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How to sow a sunflower seed

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  • 25-02-2020 11:56am
    #1
    yellow hen
    Registered Users Posts: 4,030 ✭✭✭


    I need help as I'm so not green fingered! It's my childs birthday soon and rather than put plastic fantastic into party bags, I was going to buy biodegrable plant pots and soil discs and sunflower seeds and give each child instructions to grow a sunflower.

    These were my instructions:

    1. Put your sunflower seed between damp paper towels. Leave for one to two days.
    2. Once the seed has started to grow, you can sow it 😊.
    3. Put water on the soil disc and watch it grow.
    4. Make a hole in the soil and plant your seed. Water well.
    5. Your seed should sprout in about seven days.
    6. Let it get a little taller and then find a nice sunny sheltered place outside.


    Do they make sense?Just thinking now that the biodegrable pot will fall to s*it when it's wet. Any other ideas?


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    #2
    Reckless Abandonment
    Registered Users Posts: 1,494 ✭✭✭Reckless Abandonment


    Nice idea.
    Wouldn't bother with the paper towel bit. Sunflower seed are easy to get going.
    Dont forget to add potting on as the they get bigger and ideally plant in a sunny sheltered spot.


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    #3
    macraignil
    Registered Users Posts: 3,376 ✭✭✭macraignil


    Agree that it is probably a better idea to skip the paper towel sprouting step as the seed sprouting tip might get damaged in the process of planting. Going straight to soil or compost would be better and potting on into gradually larger containers might be another interesting activity. Also seen people use the inserts from toilet paper roles as a container to put compost in for getting seeds started and as they are made of cardboard they are naturally biodegradable and also the open end allows the roots to grow into the ground quickly anyway when the whole thing is planted out.


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    #4
    prinzeugen
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,891 ✭✭✭prinzeugen


    How big is the sunflower likely to grow? They are very top heavy and unsuitable for any pots unless its a very small growing type.

    The sunflowers I grow can get to 8ft tall and need lots of support as even a slight breeze will snap them. Getting them going is simple though!
    Skip the paper towel and wait a week or two.

    Plant straight into compost/soil in small pots or tray. Plant more than you need. If you want 5, plant 10. when they come up pick the strongest.

    Wait until the plant is at least 9-11 inches tall before planting them out in the ground as the slugs and ants will munch on them. When the are that height they have a better chance of survival.


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    #5
    HeidiHeidi
    Registered Users Posts: 28,859 ✭✭✭✭HeidiHeidi


    I've grown them in the little pots on the windowsill and then planted them out when they're about 6 inches high.

    I've also just stuck a few seeds straight into a sunny bed outside one year when I'd forgotten to do the little pots thing - and grew absolutely ENORMOUS plants straight off - but maybe I was just lucky that time.

    Great idea, OP!


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