Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Growing => General Gardening => Topic started by: DD. on May 02, 2013, 13:08
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I've just realised to my horror that we're a month behind starting this this year, but there again, so is everything else.
So we'd better get cracking. I'll copy/paste the rules from last year which seem to have been OK........
As in previous years, we are running a just-for-fun sunflower competition.
The winner will be the tallest sunflower rather than the widest head.
There will also be a poll at the end for the best photo.
There is no prize just a note under your username to say you won
The rules.....
Newbies can register but must have 50 posts before end of competition.
Names have to be registered by 30th June to count.
Please show the measurement, with full length photo, by 31st October, when competition will end.
Anyone who disagrees with Moderators will be disqualified.
Please post on this thread only to register or comment on your progress. Asking for advice is acceptable, but bear in mind those giving it are trying to beat you! Waffling posts will be deleted!
Right - who's first in to bat?
The Players:
Arugula
surbie100
devonbarmygardener
Yours Truly
Yorkie
Annen
pdblake
sunshineband
mumofstig
Rexmundi
Lulu
Mother-Hen
carlrmj
Totty
Sweetpea C
VegGirl7
shoozie
taytors
Willow_Warren
Gandan57
Kim50
Fairy Plotmother (needs 50)
Herb
alimilly
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Wot no entrants yet? Go on then....
I'll have to win my title back one day. ;) :D
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Me please - am trying my Mum's geriatric seed as well as some new ones.
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I'll give it a go again DD please - they all fell over and got eaten last year!
Better luck to me this year! :lol:
Better get sowing! :D
Have just sown 3 varieties and 2 of them are the smallest sunflower seeds I have ever played with!! ???
How something 5-6ft comes out of one of those is beyond me!
'Giant single'
'Red Sun'
'Vanilla Ice' - super tiny seed.
We'll see eh!
Good luck everyone. ;)
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Just found an old packet of Sutton's "Fun to Grow" sunny sunflower seeds, so I'll count me in! (They only cost me 10p in an end of season sale 2 years ago).
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Just found an old packet of Sutton's "Fun to Grow" sunny sunflower seeds, so I'll count me in! (They only cost me 10p in an end of season sale 2 years ago).
My 'Giant Single' said sow by end 2011! :D
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Count me in :D
I didn't realise until it was too late last year that the photo had to be of the entire plant and its measurement - is that going to be the same this year?
If so, I need to get someone else in to take the photo while the tape is being held ... and might be worth highlighting this in the rules ;) :D
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I'll have go too, I've planted some giant singles already, beside the fence so they won't fall over.
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Go on then, put my name down too. I'll grow one alongside that pretty big pumpkin I've got going :D
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I'll attempt to join in again
Let's hope I get a plant that does not blow over this year :lol: :lol: :lol:
Best sow something this weekend ....... freeby seeds from somewhere that have a picture of a yellow sunflower on the front against a bright blue sky :D
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Count me in :D
I didn't realise until it was too late last year that the photo had to be of the entire plant and its measurement - is that going to be the same this year?
If so, I need to get someone else in to take the photo while the tape is being held ... and might be worth highlighting this in the rules ;) :D
I've put that bit in, ta.
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I'll have go too, I've planted some giant singles already, beside the fence so they won't fall over.
That's not fair - a head start! :lol:
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It seems to mean certain death for any I grow ::) but I'll have a go :D
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Please include me :D
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Can I enter my Teddy Bears for the best photo again? They are dwarf size so won't get the prize for tallest. I'd like to defend my title I got last year please :)
Lulu
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Please may I be included,
Cornwall probably isn't the best place to grow sunflowers because of the wind but I would like to give it a go please.
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Please include me in again
Thanks Carl
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Count me in please!!!!
Totty
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How exciting - a competition! Count me in please :)
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How exciting - a competition! Count me in please :)
Oh, and also my daughter Mia who has a sunflower competition with Brownies and asked me for help - bless her :-)
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I'll give it a go - hopefully they won't all get slugged this year!
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we'll have another bash if I can find some seeds :D
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Here's the front runner after potting on....... ;)
Totty
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Count me in please will give it a go :) :)
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Count me in, I've a couple of tall varieties on the go at the moment (I might have to bow out later is they get too abused by the wind though - bit exposed in my garden for tall sunflower growing!!)
Hannah :)
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Here's the front runner after potting on....... ;)
Totty
Gonna have to stake that one soon! :tongue2:
Mine got that far last year, fell over and got slugged! :D
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I`ll try again this year.
I have onions planted where last year`s disastrous sunflower efforts were, and to my surprise I saw today, two sunflower seedlings amongst the onions.
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I was late starting mine, as you know this was a sudden realisation!
I sowed some Russian Giant on the same day I started this thread, they popped through yesterday, so that's 8 days to germinate. I also sowed some of those Mongolian things yesterday.
