Growing sunflowers

Hi Everyone

I am just looking for some advice on growing multi-headed sunflowers.
The flowers are now flowering some have flowered and died, but have other heads which haven't flowered.

Was just wondering once the main head has flowered and died should I cut it off to allow the other heads to grow.


Thanks

 

Hi and welcome to the forum Johhnie.

I have never grown sunflowers, but unless someone told me to the contrary I would cut off any heads that have finished flowering. The reason is that once a head (of any plant) has finished flowering it starts to produce seed. In the process of producing seeds it also produces chemicals that it sends back down the plant to inhibit further flowering. It is nature's way of telling a plant that once it has started to produce seed, it has done its job and doesn't need to produce any more flowers. So deadheading is good practice with most plants.

 

Shiney- thats a lovely plant.

As I said I have never grown Sunflowers, but looking at yours - perhaps I should. I like that dark colour, and the fact that it has multiple heads.

I would really appreciate some details please. Was it from seed or bought, its cultivar name, how high does it get and could it be grown in a pot?

 

Many thanks for the info Shiney and the kind offer of some seeds. - I would love some. :gnthb:

 

They are just lovely Shiney. Great colour.
I'm growing some multi-headed ones too, but they're yellow. They're just about to come into flower. I hope they will be as nice as yours.

 

You could try some of the ones that don't get quite so high. I usually sow some of them each year, but couldn't be bothered this year - they can reach knee height and have the added advantage of not needing staking and supporting.