[AmandaLouise]

Can someone tell me if these look okay as attached.  Sunflowers look healthy but falling about a bit.  I need to tie them around a stick properly though, they are in 3" pots, I dont know how long the roots get but they seem to be growing nicely.  When can they go outside?

Also I have an unheated greenhouse now.  A lady at the allotment said I can sow all my bedding plants in there now?  Is this true?

If anyone can give me a list of the seeds I can sow in the greenhouse that would really help. 

Thanks kindely.
amanda

[DD.]

To be honest, the sunflowers look rather leggy, probably due to lack of light and a bit too much warmth. If you have a greenhouse, I'd get them in there, I'll be sowing mine soon in the unheated one.

Check the seed packets, they should tell you what temperatures you should be aiming at for germination. A lot of bedding plants require higher temps than you'll get overnight in an unheated greenhouse at the moment.

[AmandaLouise]

They get plenty of light to be honest, I sowed them 9th march.  And are on a cool windowsill but warmer this week with the lovely weather.  I could put them in the coldframe ?

Pack instructions say: 'Sow seeds indoors from Jan 12mm deep in good compost.   When all risk of frost has passed plant out into flowering position.  Stake well as they grow.  you can also plant directly into the soil from end of March, when all risk of frost has passed.'

Now being an amateur gardener, I understand from being on here we are not out of the danger zone for last frost yet, so that is sometime off I think.

Many thanks

[Yorkie]

As a general rule for seed sowing, hardy annuals will be frost hardy.  Half hardy annuals are not, so need to be kept protected until after your last frost date.  That's the start of June where I am; you'll need to check yours.

[Rangerkris]

My children sown there and they are in the cold greenhouse and look a lot like these in the picture, only there is 50 of them all come up every single one of them hahahhaha.

[sunshineband]

My children sown there and they are in the cold greenhouse and look a lot like these in the picture, only there is 50 of them all come up every single one of them hahahhaha.

Fields of sunflowers look lovely Kris 

[AmandaLouise]

Thanks Rangerkris, glad they are of some similiarity, are yours in same pots too, when do you repot or put in the ground.  Good to know I can get some sown at the greenhouse now then.  Will let them germinate at home and then take them to greenhouse.  I have done 12 altogether, wanted to do more but not had space on the windowsills.

[AmandaLouise]

Same dates as me Yorkie, only thing is excuse me for being a bit thick, but will have to check what are hardy and half hardy annuals now!

[Yorkie]

Seed packet or website should tell you one way or the other.

[DD.]

"Grow indoors" is open to interpretation.

I would not start something like a sunflower that is a big sturdy plant destined for the great outdoors in the warmth and limited lighting of a house, or at least if I did, I'd move it to somewhere a bit cooler as soon as they had germinated.

I'm sorry to say that, despite what Kris has said, I still think the plants look a bit on the weak and leggy side, especially the two on the left. I think you may have to sacrifice one of these plants, (chop it off), rather than attempt to pot on both of them. This will make for minimal root disturbance if you can just slip the existing root ball into another pot, and bury it as deep as you can.

I frequently comment that whilst a house window may seem bright to us, our eyes adapt by the iris opening to allow more light in. It does not seem as light to a plant that has no such mechanism and it makes weak and rapid growth in order to attempt to reach the light source.

This can be offset to an extent by the use of some reflective aluminium foil, nevertheless, the plant is is still being grown in conditions for which it wasn't "designed".

[jay001]

i to started my sunflowers on the window ledge and potted them on when they were 3" high,couldnt believe how large the root system on them was-- massive !!!! and cos i am on a very tight budget i couldnt afford the cost of yet another packet of seeds so took the time to rumage through my wild bird seed and all 20 came up brill!!!!

[Kim50]

Cool idea Jay..let rumaging commence 

[jay001]

Cool idea Jay..let rumaging commence 

mine whent outside in mini greenhouse a couple of weeks ago and look really strong,put one in the ground with my cheepo compost and even after all the hail and rain we had here it still looks strong and healthy have had another "rumage " and got another few seeds out -- hey a man has to cover all options if he is trying to win at something 

[AmandaLouise]

What happens if by accident you snap the stem of a sunflower...... I did it about 2 weeks ago, its not dead but doesnt look like it has grown, I have backup though.  Mine are still in the coldframe and look like they are doing alright.  I sowed my sunflowers 9th march, when would I expect them to get to the flowering stage?

[jay001]

What happens if by accident you snap the stem of a sunflower...... I did it about 2 weeks ago, its not dead but doesnt look like it has grown, I have backup though.  Mine are still in the coldframe and look like they are doing alright.  I sowed my sunflowers 9th march, when would I expect them to get to the flowering stage?

i,m not sure amanda but from what i have learned on here and my 2 book,s  if you snap a stem it harm,s the plant and it wont grow any more --- is that not why on all videos i have watched on line they show and tell you to use the leafs when handling as you pot on cos if you snap a leaf the seedling will eventually recover dont know but hope sombody knows out there all i know is i snapped a lot of my bergoniers while potting on with my dead hands --- what a delicate plant -- wont try them again next year  have a tray i term my hospital room recovery tray with them and a couple of sunflowers i snapped the stem on and all not looking good.and that,s approx 10 day,s ago now
cheers jay