Sunflowers - Help required please

workinmummy

My 3 year old son, has planted a sunflower at nursery school, which he has brought home for his mummy to look after. Now his mummy (thats me) has never been good at keeping anything alive. He has said to me please don't kill it mummy..... so how do i not kill it.

I have no garden only a small yard. Plant is currently in a pot about 5 inches in diameter and the plant stands at about 8inches high, but is starting to bend slightly. It is stood on the kitchen window ledge to get some light.

My son and i would be very grateful if anyone could offer some advice, so that i don't upset my little one by killing it.

aaroncaz

lol, you need a tall stick!! And transfer it too a bigger pot, i'd stick it outside now, have a look in your local pound shop, i got a pack of tall sticks for a £1.We have grown a few, and are now outside in garden, but last year i grew them in pots.

knuckles1976

Hello,

My sunflowers have just started to bend so i have put green sticks and tied them gently to the stick so they grow straight.

Good luck

Benidormqueen

Keep changing the plant pots for the root growth, also you will need larger canes as they grow,only tie to canes loosley, only done them in the garden myself but keep them watered and good luck hun hope, they work out for your little one.
Can be put out side now,

LJD1_2

Hiya
I always pot them on once I start to see the roots coming out of the bottom of the pot. Put it in a sunny spot but make sure it's in a bit of shelter if it's going to be windy as they like to snap off. Maybe put a bit of gravel in the pot as i've had slug damage (i think it's slugs!) too. Good luck!

workinmummy

Thanks to all who replied.

Will take a trip to local garden centre with DS and get some sticks and bigger pot and compost. His little face lit up yesterday when he saw how tall it was growing. Seriously can't kill it on him.

Lord_Gardener

Remember not to tie the plant too tightly to the stakes or you could damage the stem. Plenty of water and feed every couple of weeks with a decent plant food. Keep potting up until in large 30cm+ pot. Have fun ,my youngest is growing a 'Russian Giant' as part of the Green Fingers appeal

workinmummy

Well i killed it.

Didn't mean to, I have been really careful. It has grown to about
2 1/2 feet tall and as we have no garden, i attempted to re-pot
it into a bigger pot. I layed in down, cut off the plastic pot and
as i was trying to put in some more compost it snapped.

Have planted the root and the stub of the stem that was left,
and also planted the stem that came away, so that my son
thinks it is still alive. The leaves are now shrivelling and dying.

I am such a bad mummy. My Ds keeps saying look mummy its
getting big and big. Not anymore love.

Am i too late to atempt to grow a new one. Have looked in local
garden centres to see if they sell planted sunflowers, but only
they only seem to sell seeds.

See, i said i was a nightmare with plants!

Dragon_Lady_3

Hi workinmummy,

2 questions - Have you managed to replace your 'victim' yet?

If not, where about do you live?