Tallest sunflower and largest head challenge 2017

Thanks to @Richard360 posting this up last year it was a good bit of fun ,

My tallest made around 12ft, blxxdy pigeon broke it , good luck

 

Will also be growing "giant single", some "evening sun" and "teddy bears"

 

It was a great turn out last year wasn't it I'm in this year too

 

Haven't bought any seed ... yet! ... but, I'll be on the look out for the winning packet

 

I have added some to the seed swap (they might be mini one's though )

 

It's all about perception @Linz ... to me, even mini sunflowers look like giants

 

I've got some good seeds, I'm heading off to B&Q to buy a few of these to make the lower part of a structure to support them
Blooma Green Softwood Fence Post (H)2400mm (W)75mm (L)2.4m | Departments | DIY at B&Q Reduced to £4 each and my local B&Q have them in stock.

 

Will start sowing next month.

As I've got 100s of saved seeds from last year's plants, I'll risk sowing those earlier and in open ground to get more vigorous plants. I've also got a small number of seeds from a couple of new strains so will be starting those off in pots under cover (+ some of last year's as a backups) to guarantee I'll get some seeds for next year, when they too will be sown in open ground.

 

Starting my pot sown seeds off today. To avoid later root disturbance they're in 75mm fibre pots with a big hole in the bottom and 2 cuts down the sides almost to the base and placed inside a plastic flexi pots

 

Sowed teddy bears today, sowing giants tomorrow

 

Saw an image online this morning that might be a good idea, growing sunflowers at each end of a runner bean structure to utilize the frame for support.

 

A house about a mile from us grow their sunflowers up the south facing gable end of the house.
Photo below is UK's record sunflower (2009)in Wigan . Not sure if it is the house near us. So everyone's target really should be 26 feet and 1 inch .

Richard Hope: Gardener grows Britain's tallest sunflower at 26 feet | Daily Mail Online

 

WN6 8HW if you want to have a look later in the year.