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Post by gardendmpls on Aug 26, 2022 1:56:13 GMT -5
Wait until the evening when the bees go home.
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Post by Mumsey on Aug 26, 2022 5:19:57 GMT -5
datgirl, And when they are dead in your vase, put them outside. Birds/squirrels will peck away at them even if they aren't forming seeds.
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Post by datgirl on Aug 26, 2022 9:05:17 GMT -5
Between the sunflowers, all volunteers, and the Joe Pye Weed, my bees are very happy. I also noticed the Goldenrod is starting to bloom. More for the bees. The beekeeper that has his hives on our property, told me yesterday, this was his second best honey year so far.
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Post by lilolpeapicker on Aug 26, 2022 11:55:04 GMT -5
I hope all the bees here are contented as they have been visiting the sunflower, cosmos, balsams, bachelor buttons, petunias and hostas. Beautiful to see!
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Post by gianna on Aug 26, 2022 13:58:38 GMT -5
About 3-4 weeks ago I transplanted quite a few small sunflower seedlings into 4 inch pots. They are now between a foot and 2 feet tall, looking small but good, with buds beginning to show. Looks like there are many stages of development, so the blooming period could be quite long. Looking forward to it. I also have about 4 gallon pots of bright yellow Rudbeckia (Prairie Sun) in continuous bloom right outside the window, so I'm wondering if maybe just staying with these perennials would give similar results with far less work, lol. I'm gettin' old, but I still like 'pretty'.
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Post by gianna on Mar 10, 2023 13:17:02 GMT -5
It's probably too early - or maybe it seems that way because of the cool, wet day - but I just planted sunflower seeds. 2 types. One saved seed from last year from an edible seed producer (Royal Hybrid). And another (Holiday), which is a branching type, non hybrid that produces pollen. If it's pretty, I'd like to save some seed from this one. Now in the germination chamber. 
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Post by breezygardener on Mar 10, 2023 14:52:27 GMT -5
Thanks to Mr. Breezy being Ukrainian & all of the seed companies donating profits from or giving away sunflower seeds, I probably have enough packets & enough varieties to start my own sunflower farm. But I won't be starting any until next month. They sprout fairly quickly & grow fairly quickly so I need to make sure it's going to be warm enough out for them.
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Post by Mumsey on Mar 10, 2023 18:57:53 GMT -5
In all my wisdom I bought a package of Mammoth sunflowers....hmmm....where in the world am I going to put those??? Maybe near celery that likes some shade.
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Post by breezygardener on Mar 10, 2023 23:17:28 GMT -5
Oh I bought 'em all - tall ones, short ones, branching ones, white ones, red ones, yellow ones, bicolors - you name it, I bought it - lol!
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Post by emmsmommy on Mar 11, 2023 13:46:06 GMT -5
I have an assortment too and one of the trials I'm participating in is also sunflowers! I do intend to take heed of plant height though. Kiddo loved them last year, but lifting a 50-pound kid every day to small the tall sunflowers isn't exactly ideal, so shorter ones in the garden this time.
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Post by Mumsey on Mar 12, 2023 5:46:22 GMT -5
emmsmommy, Teddy Bear is a nice short sunflower, only about 3 ft tall.
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Post by gianna on Mar 12, 2023 12:00:51 GMT -5
I'm so looking forward to growing sunflowers this year. Some of the ones I just planted the other day are starting to germinate.
I've found that they tend to grow taller in the middle of the summer when it's warmer, the days longer, the sun higher in the sky - and watered well. Early and later planted sunflowers tend to be shorter for me. REally late in the season they can be pygmies.
Also, planted closer together affects their size.
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