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hemke sunflower--is it for real????
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Posted by MichelleMM z7balt,MD (My Page) on Thu, May 13, 04 at 16:14
| Has anyone grown the Hemke Sunflower? I'm debating trying to grow it and wanted to see what the verdict is, if any. Thanks for your replies! |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: hemke sunflower--is it for real????
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| I'm going on my third year growing Hemker mutli-headed, and yes, they are for real. I recommend growing them in pots because the seeds are very small, and the germination time seems to be a bit sporadic. I have a feeling that there is wild sunflower genes mixed in this sunflower. Soak the seeds for an hour in a cup of water before putting them in pots. Generally, the sunflowers get about 8 to 12 feet tall, and around 7 feet wide. I've been growing them in a 3 ft x 6 ft space, but I plan on growing them in a large spacing this year. If you have the room, I would grow them in about 6 ft. x 6 ft block per plant. Mine usually put out about 200-350 flowers per plant. A larger spacing will probably get you more flowers. They usually put out flowers about 50 at a time, and then new flowers come from the leaf nodes of the previous flowers, and so on. They seem to self sow very well too. I've actually had some self sow in a part of the garden that I didn't use the following year. One seems to have crossed with an unknown single headed variety and produced a heavily branched plant with larger flowers. Here are some pictures:
(sunflower on left is self-sown Hemker multi-headed)
(sunflower on right is self-sown unknown single-head x Hemker multi-headed)
- notice flower in front, lower left is actually part of the plant on the right.
http://www.geocities.com/sunflower_info/hem_cross1_03.JPG Stem base of unknown single-head x Hemker multi-headed:
http://www.geocities.com/sunflower_info/hem_base1_03.JPG Here are pictures of some of Melvin Hemker's giants:
http://www.geocities.com/sunflower_info/World_Records.html Here are some pictures of Hemker sunflowers:
http://www.geocities.com/sunflower_info/hemker.html |
RE: hemke sunflower--is it for real????
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| Wow. Thanks Brian. I'll be sure to make some room, of which I have plenty, for these next year. The thought of spending $5 on 5 seeds made me want to check the plant out first! Thanks again for the pictures. |
RE: hemker sunflower--is it for real????
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Make sure you don't plant the seeds very deep either. You want just enough dirt to cover the seed. The seedlings will be much smaller than other sunflower seedlings. I'm always amazed how small the seedlings are, but how large they become when full grown.
The first time I saw the prices from P&P World Record seeds, I was hesitant about paying $8 for 3 Craven seeds, but they were worth every penny and then some.
http://www.geocities.com/sunflower_info/craven15_1.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/sunflower_info/craven25_5.JPG |
RE: hemke sunflower--is it for real????
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Where do we get hemke seeds?
When to plant? |
RE: hemke sunflower--is it for real????
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| P&P world record seeds. search under google and you'll find it! Good luck! |
RE: hemke sunflower--is it for real????
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| Is it too late to start them? |
RE: hemker sunflower--is it for real????
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| You are in Canada; so probably not too late. |
RE: hemke sunflower--is it for real????
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| Excellent- I was soaking last year's giant seeds, but then I forgot, so now all I have is a slimy mess. How log would it take before the seeds arrive? Brian-
Incredible Pictures! |
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