Friday, May 21, 2010

What's wrong with the mamoth sunflower when the head droops.?

I'm having the hardest time growing the mamoth sunflower in Arkansas. It reaches a certain point when the head is being pollinated, then the head get very heavy and begins to droop. Is it dying?

What's wrong with the mamoth sunflower when the head droops.?
That is Nature's way of protecting the seeds from rain after they have set. So no worries :0)
Reply:No, normal. They get too heavy for the stalk to totally support them. As long as they are not rotting or falling to the ground, they are normal. Probably a chemical reaction as the result of pollination that tells the head to drop the ray flowers and head and concentrate on filling out the seeds.
Reply:There's nothing wrong with it, mine do it all the time.


I use twine to tie the head up, so that the beautiful flower can be displayed for all to see.
Reply:All the heads on mammoths droop. Mine droop and I'm pretty sure it's because they are gigantic and a bit too heavy to stay up.


Besides, I really like standing under them because it seems like they are all look down at me. Kinda makes me feel like a child again :)
Reply:I think that's pretty much normal for a sunflower. I don't think there is anything you can do about it. Maybe a little more fertilizer next year to help strengthen the stem but my sunflowers do that and they are not mammoth.


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