
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I've just sown mine, 5 varieties. Single Giant and Taiyo grow up to 10ft, Italian White and Lemon Queen - for cutflowers grow to about 5ft and Sunspot which is my fave and grows to about 16". :)
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I'm running a competition at work to raise money for charity with the tallest sunflower comp.. only bought the seeds for it today! Ooops! Still I'm sure I can raise a few quid anyway!!
:)
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I'm running a competition at work to raise money for charity with the tallest sunflower comp.. only bought the seeds for it today! Ooops! Still I'm sure I can raise a few quid anyway!!
:)
Put mine in loo rolls about a week ago and they're infront of the tiny radiator. Patience is a virtue, they say...
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I want to have sunflowers for my wedding so I can decorate the reception hall in vases of them.
I have got about 5 varieties (cannot remember what off top of my head - will check later)
The party is on 27th August - need to make sure they will be in full flower.
Any ideas when I should plant them to ensure this?
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Indoors, two sprouted, then out in the plastic greenhouse they all went. Now, 4 days later, they're all up, the 1st are about 4" long already.
How's everyone else doing?
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Our are up, and have been for a while, not 4" long yet though.
How do you know if a sunflower's getting leggy ::)
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sown the giant singles today, will sow the others later this week. :)
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I sowed some in late Feb and am sowing more monthly to see what happens. The first ones are rather leggy at 18" and might not end up strong enough to take the strain of their eventual height.
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sowed 10 x Sunny Sunflowers on Saturday 8th April in the potting shed .. bright sunshine, followed on Sunday by hail and snow :-\
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Sowed my Bott's Strain over the weekend.
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Sowed Giant Singles yesterday in 3cm pots. Thought I would try a sunflower fence at the lottie
Sowed Little Leo a few weeks ago - for the garden. These are through and growing into nice sturdy plants.
Both sets are still in the mini greenhouse.
Troubled with my grammar - sowed or sown??
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My giant sunflowers have germinated, yay I have seedlings :D
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My Giant Singles for started to germinate and poke their heads through the soil. There are 30 of them. Has to be a winner amongst that lot ;D
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Can I play? My packet of mixed varieties has produced 15,gave 5 away,3" at least so far.
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my sunnies have all germinated .. hurrah
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... bit of a setback - turns out my sunflowerseeds were upside down :-[ ... have resown, hopefully the right end will pop out this time !
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Didn't know you could sow them upside down ???
Any way planted my first lot out as they were pudhing the panes out of the green house ;D
Ok, they were on shelving, but they must be a foot long -and that's why women can't park ;D
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OH repotted 66 the other day, our tall ones are known as mrs Kirk's cos she gave us the original plant, we have sent her some back. One year one got to 14' 8"..... I think it had its roots in the soil pipe from the toilet block!
;D
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they were *pudhing* the panes out of the green house ;D
and that's why *women can't park* ;D
AND MEN CAN'T TYPE ;) ;D
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I have a few sunflowers in loo rolls that are now over a foot high and beginning to yellow - I think they have had all they are likely to get out of the compost they are in...is it too earlier to plant them out on the allotment - are they hardy?
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Planted out my early sown one today. It's just under 4 feet tall so far and sturdier than I feared.
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Oh dear. My sunflower fence is now the Alamo.
:'(
The slugs have eaten 11 out of 12 sunflowers. I went out last night with a torch and pulled three molluscs off the lone survivor.
I sowed some reserves - they're in the greenhouse - but this is a slaughter!
***** Went out to check *****
It fought galliantly, but fell before dawn.
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They had seven out of ten of mine before I zapped them.
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The seeds that fell off the heads I left for the birds last year have germinated so I sloshed a few more in from the packet last weekend. Warm & wet weather since and best germination rates ever.
I put several giants round the sides of my daleks. The sunflowers benefit from the nutrition & the heat from the plastic & do a grand job distracting the eye. I don't know if the daleks give any support, but they seem to manage without staking.