Now need some catch up juice.
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Me too please :)
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I sowed some on the day I entered the comp, but had to buy more 'giant single' seeds as my 2011 seeds were a no show.
The other sunflowers (see earlier post) don't look very 'sunflowery' so far ??? ??? ???
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My sure thing suffered a fatal accident. I tried re-suss but...
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OOh! Maybe I can do this too. Sign me up please. :)
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Go on then, count me in! I've got a few that are about a foot high on the plot - so we'll see what happens with them!
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And that's me out...I've been slugged. :mad:
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Can I join in please, I lost all of mine last year, but have a few which are beginning to look a bit more promising at the moment. It is probably going to be the kiss of death to enter the competition, but why not! :)
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Can I join in please,
You're in. :)
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Now...which one shall I choose?
(http://i673.photobucket.com/albums/vv100/tosca100-dog/poolandsunflowers028_zps0cdca45f.jpg) (http://s673.photobucket.com/user/tosca100-dog/media/poolandsunflowers028_zps0cdca45f.jpg.html)
Sorry couldn't resist. :blush:
I'll crawl back in my corner now. They don't grow them for pleasure here.
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That's not fair! ::) :)
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:lol: that was funny.
6 out of 10 have been slugged or chickened or rabbited - don't know what could have gotten to them...hopefully the more protected ones at home will work.. . . . :blink:
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Slugs love to eat them!
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Hmmm.
I wonder how mine will have faired when I get back from France at the weekend!! :unsure:
I wish I'd had time to plant them out before I left! :unsure:
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Six foot one. Loving the nettle juice!
Totty
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Hmmm.
I wonder how mine will have faired when I get back from France at the weekend!! :unsure:
I wish I'd had time to plant them out before I left! :unsure:
They were eaten!
Will have a seed planting session tomorrow - dunno how they will fair! :unsure:
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All my yellow (large variety) plants have been eaten, so I'm just left with red ones. They'll be pretty if they flower though. :)
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OOh! Maybe I can do this too. Sign me up please. :)
:( :( :( I don't appear to be on the entrance list. :( not sure I've got a chance as I need to start again...can't find my little seedlings :mad:
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I've added you anyway ;)
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:D Thank you very much I will do my best.
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Well I think you can count me out!! My single tall have decided to flower already at a measley 4ft!!! Goodness knows what got into them!!
Hannah :)
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Aw shucks, I see I have missed the deadline to enter this competition. I am new to this site and thought I'd enter my sunflowers into a competition this year, as they are doing better than previous years. I grow sunflowers each year for fun. Right now one is about 11'6" but I feel 2 or 3 could make it past the 12' mark.
I wish all contestants luck with this competition. :)
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You're quite right WesleyM, you are too late to enter this year's competition, but it gives you plenty time to up your post count to be eligible to enter next year's. :)
Names have to be registered by 30th June to count.
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Well I'm out folks - too late to get any decent height now and all my sunflowers were munched while I was away!
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Aw shucks, I see I have missed the deadline to enter this competition. I am new to this site and thought I'd enter my sunflowers into a competition this year, as they are doing better than previous years. I grow sunflowers each year for fun. Right now one is about 11'6" but I feel 2 or 3 could make it past the 12' mark.
I wish all contestants luck with this competition. :)
Well that makes me feel better, thanks Wesley - I too missed this thread so didn't put my name down in time, and my prize sunflower was 9 ft 1" when we measured it on Sunday. At least now I know I wouldn't have won anyway!
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Oh, mine grew to 6 foot over the holiday.... take it that's not going to be tall enough to win, still, it looks pretty so I'm happy, there is always next year ::)
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That is 6 foot better than me!
I am well and truly out of this contest :lol:
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Two of mine are at the 6'9" mark (better than ever here) the others more like around the 4' mark which is more normal. None have flowered yet, which feels late but maybe it isn't. As I mentioned in a previous post, assuming the pots were labelled correctly, only the red variety survived the late spring weather, the slugs.... so I'm surprised they've reached that height as they are quoted at 6' max..
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9ft 8in at the moment, flower fading so I don't think it will be getting much bigger now.
Totty
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:( Think I'm out then!!!!
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9ft 8in at the moment, flower fading so I don't think it will be getting much bigger now.
Totty
Erm, that'll be me out too ... 4 and a half foot only. Oh well, there's always next year :D
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I've not a chance - any year!! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
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Does it count if the flower is lying down when measured as I can't reach the top?
I was thinking the flower head would be just about over by the finish date and I could dig it up and measure it that way?
It is in a corner next the fence, up against the beans and I can't get in to it very well (I obviously didn't think this through properly at the start!) :)
I don't think it is any taller than 8 feet anyway ;) but you never know, some of those 12 footers might blow down ( on second thoughts then they can be measured on the ground too :ohmy: )
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Further to my last post, my son told me a way to measure without having to resort to a stepladder ::) , so I managed to measure it roughly.
