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Growing Russian Giant Sunflowers

Some of the plants. The white sheets are insulation sheets for covering anything sensitive to frost at night, we are still getting below zero temperatures overnight. I put shells and stones in the pots to stop the cat digging in them. Or whatever else she might do... the blue pot is a Brown Turkey Fig. Varied salad leaves and veg in the rest, plus raspberries, strawberries and blackberries.
 
This looks exciting! The soil looks quite reddish there. Are the logs on a trolley? They must be very heavy! I hope the sunflowers will do well there, it definitely looks sunny.
 
Thinx said:
This looks exciting! The soil looks quite reddish there. Are the logs on a trolley? They must be very heavy! I hope the sunflowers will do well there, it definitely looks sunny.
Click to expand...

The logs are on a rolling platform I built for moving my wood stove when I installed it. It's very heavy and one of my pride and joys. I made it mostly from recycled wood other than 4 boards. It's super strong and makes moving heavy things very easy.
Rolling cart for heavy things.

Rolling cart for heavy things.

  • Media owner Major Tom
  • Date added
Originally made for my wood stove.
 
I it's 8.40 am here, but I guess it's later in Japan! Snowy rain is falling...

That's a massive rock you moved! It makes a nice end piece for your trough. You've done plenty already.
 
I really like the natural look with the rock and logs.
Looks like it will be very nice.
Best of luck! Keep the photos coming as you progress. :) :sunflower::bee::sunflower:
 
Thinx said:
I it's 8.40 am here, but I guess it's later in Japan! Snowy rain is falling...

That's a massive rock you moved! It makes a nice end piece for your trough. You've done plenty already.
Click to expand...

It is now 6:18 pm here! I've been working since 9:00 am. I'm bushed!
 
I got all the dirt moved in and it capped off on both ends. I'm a little disappointed the stone on the backside wasn't wide enough, but fieldstone will have to do the trick.
All filled in!

All filled in!

  • Media owner Major Tom
  • Date added
I'm disappointed the rock at the backside wasn't wide enough, but fieldstone will work too.
 
I went to the river and got some straw for my strawberries. It was kind of a pain because I had to cut off lots of seed heads, but hopefully it will pay off. I also didn't get enough straw, so had to improvise with freshly cut grass.
Went to the river and got some straw for my strawberry bed.

Went to the river and got some straw for my strawberry bed.

  • Media owner Major Tom
  • Date added
It was a pain in the ass (lots of seed heads I had to cut off) and I didn't get quite enough so...
 
I decided against the beans as a companion plant and instead went with bell peppers, marigolds, and various kinds of lettuce. I still need to mix in crushed shells with the soil and it's very windy today, so I'm going to wait out the wind and plant tomorrow or the next day, to avoid a Scarface impression with crushed shells haha. Here's what I scored for under $15.
Marigolds, bell peppers, and lettuce companion plants.

Marigolds, bell peppers, and lettuce companion plants.

  • Media owner Major Tom
  • Date added
I decided against pole beans due to conflicting research results. Some say it works well to...
 
These look great! Still battling frosts here, next week maybe better... but got germination in the greenhouse and on the sill cloche of pumpkins!
 
Thinx said:
These look great! Still battling frosts here, next week maybe better... but got germination in the greenhouse and on the sill cloche of pumpkins!
Click to expand...
We had a bad freeze on Sunday, killed my tomato seedling. I checked the weather report and seems like from here on out it's going to be warm.

I'm glad to hear about your progress. I was thinking pumpkins in my bed with the sunflowers, but the seed was too expensive. I'm looking forward to fresh lettuce and bell peppers though!
 
Oh sorry the tomato's gone! I lost several tomato plants and the runner beans, but the rest have made it. I cover them each night, the raspberries blackberry and strawberries seem fine without coverings, though we could get straw for the strawberries I suppose, like you have. Does it help them? I guess thats where they get their name?
 
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