Best bit is being able to watch moths at night feeding at (my) eye level on the shorter varieties.
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my eldest came home from school with two clear cups in one was 2 sunflower seeds in the other was 2 dwarf been seeds she has to look after them and when the teacher asks she has to take a photo and record the hight and they have a comp at school ( she cheated she asked granddad to buy her some seeds and he did ) iv now got them popping up in every container possible at home i moved some to the flower bed and the slugs got them &*(^&*^%^&%&
she was up set and the 2 from the school are in a tub by the window i noticed this morning that one of them has been munched *&(*(&*&*(&^ shes going to be very upset when she comes home iv sown loads more (out of the hamster feed ) to see if i can replace some if i may ill enter my kids sunflowers please if the slugs don't munch them all
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Planted my 16 sunflowers out today - they are about 3" high and hopefully now the sun has arrived, they'll start to get going a bit.
Having read the posts above am wondering now if they'll still be there tomorrow or if the slugs will get them :(
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Fingers crossed, the ones we put out at the weekend, for the open day, have not been snaffled yet... now that's tempting fate!
;D
(http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e190/Plot52/Sunflowerplot.jpg)
These are last years and the big pole in the background is the tallest from the year before!
:)
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Mine are a bout 2ft high now. Started them off in loo-rolls ages ago (march?) and planted out in April.
Covered in slug pellets so no losses (yet). Fingers crossed...
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Mine are about six inches, and I've about given up on them. Maybe I'll keep them indoors longer next year.
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Counted my sunflowers today and realised there are 11 healthy looking specimens (fingers crossed) so they are now all labelled with the names of the England team.
Ferdinand is looking good with Gerrard a close second. No sign of a bad back!
Sand
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Touchwood the three dozen we put out last weekend are all intact, I'm going out on slug patrol in about half an hour!
;D
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BBC NATIONAL VILLAGE SHOW!
This is a message to all of you entering the Sunflower competition 2006! The BBC, as part of its National Village Show 2006, is also looking for tall sunflower entries! The show is a celebration of the traditional British village show by way of a competition in categories such as giant veg, cake decorating, knitting etc... AND MOST IMPORTANTLY TALL SUNFLOWERS!
There will be six regional heats and a grand final all hosted by ALAN TITCHMARSH for BBC 1 and set in stunning National Trust locations all around the country. There will be heats in the North, Central, Wales, East England, South East and South West and the final will be held in a top secret and totally stunning location!!
Each heat will provide a fantastic day out for competitors and all the family nd hopes to publicise and celebrate the benefits of growing and showing to the whole UK!
For more information please call reply to this message or call 02074322935 or email gbvs@12yard.com
We look forward to hearing from you all!! Good luck
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I don't go in for tall ones. I grow the multi flowered types you can pick.
Here's the first one this year (first of many I hope)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v425/myrtle60/Sunflower.jpg)
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Honestly, I start this thread, and then disaster....slugs....weather....slugs.....lack of water :-[, but finally, the first of number one sons to start. This one is teddy bear and it a short on, about 18 inches tall. Fluffy and cuddly!
(http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a364/Mrsava/teddy_bear_sunflwer.jpg)
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Once upon a time I bought a packet of sunflower seeds from Lidle. The packet stated that the sunflower seeds within were from the Monster-Triffid-Earth-Invasion variety that grew to astonishing heights.
They're now flowering.... at 4ft high. Pleased that they're flowering, bit bummed they're not out for a spot of world domination!
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We've had a disaster... we have saved seeds from some tall sunflower givento us by Mrs Kirk at the junior school years ago, we have been saving our own seed... last year we grew some cutting sunflower nearby, too near all our Sunflower are peaking out at 5-6', but they have loads of side shoots! About five have already started flowering another 30 to go and about two dozen cutting varieties to follow!