But don't panic anybody, it is only 7ft 8ins. :)
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I've got a few over 10ft and a lot that are 9-10ft tall .
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:ohmy: I'm certainly out then!!! Just wait ' til next year ;)
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Further to my last post, my son told me a way to measure without having to resort to a stepladder ::) , so I managed to measure it roughly.
But don't panic anybody, it is only 7ft 8ins. :)
Pythagoras?
Nothing so clever, a bendy tape measure! Foot on the end of the tape, bend the tape, feed the bend up to the height you want and read off the measurement, mind, you have to have good eyesight ::)
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Please post your photos (full length) with tape measure etc to verify the height of your prize blooms :D
and of course a photo of your prettiest sunflower as well ;)
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Well I thought I'd just share a picture of a 12' tall sunflower I had, and yes I did measure it, though it was not easy. :D
I also had a sunflower head that grew to 13.5" in maximum diameter (in the 12' sunflower pic, this came from the one closest to the house on the right row).
Don't fret if you don't already know, but I'm not eligible for the competition. Just thought I'd share my results.
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This is one of the tallest sunflowers so far .
It is currently over 12 ft tall .
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(http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb429/Lulustone/DSCN0208_zps6c7bb64f.jpg) (http://s1205.photobucket.com/user/Lulustone/media/DSCN0208_zps6c7bb64f.jpg.html)
My 3 Teddy Bears - for the pretty category
Also - my Vanilla ice
(http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb429/Lulustone/DSCN0204_zps2323c245.jpg) (http://s1205.photobucket.com/user/Lulustone/media/DSCN0204_zps2323c245.jpg.html)
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Touching the eaves at around 10ft 11 days ago now a bit taller and those tallest ones still not flowering..
(http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j85/argyll_photos/chat/2013-08-22154634_zpsab05e8b3.jpg) (http://s78.photobucket.com/user/argyll_photos/media/chat/2013-08-22154634_zpsab05e8b3.jpg.html)
Red Sun
(http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j85/argyll_photos/chat/2013-08-22154628_zps80b2a988.jpg) (http://s78.photobucket.com/user/argyll_photos/media/chat/2013-08-22154628_zps80b2a988.jpg.html)
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That is really pretty too and very tall :happy:
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Thanks :) and that tallest one is now about a foot higher than the gutter - and the flower still isn't open! ::)
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How are you guys getting them to grow that big? Are they growing in pure dung or something. Im lucky if mine make 6ft - if they don't get chomped like this year and last! ::)
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How are you guys getting them to grow that big? Are they growing in pure dung or something. Im lucky if mine make 6ft - if they don't get chomped like this year and last! ::)
I'd like to know too! I planted a row and treated them all the same, and one stopped at 4 ft and another went on to about 8 ft!
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Your sunflowers are quite fantastic arugula. :) I think you must be winning every category there is in the competition.............unless someone knows different!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Not height-wise FPM, but I have been known to grow a pretty sunflower. :)
How are you guys getting them to grow that big? Are they growing in pure dung or something. Im lucky if mine make 6ft - if they don't get chomped like this year and last! ::)
The growing spot had some horse manure over winter, so this must have made a difference as they normally only make just over 5 ft and this "Red Sun" variety isn't meant to go over about 6. ::)
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How are you guys getting them to grow that big? Are they growing in pure dung or something. Im lucky if mine make 6ft - if they don't get chomped like this year and last! ::)
I'd like to know too! I planted a row and treated them all the same, and one stopped at 4 ft and another went on to about 8 ft!
For mine, I really didn't anything too special. I hand-tilled that area just down to 6 inches, used a bag of cow manure and a bag of vegetable / garden soil for a large area (still like 90% natural soil) and watered often, especially in the beginning. I moved them to the back because the root system has all the free space in the world without the concrete house foundation in the way. I bought two types of sunflowers that have growing heights of 7-12 feet each.
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No height to record here as my 'giant' turned into a tiddler, but the bees thought he was tasty nevertheless ......
(http://i1233.photobucket.com/albums/ff393/shoozie1/7440a0ba6d1b1aebd21e0151231552e7_zps68fa322f.jpg)
:D. Best of luck everybody as the deadline looms !
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Difficult decision here, as strictly no one has totally complied with the rules of showing the height with a measure. We do appreciate, however, the difficulty in measuring behemoths! We'll re-think this for next year.
carlmj did, however declare a height of 12' and has an object in the foreground to compare it with, (himself!). So he is declared the winner of the tallest sunflower.
Please bear with me whilst I prepare the photos to vote for the prettiest. Photomuckit decided to go into maintenance mode last night when I had the time to do it and I may be a bit busy today.