Just some summer snap shots. :)
These were taken at a quiet lake dock a few minutes from our house.
Monday, July 14, 2014
Monday, July 7, 2014
Mammoth Sunflowers + My Tips!
Hello friends!
Even though our area has been having very strong thunderstorms as of late (Florida summers for ya), the garden is still holding on and my giant sunflowers have even made it through alive! Hip hip hurray! Here are a few of my tips on growing these bad boys in a zone 9b Florida garden:
Tip 1: Plant directly into the ground when it's warm and give them lots of space, they don't like to be crowded! I put about 3 seeds in a small triangle and then remove all but the strongest seedling when they get a few inches high. Only the strong continue on! :)
Tip 2: They are heavy feeders; amend the ground with a some compost and give them a little fertilize every so often...they are also fast growers!
Tip 3: To help them live up to their mammoth name, plant them next to something that you can anchor them to. I used fence posts that were already in my garden and as they grew I tied them off to it. This helped keep them from breaking during the storms!
Tip 4: Sunflowers LOVE the sun! Full sun all the time is what they prefer.
Tip 5: Be aware they will create a feeding frenzy of birds and bugs! So, planting them right next to your tomatoes might create a buffet of sorts. :)
Tip 6: To harvest the seeds, wait until the heads drop and the backs of them go from green to yellow/brown. Or, cut them before and put them in a vase!
I hope you learned something and are inspired to grow some of these beauties in your own garden!
Take care,
Leigh
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