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Posted: Jun/26/2012 6:11 PM PST
I have planted sunflowers this year, and I must say I am impressed one is over 9 ft. tall. anyway, the head of the largest sunflower was fine yesterday, but today it has fallen over and is dropping, is this normal? I would had to lose it. Thanks. |
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Posted: Jun/26/2012 6:11 PM PST
sorry... mammoth..LOL.. |
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Posted: Jun/26/2012 7:29 PM PST
Hello Willibear welcome!. Yes this can be normal as the flower head becomes to heavy for the neck of the stalk to hold up,given that the stalk is 9ft tall the flower head must be huge ,I imagine its beautifull!. You could leave it for a couple of days or so to see if it lifts up again,but I'm sorry I dont think it will,when it droops often this is a sign the plant is ready for harvest. If nothing happens after this time,then you may want to consider cutting it off and hanging it up side down to dry. Cut at least a metre from the flower this gives a nice stalk for decoration. Sunflowers can hold a lot of excess moisture,so cut it during the warmest part of the day and hang in a warm spot to dry. It may take a while,up to a few weeks but its worth it!. Enjoy!. A pic of your sunflower would be great!.. Cause Im A LOVIN THEM LOTS!.. 
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Posted: Jun/27/2012 6:14 AM PST
Yes, normal. Usually after 2-4 days of being upright, it will start to droop. I don't know what part of Texas you are in, but if you are along the coast, they don't store well-too much humidity. I cut mine off when the back becomes real yellow/brown. They get moldy, fast, so I just stick them in the ground near the garden for the birds. |
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Posted: Jun/27/2012 3:27 PM PST
thanks for the info. I am going to post a few pics... maybe that will help detemine if I should cut it down or not... i dont see any seeds on the head? Attachments:    |
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Posted: Jun/27/2012 7:30 PM PST
Lovely! Thank you for the pic. Please correct me if Im wrong,but I wouldve expected to see a much darker centre to your sunflower,maybe they are different in different climates,I dont know?. Im thinking that this sunflower has been flowering for a while now and has eached its peak,if it were mine,I would leave it to dry on the stalk,and then harvest the seeds for next planting!..And the next and the next and the next!..See you'll have them forever!.. 
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Posted: Jun/28/2012 8:53 AM PST
Leave it on the stalk a while longer, the seeds are developing behind the "fuzzy" stuff in the center of the flower. Let it droop quite a bit before cutting. |
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Posted: Jun/28/2012 5:39 PM PST
thank you so much for the advise. I cannot wait to harvest them. 2 more have started to droop as well. not as far, bur they are starting. will keep you posted. thanks again. |
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Posted: Jun/29/2012 10:54 AM PST
If you want to save them for seed.....It might be wise to cover them with a nylon stocking or something that will still let the air in but would exclude the birds......the birds will tell you when it is dry...or even before that.....they will feed off of that large head as soon as it is ready. Birds LOVE sunflower seeds! |
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