:o
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Here is one of my giants. He is over 6 foot tall and stands at the corner of my plot. Still a long way off flowering so maybe one for the record books! :D
(http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a364/Mrsava/tall_sunflower.jpg)
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Looks to have developed too much flower head to be a real giant, over twelve foot...
I'll try to get a pick of my confused strain!
The real giants flower very late in the UK which reduces the cross pollination problems!
::)
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This is my first of attempt of posting a picture - so bear with me please. Called Big Smile all of 10" tall,
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Ooo can I join in? Please? !!!
Giant Yellow
Full Sun
Both sown April 21st
I planted about 75 in total but the slugs and the squirrel chomped through most of them. I was looking out of my kitchen window and laughing at the squirrel rolling around in my flower beds and then the little so and so jumped over to a little sunflower and snapped the top of it off Grrrr >:( So I now have about 11 left. My tallest is just under 8 feet. I'm sure I can actually see it growing right in front of my eyes!!
Ruby Sunset
Sown in June, only about 10-15 inches high but they seem to be doing really well.
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One of mine looks like it might make it to 10' but really nothing compared with the old giant at 14'8".
:'(
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I dont know what happened to my teddy bears? I ended up forgetting about them but will try again next year and promise to buck up!
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sigh, had a disaster with my first lot and then by the time I'd decided that I really did need to resow I think I'd left it a bit late. Nearly all of them are flowering now, but only at 5-6ft and some have been blown over by the wind, but boy are they beautiful. I have two still to flower that are just over 6ft
Also, they are all facing the wrong way - my neighbour gets to enjoy them more than me !
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c220/mcd55/IMG_6713.jpg)
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c220/mcd55/IMG_6730.jpg)
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Check out my 15ft Craven/American cross(http://img173.imageshack.us/img173/2760/021dr7.jpg)
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:'( :'( :'( :-X
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BBC GREAT BRITISH VILLAGE SHOW!
Have you ever imagined that your sunflowers could get you to HIGHGROVE, to meet THE PRINCE OF WALES??
The final of the BBC GREAT BRITISH VILLAGE SHOW will be held at Highgrove in the presence of HRH The Prince of Wales. All you need to do to be there is enter the TALLEST SUNFLOWER category in one of our REGIONAL HEATS and the WINNERS will win a CASH PRIZE as well as attending the final at HIGHGROVE.
The SOUTH EAST winners are already through but if you can make any of the below dates and have a tall sunflower then dont hesitate to contact us:
TEL 0207 4322935 EMAIL gbvs@12yard.com
SOUTH WEST HEAT - SUNDAY 6th AUGUST at MONTACUTE HOUSE, SOMERSET
CENTRAL HEAT - SUNDAY 27th AUGUST at CALKE ABBEY, DERBYSHIRE
EAST ENGLAND HEAT - SUNDAY 3rd SEPT at WIMPOLE HALL, CAMBRIDGESHIRE
WALES AND WEST HEAT - SUNDAY 17th SEPT at DYFFRYN GARDENS, CARDIFF
NORTHERN HEAT - SUNDAY 24th SEPT at NOSTELL PRIORY, WAKEFIELD
ALL ENTRIES WELCOME AND GOOD LUCK! ;D ;D ;D
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wow Giantseeds, I bow in awe !! :'(
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These must be winner's (http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/482/tmp7580kn9.jpg)(http://img95.imageshack.us/img95/6039/hpim1053tr7.jpg)(http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/3382/hpim1050nm8.jpg)(http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/3073/tmp5192fg8.jpg)
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Not so fast! I haven't entered mine yet. ;) Can I enter if I'm in the US? ???
I had my wife stand in, since she is shorter (6'3" vs. 5'4") and it makes them look even bigger. :P
(http://www.gardenpics.com/photos/data/500/sunrow_wife3_8_8_06.JPG)
(http://www.gardenpics.com/photos/data/500/sunrow_wife1_8_8_06.JPG)
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Very impressive! but i'm not done yet i still have another at 14ft and has just started it's head formation, i believe i will get a few more feet out of this one. All will be revealed in time ;) 8)
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giantseeds, send me an email to sunflower_info@yahoo.com to talk about sunflowers.
