I have six sunflowers growing to about 7 feet and no sign of a flower yet. With surrounding buildings they only get the midday sun about 3.5 hours in late august and I suspect this is a problem. Maybe also the wrong variety for the scottish climate - they where just cooking seeds out of tesco.
Is there anyway to help them flower or is it a lost cause?

David

"david" wrote in message ...
I have six sunflowers growing to about 7 feet and no sign of a flower yet. With surrounding buildings they only get the midday sun about 3.5 hours in late august and I suspect this is a problem. Maybe also the wrong variety for the scottish climate - they where just cooking seeds out of tesco.
Is there anyway to help them flower or is it a lost cause?

David

Sheer guess, wrap them in clear plastic, like a polythene sleeve. Nice little microclimate.
A lot of bother to go to, but depends how much of a challenge you want!

Andy.

"david" wrote in message ...
I have six sunflowers growing to about 7 feet and no sign of a flower yet. With surrounding buildings they only get the midday sun about 3.5 hours in late august and I suspect this is a problem. Maybe also the wrong variety for the scottish climate - they where just cooking seeds out of tesco.
Is there anyway to help them flower or is it a lost cause?

David

To be on the safe side, ventilate the sleeve during the day - don't want cooked sunflowers.

Andy.

I've planted many a sunflower from the bird seed/trail mix and they always flower in the end. They're usually a little bit weak and weedy compared to the bought seed varieties but I reckon that if you've got growth, you'll get flowers...eventually.

This year's crop of 'wild' seeds are just about to bloom - the bought seeds have been flowering explosively for the last month.

Bob (also glasgow!)

The message
from "david" contains these words:

Maybe also the wrong variety for the scottish climate - they where
just cooking seeds out of tesco.


Quality named species seeds are a better bet anyway. The cooking seeds
may have been totally unsuited to the climate in Scotland. I live in
the far north of Scotland and this year attempted to grow some seeds
outdoors and some in the polytunnel. The outdoor seeds have all failed,
probably due to the awful cold and wet weather we had in July
(Depression in Norwegian sea causing constant north winds). The tunnel
seeds have fared better.

Curiously, the seeds costing 26p from Lidl's flowered just as well as
the expensive T&M seeeds although the T&M have made more seed than the
Lidl's ones. The seed heads will be fed to the birds this winter, with
the exception of a few that I shall sow next year to see if I can get
them to grow.

--
Cheers,

Compo.