Giant sunflowers in smaller pots - what will happen to them?

fimonkey

I've grown a load of sunflowers and they are now about 2 ft tall. I put some out in the garden and they were demolished overnight by slugs and snails even though I put them in upside down cut off plastic bottles to protect them. :-(
I don't have much space for the rest but I have put them into the largest pots I can accommodate which are 20cm across and 16cm deep.
I know they will become pot-bound, but if I keep them well fed and watered will they still flower - albeit with stunted growth? 
I don;t want to use slug/snail pellets, and my previous experience with my ninja slugs are that grit, eggshells, copper tape etc are all inadequate.
Thanks for your advice.

Ganga

I grew one two years ago that my grandaughter brought home from school ,i transfered it to a bigger pot and it grew very tall with a large flower ,if i can find the picture i took i will post it on here

twopenny

I recently tried coffee grounds to deter slugs and snails and that seems to work.

In the past I used soot from wood fires (beg some from someone or ask a friendly sweep) and that works brilliantly.

If used on veg you have to check which don't like either of those.

Sunflowers need plenty of direct sunlight but I've known them grow semi shaded for half the day. You'll also have to be dilligent with the watering as they can suck up water for a passtime but if you've got crocks in the bottom so they don't get waterlogged they should be fine.

fimonkey

Thanks all, I can keep the well watered; - but will they still flower if pot bound? 

Farway

Yes, but obviously smaller flowers in keeping with their stature, or lack of