I think tulle would be a better choice. It's very cheap too.
I just let the birds have them myself. I think it's fun to watch them eat them. I'm growing sunburst for the first time this year. They look so pretty on the seed packet.
:) Laura

Hello LAURA! (I noticed you rsvp'd to my posting before!)
I'm not going to be so generous w/the sunflowers. I'm going to keep all 12 for myself:). And I'm actually worried about the birds finding them b/c the one and only time we had a bird feeder, the blue jays came and attacked every other bird and then tried to get my DH. THAT put an end to the bird feeder.
I don't recall the name of mine but I picked them for their height- 16 feet. It'll be perfect to pick from the 2nd floor of the veranda.

Hi back at ya!,
I was having a total "Duh" moment. I'm growing solar eclipse, not sun burst. lol. Also growing the really tall kind and a dwarf red. I love sunflowers. I'm trying a lot of different plants this year for ha ha's.
most of my seedlings are 4 to 10'' tall right now but I know they grow really fast. It's going to be a good growing year. I hope.
:)Laura

Use nylon pantyhose. They don't absorb water. But the fun with sunflowers is watching the goldfinches hang upside down, plucking the petals off to hasten seed maturity! Then, put on the pantyhose, but leave some for the birds, too!