What did this to my sunflower?

[Lord Steve]

Hi everyone!!

I woke up this morning to find a sunflower cut in 2. No other obvious damage, although the surrounding area is looking a bit messy.

My immediate thought was wind snapped the stem in 2. But when I tried to snap the stem in half, it did not give such a clean break.

Other possibilities seem to include slugs. Or could it be something else?

By way of background, I live in London and have a very small garden at the back of a terraced house. It is fairly sheltered and the only known pests are the odd cat, squirrel and pigeons. And of course slugs!

If anyone can advise, it would put my mind at rest.

Here are the piccies

BEFORE - the stem was staked with a bamboo cane; the delphinium in the background was unaffected, which made me think it might not be wind damage. I have 3 other sunflowers which are about the same size which are still intact.



AFTER - the sunflower was about 4ft tall and the cut was about 2ft off the ground.





Thanks in advance!

[Lord Steve]

[undercarriage plan]

Sounds daft, but could someone have just reached over your wall and cut it? There are some strange peeps about.  Sunflower envy.......?!  Pretty garden Lottie

[Merry Tiller]

How tightly was it tied to the cane?

[Lord Steve]

Sadly not - my next door neighbour is a sweetie and loves both of our gardens, we chat over the wall all the time!!

I have to say that I am baffled by how clean the cut is. I have not seen slug damage like this - but I am rather inexperienced! I thought it might have been a squirrel or something with sharp teeth!

[undercarriage plan]

Mmm, bit stumped then. All pest damage I've seen has not been clean cut like that.  Will have a ponder, I'm very good at pondering........  ;D Lottie

[Lord Steve]

How tightly was it tied to the cane?

It was tied in a figure of 8 knot with garden twine - fairly tightly, I suppose. The tie was broken when I found the plant. The cut was about the same height as the tie ... I think I see where you are coming from!!

The tie must have cut its way through the stem with the plant either falling over because it was top heavy or blown over by the wind. How annoying - I was going to restake it at the weekend with a taller stake!

[GREENWIZARD]

i think MT is right
i lost some sunflowers the same way last year~forgot to slacken the tie as the stalk was getting thicker~ho-hum :'( :'(

[Lord Steve]

Yep - lesson learned the hard way. Logged in the 'remember to do this' gardening log!! At least I don't have hardcore SAS slugs killing my plants, just the wind and me taking my eye off the ball. I have restaked the remaining sunflowers now. Fingers crossed!!

[beejay]

Lord Steve, have you tried that plasticy tie stuff that expands with the plant. Quite useful for those of us with little in the way of memory, tho' more expensive of course.

[Twospot Ladybird]

Sorry to read about your sunflower Lord Steve. Here's another suggestion for tying your sunflowers to stakes, I tie mine in near the top as well as about half way down. I just use ordinary garden twine. Hope your other three sunflowers don't suffer the same fate.

[undercarriage plan]

I just managed to save my toms today.  Went to lottie, and for some bizarre reason, remembered your post and decided to check ties on toms......Close call!! They were really tight and about to cut in!! So thank you!! Lottie  ;D