sunflower varieties

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I want to grow a crop of sunflowers for feed and maybe to sell. The problem is that I'm in a zone four: 90 frost free days, but stuff usually has to be labeled less than 80 days to get the harvest. I would also like to save the seed, so I'm looking for a non-hybrid variety.

Any recommendations?

-- Paul Wheaton (paul@javaranch.com), January 28, 2001

Answers

I have a catalog in front of me from Gurney's that has quite a few sunflowers that might fit the bill,they have a website www.mySEASONS.com that might be helpfull.Good luck on your harvest!

-- Russell D. Horner (rdh123@bright.net), January 28, 2001.

I have the Gurneys catalog. Are any of these hybrids? I'm not sure which of these are hybrids and which are not. The two main seed sunflowers they list won't work because they are listed at 100 days. The super tall and the super short might work great, but only if they are not hybrids.

With the short ones, I'm a little worried about deer. Do deer like sunflowers?

-- Paul Wheaton (paul@javaranch.com), January 28, 2001.


Paul, of course deer like sunflowers. Deer like everything edible, and quite a bit that we don't think is edible. If you're in deer country, you'll have to protect whatever you're growing. Sorry, I don't know a variety for you, but if I come across one, I'll post it.

-- Joy Froelich (dragnfly@chorus.net), January 28, 2001.

Send me your snail mail address, and I'll send you a few seeds from a multi-headed variety I developed. No charge, but if you have any odd or heirloom tomato varieties, I'd appreciate a few seeds. GL!

-- Brad (homefixer@SacoRiver.net), January 31, 2001.

I have grown a few sunflowers and didn't have trouble with the deer at all. They do/did eat everything else tho. I grew the Mammoth Russian for the birds and several ornamental varities for their color. My packages don't say how long to the harvest and I didn't pay any attention because we have a long growing season here. How about giving them an early start indoors and transplant when the weather permits? I haven't tried that either but they seem to be a hardy plant. Good luck !

-- cindy palmer (jandcpalmer@sierratel.com), February 02, 2001.


Could you just plant the black oil sunflower seeds for the birds. I had a beautiful bunch of them under the birdfeeder last year. Wouldn't they grow? They are certainly cheaper by the pound! We also had some lovely millet:~)

-- Nan (davidl41@ipa.net), February 02, 2001.

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