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Can sunflowers go out yet?

New_to_gardeningNew_to_gardening Posts: 36
in Tools and techniques
I’ve grown some sunflower seedlings in my warm conservatory. They are too big for their little pots - up to 20cm high, 4-8 leaves. Can I put outside or do I have to move to larger pots? I live in Surrey and no frost forecast but may drop to 6c at night. I also have an old greenhouse I could move them to but it’s got some broken windows so still quite cold and there are mice in there. Thanks in advance for your help! 

Posts

  • SlumSlum Posts: 385
    They’re a hardy annual, so yes they can be outdoors. Keep in mind yours are used to a warm conservatory so I’d bring them in at night for the first week. Mine are only seedlings but are in an unheated well ventilated greenhouse.
  • New_to_gardeningNew_to_gardening Posts: 36
    Slum said:
    They’re a hardy annual, so yes they can be outdoors. Keep in mind yours are used to a warm conservatory so I’d bring them in at night for the first week. Mine are only seedlings but are in an unheated well ventilated greenhouse.
    Thanks Slum! If I plant them outside in the ground though I can’t bring them in at night :-)  do you mean pot on to a larger pot and put outside/ in greenhouse? Or just try and keep them another week in their small pots moving them inside and out? Thanks!
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    Also bear in mind that many critters adore every part of sunflowers. I put mine out when they are 1-2 foot high with very hairy legs, as my SAS slugs demolish them before I can get through the from door if they are any smaller.
  • New_to_gardeningNew_to_gardening Posts: 36
    Fire said:
    Also bear in mind that many critters adore every part of sunflowers. I put mine out when they are 1-2 foot high with very hairy legs, as my SAS slugs demolish them before I can get through the from door if they are any smaller.
    Thanks Fire! So you say pot on and wait till bigger? Yes I recall some slugs got some last year!
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    In some gardens seedlings are just fine. Not others.
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