Sunflowers starting to bloom

[BobReeves]

My sunflower patch is just starting to bloom, the ones that are blooming are the seeds I sorted out of a 40 pound bag of Black Oil bird seed. They are smaller than the plants that are growing from the large stripped seeds I bought from American Meadows. When I planted this section I alternated every other row between the two seeds. This is looking at the rows from the side, the difference would have shown up better if I had shot down the rows.

This was really an experimental year to give me a better idea of what I wanted to do next year. The whole patch is an acre and I'm thinking of doing two acres next rear. Alternating rows like I did might give me a longer blooming season. Big mistake was not making a note on the calendar when I did the planting.

Not sure yet what I will do when they all die off this fall to get it ready for next year. Thinking I would mow it down then run my tiller over it but those stalks are going to be pretty big. Not sure my flail mower and tiller will handle it without winding up stalks and making it an ordeal.

 

[RedMF40]

Always enjoy sunflowers--either just one or thousands in a field. Nice display. BTW it's KS state flower if u didn t know. Remember driving thru with endless fields of them.

 

[larry@stinescorner]

very nice! We have some growing,not flowering yet

 

[Traditional Farmer]

I grow Sunflowers too and you can save lots of $$$ by going to a place that sells bird seed like TSC and just buying a bag they have the large grey stripped and the oil types.

 

[RobCons]

We plant a couple of small patches with just simple old black oil sunflower seed from the bird feeder. Works great. We enjoy the view and birds, especially goldfinches, really enjoy them. I can usually plant first batch in mid to late March. That gives enough time for a second crop before cold weather comes in. Already cut the first ones down and second ones are coming up.

 

[gtractorfan]

I plant a little of the black ones too - the finches clean the heads before they're completely ripe. I don't have a picture of just sunflowers.

 

[rlp in Co.]

Your sunflowers look good! Post a picture when
they are in full bloom. I like how they face the sun
all day long. Their name in Spanish is mirasol.
Which means look sun.
I used to work for a farmer and did all the farming
for almost 3000 acres of sunflowers. They were
the same oil type and a outfit up in Canada bought
them to make cooking oil. They were organic and
brought a good price.
I always leave several wild sunflowers grow
around my place for the birds and just to look at.
One year we had a lot of rain and they got about 5
or 6 feet tall.