What Sunflower seeds to buy for 60 schoolchildren to grow?

Mummy_Jo

Hi all!

I am really hoping you can point me in the right direction. I have volunteered (yes MAD I know) to help at my Son's school... every child in the lower school (60 in total) will plant a sunflower look after it etc... and the one with the tallest sunflower will win a prize at the end of the year!:j

So, with the above in mind. I think I need seeds that germinate quite well - plans are for every child to plant two seeds in case one doesn't germinate. We need them to have reached their growing height by the end of term in Mid July. We would also like quite tall ones. Also as there are not masses of funds available we need it to be fairly cheap. So can anyone offer me any suggestions as to how this can be achieved and which type of seed to go for. I have had a look at the local garden centre but at £1.50 for 10 seeds :eek: it is going to cost a fortune by the time we have bought compost and plant pots.

Thanks in advance

Jo

valentina

You could try Wilkinsons for the seeds - I think the ones I got were called "giant single" or something similar; they have all germinated this year - and they were seed I bought last year. They got to about 8 foot tall and the biggest head was about the size of a dinner plate (I didn't really look after them too well either)

Rotwein44

Look in Lidl or Aldi they are about 29p a packet and you get prob around 15 seeds! I buy them every year and have a good degree of success from very little care! They are giant single head ones!

RAS

Or go to the pound shops - I know one of them locally has a multi-pack with 4 varieties for £1 - possibly 40 seeds.

Re plant pots. How about getting each child to bring two old loo roll inners to school. Then you only need to pot on the ones that germinate. They also use very little compost to start with.

Jnelhams

No go to a Pet shop and buy them as bird seed by weight, you can buy Sunflower seeds (should only buy the black striped ones, not shelled) for about 50p for enough to sink a battle ship.

alm721

I always sow them from bird seed as well. They always germinate but may not be as tall as 'speical' types. It is a much cheaper option of you need a lot though.

Davesnave

Bird seed for me too. You won't want them too tall anyway; they will just fall over and break.

To be honest, I havent found them a bundle of fun in pots, but those were 'posh' ones.

I'd give a liquid feed to all the plants grown by the nice kids.;)

Mummy_Jo

Hi

Thanks guys for all your replies - I would never have thought of the pet shop! - not in a million years!!!!:T

Okay - my next question is can we just plant them into a reasonable sized pot straight away to avoid getting the kids to transplant. I am worried that with over handling the flowers will be broken. We already have a load of canes at school from a previous project which should help with them falling over and breaking... but I guess going for the realy giant ones probably isn't the best option.

Does anyone have any idea if any of the varieties will be in flower by early July so the kids can see them?

Jo
xxx

Davesnave

If you get going right away, you may just squeeze in some flowers by the summer hols, but it will be a close-run thing!

OK, chance for a few more prizes:
Best flower
Best digital photo of a flower
Best drawing of a flower
Best cartoon character based on a flower
Best story about why it died.

especially if the little dears have to take them home to finish the job because of the British climate!

Personally I'd start them in used disposable cups/small pots and repot, but others with more experienceof them might like to comment.

markandkate

Can you get a local garden centre involved and then they may give you the seeds for free

Mummy_Jo

Nope - tried that already - garden centre give to a national charity and that is it!