Sunflower – Good Mornin’

Alright.  Sunflowers will be featured in the garden this summer.  I know they’re easy to grow and will attract pollinators.  If the birds get too pesky, out come the sunflowers.  The plan is to plant them along the borders of the beds planted with corn.  Having a dwarf variety would be best as I could keep things under control a bit better.  One year I grew a giant variety – Black Russian I think.  They grew so vigorously and so tall that when the time came to clear the patch, my farm hand (about 10 years old at the time) cried, “Foul!”

My knowledge of sunflowers is very, very limited.  So limited that I thought I had ordered a dwarf variety from Terrior Seeds but closer examination of my order revealed that I came up short. 

I like the look of Teddy Bear with its ruffled petals; but it’s too tall (6’).  Dwarf Sunspot is certainly short enough reaching only 2’; but it’s kinda plain looking.  But hold on.  Over at Baker Creek, the Teddy Bear variety only grows 18” – 24”.  That seems about right for my needs.  These will get ordered for the summer garden along with anything else that I thought I ordered.

 

To everyone in the San Joaquin Valley:  How ‘bout this fog?!  Dang, I love it.  There used to be much more of it when I was a kid delighting in school delays of 2 hours.  If it gets you down, try ordering some sunflower seeds for your summer garden.  Summer will be here faster than I like.