King of the Sunflowers 2023

[Analoguesat]

Easter Sunday so its time to start the annual forum competition off. All welcome to join in. The rules are simple - grow the tallest sunflower in your garden & revel in the magnificence of your flower whilst it towers over the puny efforts of everyone elses.

No prizes - just the kudos of growing the tallest sunflower. Ours did really badly last year - mainly we think due to a very cold spring & dreadful quality compost. We cant do anything about the first one but we have got new compost so we shall see how it goes.

 

[Llew]

I'm on the case. As usual, some seeds from last year's flowers, some new.
Good luck all.

 

[pontiend]

I have got three up out of six.Mrs ponti has sown six more for me.

 

[william-1]

Looking in the shed I know there are here somewhere

 

[william-1]

Found Giant Sunflower Seeds & Helianthus Red Sunflowers seeds
May the sowing begin.

 

[Analoguesat]

We stopped for coffee & cake at the Weardale Railway in Stanhope on Friday - they were giving away envelopes with a couple of sunflower seeds in them for Easter. No idea of how big they are supposed to grow as the type isnt said but we will see - they will be labelled appropriately

 

[Topper]

Field mice invaded my greenhouse and chomped all my seeds I had saved for planting this year, will have to steal some from the bird food

 

[Analoguesat]

We have germination from 2 of the 3 Weardale Railway seeds

The normal seeds will be planted this weekend

 

[Topper]

Sunflower seeds (Bird seed) germinated ok but it seems I have a sawtooth beetle munching everything in sight so will have to start again. It is my own fault for not smoke bombing the greenhouse in the winter.

I was given two dwarf sunflower seeds at the weekend so I may start a new competition for the shortest flowering sunflower plant, we will see

 

[Analoguesat]

I may start a new competition for the shortest flowering sunflower plant, we will see

I can win that easily every year

 

[pontiend]

Not doing very well this year.I decided to give Mongolian giant another go.Last time I think that the tallest got to the dizzying height of seven foot.Out of six sown four have come up I have a few Titan sunflowers sown.I am not doing the usual number this year it is getting to be too much hassle climbing up the steps to tie them in..The pics are all mongolian sunflowers.Titan pics to follow when planted.

 

[atl68]

I planted 4 seeds and they are doing well so far.

 

[Captain Jack]

We planted two - both still in their respective pots.

 

[william-1]

My 3rd attempt this year hopefully the slugs & snails like the beer bath better

https://www.satellites.co.uk/forums/threads/how-tall-are-your-sunflowers.162334/page-12#post-1146669

 

[Topper]

Birdseed quality and dwarf needing potting on I think

 

[Topper]

The hot spell has got them shooting up

 

[atl68]

After a week they grow incredibly. Already measures almost 1 meter.

​

 

[Analoguesat]

Ours are not doing very well - we have planted some more seeds

 

[Llew]

A mixture of Giants and Evening Sun. They're in a north-facing spot, so will need the sun when its position favours them in the coming weeks, and they grow taller.

 

[pontiend]

They Have started shooting up now the weather is better.The Mongolian giants were planted before the Titans The mongolians only got to seven foot last time that I tried them.It;s banging it down now I expect that they will be going up faster now.I cannot get a photo of them all on the same photo.too much veg and flowers in the way