Hi,
I run a Rainbow Guide Unit for girls aged 5-7 years and they have asked if they can grow sunflowers as a nature challenge.
Unfortunately we don't have space to grow directly into soil, so is it possible to put them in growbags? I haven't got the foggiest about root space.....
Hope someone can help - I really don't want to crush their green-fingered enthusiasm!
Sue.
Hi Pot of Gold, :)
I doubt it because of the size of the root ball on sunflowers I`ve grown and the relative shallowness of a growbag.
But ... if you use compost in large-ish tubs then they will grow to full height.
You could start them in pots indoors and pot them out into the tubs when they are about 6 inches tall. (You could plant extra and sell them to pay for all this stuff you will need). Don`t let them get too leggy.
Don`t forget to put a tall cane in each tub when you plant them and they`ll do best against a sheltered sunny wall or fence where you can also tie them back.
best of luck, Col
My sunflowers were 8 ft tall when i grew them in my 'border' at home. the border is only 6-8 inches deep and underneath is slate! the plants were kinda floppy and had to be tied to the wall, but the flowers were huge.
There are lots of sunflower varieties, if you choose a smaller variety I don't see why you can't use growbags, you might want to turn the growbag the other way around (on it's end like a sack) growing one or two plants, choose a branching variety for lots of flowers. I grew a couple of Autumn Beauty in a large pot last year and they grew beautifully and didn't seem at all bothered being in a pot. :)
If you do, I would go for one of the smaller varieties e.g.-teddy bear, im sure they'd like that one! Happy growing! Dan :-)