The first flower appeared on one of my sunflowers a couple of days ago. But it's been a very disappointing summer for sunflowers here in Sheffield, or at least in my garden.
With the wet and cool weather and a distinct lack of sunshine until the last few days my crop is less than half the height I would expect them to be and some haven't thrived at all, with very weak, spindly growth. Others have just died and of course slugs and snails killed a few. There have been so many that slug bait was relatively ineffective.
AuntyRach, I don't agree with what you said about sunflowers with multiple flower heads. many tall varieties have multiple flowers, many more than the single-flowered varieties.
My sources were wrong about the tall ones tending to be singles then - that's good news actually as I would like to find some to grow for next year - brill.
Posts
I haven't seen it yet, been working but my mum sent me this photo earlier today which is the first of my about 14 surviving sunflowers to bloom.
Not sure why the petals are so small. Do you think they'll get bigger?
Jason Sparkes, that's amazing
The first flower appeared on one of my sunflowers a couple of days ago. But it's been a very disappointing summer for sunflowers here in Sheffield, or at least in my garden.
With the wet and cool weather and a distinct lack of sunshine until the last few days my crop is less than half the height I would expect them to be and some haven't thrived at all, with very weak, spindly growth. Others have just died and of course slugs and snails killed a few. There have been so many that slug bait was relatively ineffective.
AuntyRach, I don't agree with what you said about sunflowers with multiple flower heads. many tall varieties have multiple flowers, many more than the single-flowered varieties.
My sources were wrong about the tall ones tending to be singles then - that's good news actually as I would like to find some to grow for next year - brill.
Some pictures from my allotment