Any luck with sunflowers?
I am truly not a gardner, but I would like to have a few sunflower plants in the open field behind our house. I would like a few scattered stalks so they would appear to have grown naturally but haven't had any luck over the last three years.
First two years I planted the seeds in uncultivated soil- nothing.
Last year I started some plants inside then transplanted them to the field. I turned over a shovel size area for each plant. Again nothing, but I think deer (or some other animal) may have eaten the sprouts.
The seed packet suggests growing in cultivated soil and says "doesn't transplant well". Am I simply trying to get plants to do something they don't want to do? We live in southwest Michigan and the field is primarily grass in a slightly sandy soil.
I am willing to give it one more try. I am thinking about starting them indoors again, then transport to a container and see if the mature enough to try a few plants in the field.
Any comments/suggestions apreciated. Thanks in advance.
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www.almanac.com/plant/sunflowers
Wow, not sure. I am in So CA though. I feed the birds black oil sunflower seeds and for me they just pop up everywhere and I just let them do their thing. I would find a variety that will grow in your area, heavily overseed and see what happens. Here the seeds are cheap, even the dollar stores sell them. Good luck! They are easy once established and always make me (and my guests) happy and make great arrangements.
Several years ago, I decided to try growing some sunflowers. I think I planted 4 or 5 different varieties, because of my desire for the variation of colors and heights. If I remember correctly, I chopped the grass off with a hoe, and then to break up the ground. I made the holes to insert the seeds with a screwdriver, or something similar. Pretty much all of them grew to the size as designated in catalogue, but due to neighbor tearing heads off and cutting stalks, it was the only time I grew them. My soil is about as poor as you can get, mostly clay and gravel. I don't remember doing anything special.....I just left it up to Mother Nature. Don't give up............remembering the beauty of them standing there, I just may try it again this year. Good Luck !!!