Growing Russian Giant Sunflowers

[Major Tom]

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?

Yep, that's where strawberries got their name. The straw helps to retain moisture and also keeps the berries cleaner. I put some manure in the bed, and didn't want it splashing the manure onto the berries when it Rained.

Sorry to hear about your losses. I guess that that's a problem that people who are avid gardeners have to face, especially in cooler climates. Hopefully it warms up for you!

 

[Major Tom]

I would love to grow these!
Sunflowers are my favourite flower.

My question is how can you keep squirrels from eating the stalks as they grow?

I've tried other sunflowers, not these monsters, and the squirrels always eat the stalk through.

@Mary Terry The pattern the sunflower grows in is special. It is the same as a nautilus shell.
It is a part of sacred geometry called the Fibonacci spiral. Found in many forms in nature.
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I was just reading about companion planting with sunflowers and they said that planting onions, rosemary, basil, or other strong smelling herbs can repel squirrels, rabbits, and deer from your sunflower plants. I hope you have the opportunity to try again. Thankfully, we don't have any of those creatures here.

 

[Major Tom]

First 3 out of 6 sprouted today!

First sunflowers are sprouting!

• Major Tom
• Apr 22, 2021

 

[Major Tom]

Harvested my first salad from the bed of sunflowers from the lettuce I planted in front of the sunflowers. It was delicious!

First home grown salad of the year!

• Major Tom
• Apr 28, 2021

It was so tasty. I finally got the right kinds of lettuce. At the end of the year I'll let it...