SUNFLOWERS in PILTON  
(Click to enlarge) These two pictures are of my neighbour Peter Tobia and were taken last year. He grew these two sunflowers in his garden at Top Street. The larger one was about 15feet tall and the flower head was about 14inches across. Pity that there was not a category for such in the village flower show !! Hope that you like them With best wishes for 2009 John Pratt If anyone else has any pictures that they would like included on the site please send them to contact@pilton.com GROWING TIPS for SUNFLOWERS Direct sowing In average to fertile soil under a hot sun. Sow seed 5cm (2in) deep and spaced 45cm (18in) apart in borders. Water seedlings regularly and, when growing tall forms, feed sparingly with a liquid fertiliser when 60cm (2ft) high. Avoid splashing water or fertiliser solution on the stems or leaves. Starting in pots Use 7.5cm (3in) pots and a good sowing compost. Sow one seed 2.5mm (1in) deep per pot. Water and either cover with polythene or bubble plastic to retain the heat, or place pots on a heated bench or in a propagator with the temperature set at 13°C (55°F). Remove the covers when the leaves appear. Plant seedlings outside when they are large enough to be handled, and the root system is well developed. Add garden compost to the soil if it is heavy or infertile. Cutting flowers Growing sunflowers for cut blooms is best done in a section of garden put aside especially for this use. You can then take as many as you wish without spoiling the display. Because high yields take priority over beauty, plant the seeds closer - 20cm (8in) apart - and avoid using nitrogen-rich fertilisers that promote leaf production at the expense of flowers. Average soil is best, the aim is to encourage more flowers than leaves. For continuity of blooms for floral arrangements, sow a succession of sunflowers every fortnight for six weeks in the early part of the growing season. In a hot summer, each cycle from sowing to blooming will take about 60 days. Pick flowers early in the day, but wait until the sun has dried the dew. Remove leaves that are low on the stem, leaving just two or three higher up, near the flower's face. Place the flowers in a bucket filled with water, and leave them to stand for several hours in a cool room before placing in a vase. Change the water every few days. Blooms can last up to a fortnight when kept in water. Back To 'PREVIOUS FEATURES' Back to 'FEATURES' 
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