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sunflower seed report
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Posted by KristenMarie Z4-5/New Mexico (My Page) on Tue, Aug 16, 05 at 17:54
| I just have to report on this because i"m thrilled... last year I saved seed from some Moulin Rouge sunflowers that was bordering on black (gorgeous). I planted about eight 20-foot rows of the seed this year... they're finally blooming... I have almost no "Nearly Black" sunflowers but I'm getting some colors I've never seen before anywhere, on any sunflower-- weird copper ones and dark brown and bright orange and copper-to-yellow and absolutely gorgeous things... Although I'll always buy some single-stem seeds and certain varieties I want (like, for instance, the real true Moulin Rouge), I think many of my sunflowers in the future might be saved seed.... Saves money, too!
Kristen |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: sunflower seed report
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Kristen,
I did the same thing and have similar colors like you mentioned. They really are pretty. The only drawback was that I started some suns in the greenhouse, that were seeds saved from teddy bear, you know, the 18" tall variety? Well, they weren't 18"!!! You can't save those either, and expect the same plant next year. They out-grew my greenhouse. HA
Cheryl |
RE: sunflower seed report
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I'm not an expert on what happens to suns when you save the seeds, but...I don't save them anymore...just let them fall and transplant the plants (saves having to save seeds or start them) in the spring where I want them! I have much hardier, taller, more branching varieties! Many do come back true (like cappachino and the one with the lime green center, but many revert to the "common" sunflower look). And, they normally, but not this year, bloom earlier than any I plant from seed. And, I always have far more than I have space for! (this works for pumpkins too!)
Wendy |
RE: sunflower seed report
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Hi Kristen - I planted Velvet Queen from Park Seed this year. They all looked the same except for one plant which had smaller black flowers - not even a hint of any color. After the sun faded them in a few days, they looked more like a dark dark burgundy. Going to save some seeds from both since this sunflower did very well for me. The birds liked them too - in fact, I'm not sure they're getting a chance to dry enough to harvest the seeds. The birds are eating the seeds before the petals are dry so I've been waiting until the seed heads are half gone, then I break the flower off before the birds get the rest. I'm letting them dry in my garage. Do you think they'll germinate? Anyway - I can share some if you want to try them.
Velvet Queen must be variable because some pictures of it that I saw on the web are reddish, and mine look just like the ones on Parks website except for the black sheep. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Sunflower Velvet Queen - Park Seed
RE: sunflower seed report
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| I've always planted a few saved seeds, usually from something I really liked. They are almost never similar to the much-liked parent, but I've gotten some interesting results. Unfortunately, they seem to revert to slower varieties - and I can only use superfast kinds. I NEVER count on saved seeds for a dependable harvest. Still, if you have to time and space to experiment, it's fun. I wish I could let them self-sow! - but those rarely bloom before frost in our ultra-short season. I put out transplants as early as possible, when the volunteers are just starting to germinate. The volunteers never catch up to the transplants. Jeanne |
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