Sunflower competition 2019

[Jimny14]

Nursery has given our little one a pot with two sunflower seeds in, with instructions to grow them on and take pictures as they get bigger. Now me being me I'm wondering if we should try and grow the biggest sunflower we can.
I know that they are quite hungry feeders and require lots of light and preferably some shelter so they don't blow down. Now unfortunately our particular bit of north Lancashire is on top of a hill and less than a mile from the coast so not all that sheltered or warm on an average year.
Possibly the best growing spots as far as I can work out are either against the south facing wall of our house either in ground or a big potato growing bag, or in a growing bag on the raised deck to get as much sun as possible but it's more exposed.
My concerns about growing in the ground is the grass comes straight to the house side on the south side and I'm not sure I'll be allowed to dig a big pit to fill with compost in our lawn for this purpose.

Anyone got any thoughts or advice?

[burnie]

Sure the grow bag idea will work, just sown a few myself, thought you were starting a competition on here for a moment...…………………….not that there's anyone here that's the slightest bit competitive...………..

[Jimny14]

We could also do a competition here, that's not a bad idea. Let's turn it in to a highest sunflower competition here then! I have no idea of variety I've been given so should be interesting.

[nickdub]

I'd be inclined to get a bag of sunflower seed of the sort sold for bird feeding. I always reckon to grow 10 or 12 of anything which I ultimately only need one or two of - life, pests etc usually mean that the excess gets thinned down very quickly :-)

Motto in the area of competition :- "To finish first, first you have to finish"

[Small pumpkin]

I'm in .

I'm a sucker for a sunflower .

[Jimny14]

OK so let's do highest overall sunflower from soil height to highest point and largest flower diameter. Pictures as evidence, virtual prizes only at this stage. No rules on variety, growing medium etc. Good luck

[veggiechicken]

I lurve sunflowers but I'm a failure at growing them.
Go on then, I'm in.

[lottie dolly]

ME too ,nothing like a bit of a comp to get the juices flowing,
as to your original question,ref the south wall,put a container on a few bricks,and plant into that,get the little one to give it water ext,

[annie8]

Have planted some sunflowers seeds but they only reach 45cm in height. Don’t think I’m winning this one

[burnie]

Told yer, no one on here is the slightest bit competitive lol(there's a couple of names missing from the list I had in my mind though)

[Baldy]

Sunflowers, despite the name, like semi shade and boggy soil, hence:
Paludosus pulcherrimus florus
So I'd grow them north facing in open marshland if possible. *

I'm in for the competition.

















* not really...

[fishpond]

Count me in, only dwarfish ones for the birds though.
"This is the traditional single stem giant Russian sunflower that grows to at least Six feet in height, but often much higher. The blooms are typically over a foot wide and packed with seed that makes a tasty snack for birds and people."

[happyhumph]

Mine have already sprouted but only supposed to get to 6 feet if I'm lucky. They're dark ones, so I'm entering the strongest colour competition..........

[Bren In Pots]

I love sunflowers so I'm in mine are saved seeds so not sure what to expect from the plants.

[veggiechicken]

I've Stickied the thread so lots more people will spot it and enter..................



(better find some seeds mutters VC)