Sunflower seedlings flopping over

[Lynn Coffelt]

rank amateur here, Combing through old messages here, I see flopping over sunflowers is nothing unusual (or anything to be proud of). Just to be clear, I'm trying to start them inside for transplanting a little later (when the hard winds and heavy rains ease up..... Northwest Washington State) Seems avoiding too much water and fertilizer help with "leggy" growth (growing like gangbusters) which cannot support themselves. Staking doesn't seem like rewarding work, but is it sometimes necessary? Lynn

[Timothy]

You may not have enough light and they are getting leggy. I tend to start the sunflowers right now and place them out around the first week of may or I direct sow them mid april.

[David J Bockman]

And something of the reverse is also true-- too warm and too much sun makes them take off too quickly as well.

[Jim Carlock]

What about a sunflower with 4 buds? I'll post a pic in the binaries group.

[Lynn Coffelt]

Our neighbor had some sunflowers with multiple buds, I would like to see your picture, but I can't locate the binaries newsgroup for gardening. Please help! Rank Newbee Lynn

[Jim Carlock]

It just posted here... alt.binaries.pictures.gardens

The main bud is about 1.25" across, then there are 3 smaller buds. I'll have to take 10 more pics I think before I get a good one of the buds.

-- Jim Carlock Please post replies to newsgroup.

"Lynn Coffelt" wrote: Our neighbor had some sunflowers with multiple buds, I would like to see your picture, but I can't locate the binaries newsgroup for gardening. Please help! Rank Newbee Lynn

[Lynn Coffelt]

Thanks for that last picture, I sort of see additional buds close to the main bud. The neighbor's multi headed sunflowers had buds appearing along the main stem, completely separate from each other. Unfortunately, no pictures at all. Lynn

[Jim Carlock]

Yeah, the extra buds seem to be growing on little stems branching off the main stem. I'm thinking that as it grows another two feet, the extra buds will start to appear lower on the main stem.

Here's the information off of the packet of seeds...

Walmart Gardens (97 cents). Sunflower, Evening Sun, Unusual Colors Package Number: 4706 Inked Stamp: "2004 Lot I1, Org-Holland". Days to Germination: 7-21 Days to bloom: 80 - 90 Plant Height: 6 feet (it's a little over 4 feet now). Plant Spacing: 18-24 inches Description: Annual. Lots of red and mahogany make this a uniquely different sunflower. Petals have a velvety feel. Spectacular blooms about 8 inches in diameter. Easy to grow.

This info is also posted in the alt.binaries.pictures.gardens. It sticks around a little longer in this group and is easier to find in the future.

-- Jim Carlock Please post replies to newsgroup.

[Lynn Coffelt]

Thanks to all I believe my greenhouse runs a little too hot in the daytime, and wife told me "What did I tell you about Miricle Gro?" Rank Wanabe Gardner Lynn