sunflowers ornamental with big seeds

Discussion in 'General Gardening Discussion' started by Baalmaiden, Jan 22, 2025 at 8:07 AM.

  1. Baalmaiden

    Baalmaiden Gardener

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    Hi all, I like to grow sunflower seeds for microgreens and would like to grow a few plants in the flower garden that will give nice big seeds to sprout but are also good to look at, preferably not just yellow and not too tall - 6 foot max. Has anyone grown any for ornament and got nice big seeds on the heads?
     
  2. infradig

    infradig Total Gardener

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    Any petfood shop will sell striped sunflower seeds,for parrots, naturally the largest seeds are the commercial variety you need. They grow best when given 20deg C and continued warmth to keep growing, flowering and ripening, in Oct. They will go mouldy if allowed to become overly moist.
    If you meet these conditions, you will succeed for microplants, harvesting when at 4 leaf stage. For outside production of new seeds, plant in April directly into good soil at 350mm spacing, 2-3 seeds and thin to keep the best in each station. They will grow more slowly than indoors but produce better flowerheads/seed heads and thicker stems with which to self support. Will benefit from application of npk once established. You do not give your location in profile; these may not get to maturity in the northern regions of UK, but do just fine on the South coast.
     
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    • Butterfly6

      Butterfly6 Gardener

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      Our sunflowers rarely make it fully to maturity. We get some seeds but I don’t think a full head, I just leave them for the birds. I have grown quite a lot if different varieties, all around 1-1.5m height and the seeds for all have been quite small
       
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