We grow sunflowers here, not so much for their beauty (although they are nice to look at it), but for their utility. I wrote a post a little while ago on my reasoning behind that statement, it's called Sunflowers - The Gorgeous Garden Decoy • Community Center for Insects.
This post is simply to share something that came from that photo above. This sunflower self-seeded and returned with a vengeance! It turned out to be bigger than any we had last year.
The kids carefully observed the growth and pest activity on and around this 'Mammoth' variety. Heads of the 'Mammoth' variety can easily grow beyond 12" (1 foot) in diameter!! So, we had to see how this one turned out!
It Kept Growing...
So, we let it grow and dry out
Then we cut it down! What a workout for the kids.. 😆
One Big Flower Head!
This thing IS a Mammoth!!
The Dried Flower Head Weighed Just Over 4 Pounds!
That's a lot of squirrel food. :)
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Birds, squirrels, chipmunks - they all want it..haha. I leave plenty out for them to scavenge, but these seeds are going to make me a sunflower maze next year for the kids! And I'll also be eating a bunch of those seeds, too! 😆
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that's one huge sunflower!!!!
and that's a lot of seeds!
I hope you don't just eat 'em :)
since you're also gardening why don't you join @papa-pepper's 2nd part of that contest?
and since you're a newbie I suggest that you include a paper that says Steemit + date + your account name the next time you take beautiful and clear pics like this. Good luck!
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Will do, @englishtchrivy! I will gladly provide a way to verify myself & my content for the community. My last post (yesterday evening) has a nice shot of my mug in front of my mega-tomato plants 😉, but I'll include a dated sheet of paper next time.
I'm verified on the web just about everywhere else, so might as well include my new home. Thanks for the support and insight, I greatly appreciate it! I'll take any advice I can get from a seasoned-Steemian like yourself.
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oh I see
sorry am almost not here
seasoned? - jurassic says another Steemian
hahaha
you should join @papa-pepper's 2nd part of the contest
you can find it on my page I've resteemed it :)
it'll get you more exposure, traffic and maybe curie :)
good luck!
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Hahaha Jurassic.. Well, that must be a good friend 😉. I usually don't rib my new friends..haha
I will be all over that contest!! I follow @papa-pepper, but I guess I got lost in the sauce somewhere. I have been blessed with a wild stroke of luck and recieved a #curie vote that bumped me from 45 to 50, but if I can squeeze one more in while I qualify - I'm going to damn sure try!
I appreciate the encouragement and support - I'm always here if you need any creative assistance. I have a background in design, fine arts, business consulting prior to becoming a tomato farming stay-home dad..😆
I needed this platform to be honest, simply to have a creative outlet so I don;t end up in the loony bin. Thanks again for your insight, @englishtchrivy
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Here's my entry! to @Papa-Pepper's Contest
@englishtchrivy, Thanks for lighting the fire under my ass 🔥
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sorry I was probably offline when you sent this
will go have a look now
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No worries, just wanted to share. Thanks again for the suggestion and encouragement, @englishtchrivy.
Seem to be having some trouble this week with technology..lol I couldve sworn I followed you a while ago, but when I roll over your name it says I'm not?! And my autocorrect is only correcting very strange selections. Anyhow... Happy Hump Day!
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That's adorable. Wish we had gotten our sunflowers in the ground sooner this year. They got about a foot tall and we got hit with some colder nights and that was the end of them. Always next year.
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this is my first year growing sunflowers, although I did the dwarf ones. But I am anxious to start getting the seeds here too.
We love sunflowers seeds and pumpkin seeds- nothing better than roasted seeds to snack on.
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It's a fun way to preserve certain varieties and spread them around. It's alway cool to see flowers in your friend's yard that came from yours!
Ohh Yeah! That's what I'm talking about! Just have to beat the squirrels and birds to the good seed..lol they know when it's ready - watch the critters, they'll tell you when the seeds are ready. I leave a bunch of cut flower heads in a pile to provide an easy decoy😆
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That's a huge sunflower! Nice, with the struggling kid. :) I think we'll plant some next year (it's too late now, right?).
I had a question for you and mentioned you via @grow-pro but I know that notifications don't always work, so I'll give you a pointer to it as well: https://steemit.com/garden/@libertyteeth/two-large-green-tomatoes-got-chewed-up-yesterday-who-knows-about-electric-fences Thanks! :)
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Haha thanks @libertyteeth! Depending on where you are, it is likely too late for planting this year. Many sunflower varieties won't flower for 60 days or more.
I'm sorry I did not see the mention, I jump from mobile to desktop and back all day - toddler chasing - and for some reason my notifications do not work at all on Steemit - not in the 60 days I've been here..lol Wish they did!
I'm going to make some dinner and then slide over to your post and see if I can help! We'll come up with something to combat the critters for ya! No worries. I'll be back on in a bit after some quick picking in the garden and likely a little grillin' 😎 Thanks for keeping me in mind! Always a pleasure to help you @libertyteeth
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Cool thanks, enjoy dinner! :)
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Went out in the garage and dug up a piece of hardware that might help, dropped some pics in your comments 😉 🔥🚀
Thanks again for the consideration, you're a true #libertyprofessional & friend.
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Nice thanks! I clicked that hashtag (in another comment you had made) and didn't see any posts -- but, the one in the previous reply you made to me, which was plural, did have three posts in it. Is there a group or something for this?
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that a big ass flower! I believe I read somewhere that those are fairly difficult to grow, is that true?
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They can be tough if there's not enough nutrients in the soil - as you might have guessed, they eat a shitload! Everything grows pretty well here, but I am amending the soil to feed the microbes that feed the plants. And worms..we have more worms than you could take out on your next fishing trip😆
I start everything from seed and sunflowers are pretty easy starters. To get the this size, it took two years. This is the second gen - can't wait to plant some seed and grow a bigger one..haha I've seen little kids grow 2ft wide flower heads! I gotta top that.
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