Eloise that is one BIG sunflower. So tell us, how do you like sunflowers now that you grew your very first ones yourself?

GREAT buy!

Lucy

I love sunflowers. We grow a few acres but cut them before the flowers are fully open. I'd love to see what it would look like with all in full bloom. Dragon fruit is simple to root. Make sure the cut end is dry and stick it in a well draining mix. It will root, not to worry. You need to make a very strong support for them to grow on. Take a look online at the Oriental growers sites. There's also a GW member named Ohiojay I think. He has a nice support that he built.

Thanks. Lucy now that I have grown my first, I will definitely grow more. I've always loved sunflowers and will even buy the cut ones at the Farmer's Market, but from now on, I will try growing my own.

Karyn, I can just imagine what the fields of sunflowers must look like even if the blooms aren't even fully opened! Thanks, I did read up on some posts in GW. First, it was confusing because some said they planted in cactus mix, but after several posts, it's obvious that was not the way to go. I saw a pix from ohiojay where it appears one of his pitaya is in a hanging basket. But, then he has a pole wrapped up in something so wasn't sure if the pitaya is planted in the ground and then works its way up to look like its in a basket or what. I will need to do more searching, meanwhile I am potting up in well draining soil.

Lovely sunflower! What variety is that? It looks like the type that the sunflower seeds that we eat comes from. I bet the birds will love it!

Pam

It's in the ground in his greenhouse and the support is like a platform on a post. I never made a support for mine and there were branches going 8' in all directions. I never failed to snap half the plant off moving it inside for the winter. I did get a fruit last summer but the taste was pretty bland. It might have been climate related or the variety. Mine is red outside with white flesh and I think that's the least desireable for flavor.

Eloise
great job, that sun flower, is hugh, I always grow them. but this year, I just don't have the room,Brugs all over the yard, with lots of cannas
Elizabeth

I love the sunflower. I have a dragon fruit but its just a baby. Mine is planted in regular potting soil mixed with some cactus mix to make sure it drained well and looks fine. I have some sunflowers planted but they haven't come up yet. I think the squirrel might have eaten them and the squash seeds since not one out of 20 of them came up either. I swear I'm gonna get a bb gun, lol. I'll have to start some more in the greenhouse I guess.

Kristy they won't be safe in the GH either. The chipmunks got in my GH and dug up a bunch of seeds. They make way more of a mess then the mice did. I can imagine that squirrels would do even more damage. The BB gun idea sounds tempting!

Well there is always the garage, lol. Dang critters.

Pam, I didn't see a name on the sunflower. I did want a big one for the seeds for birds, and hope the squirrels won't get them all.

Karyn, good to know that eventually, it's best to plant dragon fruit in the ground like ohiojay has. Do they grow fast? I don't know if I would want them expanding 8 feet in different directions, LOL!

Kristy, if you ever buy a BB gun, get one with enough power. I finally got one a few months ago, and you have to be close enough to your target to give the critters a sting. Don't know what I was thinking when I got this one with a range of only 75 feet! Mine is for the stray cats that think they are welcomed in my yard, crap in my flower beds, and kill birds that visit my garden.

Ah, one more reason to get one. If I stick my hand in cat crap one more time he will wish I had popped his butt with a bb. Hmmm maybe a pellet gun is what we need, lol. You should see the huge leaves I'm getting on the variegated canna. They are beautiful but something is chewing holes in them. Boo hooo. Looks like someone shot them with BB's how poetic, lol.

Eloise,
Congrats on your sunflowers & dragonfruit. I love the sunflowers too. Mine reseed every year. As a matter of fact, I never planted the variety that grows here! Love the goldfinches that show up!This pic is early in the summer, these sunflowers grow over 10 ft. & keep blooming.

{{gwi:493078}}

Kristi,
It may be leafrollers on your canna. A spray of BT will stop that.

Pam

Yuck Kristy, one good reason to always wear gloves! I too get those round holes in my cannas and rose leaves, but I thought they were from the cutter bees (think that's what they are called).

Pam, I don't even know what a leafroller is so will google -- thanks.

Theresa, your sunflowers are beautiful. I hope mine reseeds!

I found some big fat white thing that looked like a grub down in a curled leaf that hadn't opened yet. Yuck!