sunflowers are wilting please help

soul619

i brought 3 sunflowers 5 inches high from an old man at the car boot who bless him seemed so concerned about who he sold them too however i have planted them in the ground and watered them but now there wilting! they were in very small pots just over an inch in diameter and not much higher and very root bound

Kay_Peel

Sunflowers have a tendency to wilt when something's wrong. Let's go through the three main reasons

Usually, they are telling you that they need water. The ones I grow in pots do this every evening! You've watered in your plant, so we can discount thirstiness.

The second reason is that they are protesting about being transplanted into the ground. In my case, sunflowers can sulk for about four days and then miraculously perk up.

The third reason is that there has been some damage to the stem below the soil line. It may have snapped, been got at by a bug or a slug, or had some other form of damage from its previous existence in a root-bound pot. If that's the case, then it's not good news.

I've learnt from bitter experience NOT to rush to plant a sunflower in the garden. I wait until June, now. It has to be in a warm spot - I put it near a south facing fence - and it needs some support because some varieties can grow 12 inches in a day in some parts of the UK. (Not where I live, though). I put some manure at the bottom of the planting hole because it needs feeding, and I protect it from slugs.

The bottom leaves tend to wilt and look unsightly, but I just pick them off the plant.

I suspect your Sunflowers may well be sulking and don't like where or how they are planted. Can you tell us more about the spot where they have been planted, please?

soul619

there in crap ground but i was told they could grow anywhere, i think they may be sulking too i gave them some more water and they perked up a little bless em!

my partner hates seeing plants in distress so i got scowled at!

Kay_Peel

Tell your partner to talk nicely to the Sunflowers and they'll stop sulking. :rotfl:
They stop growing if the nights are very cold and the days are windy, and they wilt after transplanting - but it sounds like yours are tough little beggars that will make it. :T

You're right about them growing anywhere and all on sorts of soil. The very best sunflowers that I've had in my garden had nothing whatsoever to do with me. They were dropped by birds and seeded themselves in unlikely places - including rock hard ground. I just left them - didn't water them or protect from slugs - and they did much better than the ones that I reared tenderly.

That's the thing about gardening - the rules are there to be broken and plants will always find a way of surviving.

:beer:

soul619

they have perked up this morning although one leafe has been completely eaten grrrrrr

i will check on them when i get home later

Furny

Don't want to take over the thread but would it be ok to sow sunflower seed directly in to pots outside now or are they best started inside & transfering out? doing a little family competition to see whos gets the biggest & don't want to fall at the first hurdle!
Thanks folks

Kay_Peel

If you sow them in a pot outside now, it's going to take about 28 days before they germinate and start growing - unless we get a lot of sunshine and warm rain. The advantage of planting it outside is that it starts off tough and strong whereas the ones sown inside have to adapt to a new growing environment.

To be on the safe side, plant 2 or 3 seeds at the same time in the same pot and least one of them will germinate. (You can pull out the other ones and replant them elsewhere, if you want).

To be extra, extra safe start one off indoors. If your 'outside one' doesn't get going, you have the 'inside one' in reserve.

If you are growing a competition sized one in a pot - make sure it's a big pot and that you have a cane to tie the sunflower to as it grows. Put plenty of compost and manure in the pot and you won't have to give it extra feeds.

Good luck!

Furny

Thanks KAY PEEL the competition is my little way of trying to get the hub & boys interested in gardening as they all say it is BORING but because they are really competetive they are all up for my challenge.
I think i'll do some outside & in as you suggested just incase, you never know with this weather!.
Thanks for the manure tip i'll have to get some ( only for mine!ha!) joke, hub has already read me the riot act about no cheating whilst he's at work giving mine sly feeds!ha!;)

P.s Do you think the Morrisons buckets are large enough for one or do i need something bigger?

Kay_Peel

Oh definitely bigger than a Morrison's flower bucket.

You don't want him to look like a big bloke wearing little girls' shoes.

However - I'd start it off in a Morrison's bucket because there will be plenty of room for a seedling. It should be alright there until it gets to about three feet tall. But after that he's going to need big boots to help him keep upright - not dainty little shoes.

:beer:

Westywoodpecker

I think this may be a bit of a thick question.... now my sunflowers have flowered we've noticed other flower heads appearing. Do they flower again then?

forgotmyname

Sometimes you get a single head, I have had them with 6 or so heads on the one plant.