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Giant Sunflowers Provide Food and Fun for Everyone
The yellow florets of this giant sunflower head are rich sources of pollen for honeybees
Giant sunflowers need space to grow to full size; they can reach six or more feet tall. Bees love them for their pollen. Kids love them when the foliage of the plants create a secret fort or a fairy circle. Humans, birds, and squirrels love them for their seeds.
For best results, plant giant sunflowers at the back of a garden. They need good soil and full sun. Plant when the danger of frost has past. A rule of thumb to follow is to plant them about one inch deep and six inches apart. While the seeds are germinating, keep the soil moist.
Later on, when the plants stand about three inches tall, you can begin to thin them. Leave about one foot between each plant. This can enable a strong root system for form. The stalks will become sturdy and measure about three to four inches in circumference when fully grown.
Giant sunflowers add dramatic size and color against stone walls, garden sheds, and wooden fences
First come the gorgeous petals in green to yellow and then bright yellow. As the bees pollinate the florets and they drop, the seeds will mature. Seeds are either gray or brown in color.
I always cut the heads when the seeds are plump, firm, and begin to drop. I let the heads dry well in the sun for days before I remove the seeds. Fully dry seeds can be stored in containers for human consumption or to be fed to the squirrels and birds.
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If you enjoy reading about farmette topics (including gardening, beekeeping, and delicious recipes), check out my cozy mysteries A BEELINE TO MURDER and also THE MURDER OF A QUEEN BEE in the Henny Penny Farmette series (from Kensington Publishing).
These novels are available through online retailers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo Books, and Walmart as well as from traditional bookstores everywhere.
See, http://tinyurl.com/hxy3s8q
Now available in mass market paperback, this debut novel launched the Henny Penny Farmette series of mysteries and sold out its first press run.
See, http://tinyurl.com/h4kou4g
The second cozy mystery in the Henny Penny Farmette series, available Sept. 27, 2016
Tags: birds, florets, germinate, giant sunflowers, honeybees, petals, pollen, pollinate, seeds, squirrels