Lucky this isn't a maize competition. I think I might make 20 ft. this year. ;D
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Have a couple pics we took day. My co-star is my 3 month year old daughter, Ayla. Her twin sister, Ellen was sleeping; so she didn't make any of the pics.
(http://www.gardenpics.com/photos/data/500/mrXbott1_8_12_06.JPG)
(http://www.gardenpics.com/photos/data/500/RHGS15FT_8_12_06.JPG)
thought I would do a where's waldo for this one.
(http://www.gardenpics.com/photos/data/500/rhgs14ft_8_12_06.JPG)
(http://www.gardenpics.com/photos/data/500/AZSUN_8_12_06.JPG)
(http://www.gardenpics.com/photos/data/500/SELFSOW13FT_8_12_06.JPG)
(http://www.gardenpics.com/photos/data/500/selfsow_leaf_8_12_06.JPG)
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Wow!!! i think i can just see Waldo ;)
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BBC GREAT BRITISH VILLAGE SHOW!
Have you ever imagined that your sunflowers could get you to HIGHGROVE, to meet THE PRINCE OF WALES??
The final of the BBC GREAT BRITISH VILLAGE SHOW will be held at Highgrove in the presence of HRH The Prince of Wales. All you need to do to be there is enter the TALLEST SUNFLOWER category in one of our REGIONAL HEATS and the WINNERS will win a CASH PRIZE as well as attending the final at HIGHGROVE.
The SOUTH EAST winners are already through but if you can make any of the below dates and have a tall sunflower then dont hesitate to contact us:
TEL 0207 4322935 EMAIL gbvs@12yard.com
SOUTH WEST HEAT - SUNDAY 6th AUGUST at MONTACUTE HOUSE, SOMERSET
CENTRAL HEAT - SUNDAY 27th AUGUST at CALKE ABBEY, DERBYSHIRE
EAST ENGLAND HEAT - SUNDAY 3rd SEPT at WIMPOLE HALL, CAMBRIDGESHIRE
WALES AND WEST HEAT - SUNDAY 17th SEPT at DYFFRYN GARDENS, CARDIFF
NORTHERN HEAT - SUNDAY 24th SEPT at NOSTELL PRIORY, WAKEFIELD
ALL ENTRIES WELCOME AND GOOD LUCK! ;D ;D ;D
Was there nothing happening in Scotland then?
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HI
2 photos taken on my phone last month, not big but pretty :-)
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n61/cambourne7/DSC00163.jpg
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n61/cambourne7/DSC00162.jpg
Cambourne7
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I didn't intend to plant or grow any Sunflowers this year, but one cheeky squirrel had other ideas. To my suprise I had 7 appear during the start of the year, The squirrel mix food I fed it, because it kept eating my new broad bean seeds that were starting to grow, decided to repay me back, and plant in my newly dug allotment, for a snack later. Yeah it forgot . But, for a novice gardener its been great watching them grow, and wonder how high they will eventually get. I do now plan to make a deliberate point to try and grow some without using the services of our local squirrel. To help my industrious friend get through the winter, I have noticed he likes and has a passion for wallnuts. Seems like I might have a few more broad beans early next year ! .
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I wanted to buy big seeds and I looked on e bay,I found what sounded just right,cost was .99 p but postage was £ 9, this put me off bigtime, I would expect about 10 pound in weight for such high postage.
I just could not understand why such ridiculously high postage for a few weightless seeds,
XXJeannine
Someone very kindly sent me some so I didn't need to search anymore XX
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Someone was out to rip you off; not many eBay sellers do this, but it's fairly well known.
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It was someone called Giantseeds Company on Jersey XX Jeannine