Growing Sunflowers
Every year I grow about 100 sunflower plants, mostly
Russian Mammoth varieties. In 1995 some of these
had multiple heads, which I hadn't seen before.
In 1996 their seeds were planted back, but the better
plants were the result of self-reseeding from 1995.
For 1997 I intend to do very little, just till the
soil in the spring. It will be interesting to see
what comes up. People tell me that the sunflowers
should revert to a smaller, multiheaded variety if
left to themselves.
Update for 1997: Multiheaded yes, smaller no.
I got beautiful plants, up to 12 feet tall, with multiple
blossoms ranging up to 7 inches across. Not as big
as the single-blossom heads but much prettier. The
bees love them. Did someone mention ... compost?