I always love finding new varieties, specifically ones that I haven't seen any one else grow. I added a packet of 'Astra Gold' sunflowers to my most recent Baker Creek order, and am quite pleased. 'Astra Gold' sunflowers have a very unique form. I would best describe them as "messy." This attribute makes them a…
Continue reading ➞ In Bloom: ‘Astra Gold’ Sunflowers
Growing 'Starburst Greenburst' sunflower for the first time was such as pleasant surprise. I have always been a fan of sunflower varieties with green centers. Though they aren't as traditional in appearance, I love how fresh they look. This cultivar was certainly no exception. Plants produced large blooms with the one foot spacing in my…
Continue reading ➞ In Bloom: ‘Starburst Greenburst’
Today, my first-ever trial of sunflowers continues. 'Starburst Lemon Aura' sunflowers were one which I had been eager to grow. Since I had purchased the seeds several years ago, the germination rate of my packet was relatively low. Still, I had more than enough plants to get a good feel for their growth habit and…
Continue reading ➞ In Bloom: ‘Starburst Lemon Aura’ Sunflowers
For whatever reason, I've never had much interest in bicolor or darker colored sunflowers. I think this may have something to do with their association with the end of summer. Nonetheless, I wanted to plant a few varieties to see what I really thought. 'ProCut Bicolor' sunflowers are a beautiful addition to the ProCut series.…
Continue reading ➞ In Bloom: ‘ProCut Bicolor’ Sunflowers
'ProCut Brilliance' sunflowers have long been one of my favorite varieties within the ProCut series. With their dark center and buttery-yellow petals, 'Brilliance' truly is what I imagine to be a classic garden flower. 'ProCut Brilliance' sunflower normally reach a height of about 4 ft. In this year's garden, mine were quite a bit shorter.…
Continue reading ➞ In Bloom: ‘ProCut Brilliance’ Sunflowers
Now that I have a little more space, one of the first things that I wanted to do was start growing sunflowers again. In the past, I had avoided them, as they simply took up too much valuable garden real estate. The first variety to burst into bloom was 'ProCut White Nite' sunflower. Like most…
Continue reading ➞ In Bloom: ‘ProCut White Nite’ Sunflowers
If I'm being honest, it was extremely difficult to find the motivation to write this post. After posting its companion video, there were several comments that simply "got to me". I am forever appreciative of the comments and interaction on my content, but some of the more negative ones can feel so discouraging and even…
Continue reading ➞ ‘Double Delight’ Sunflowers in the Cut Flower Garden
As you know, I'm way behind in planting this year. By the time this post is live, everything will have already been transplanted into the garden. However, I did want to show these plant trays which we started using the winter sowing method. They're extremely eager to grow. As you can see, the petunias are…
Continue reading ➞ Last Seedling Update Before Transplant
If you've been following along for a while, you'll likely remember when we started the process of winter sowing our sunflower seeds. Transplanting sunflowers - it's finally that time! This year, I'm growing several different varieties of sunflowers - those which are open pollinated, and those which will be used for cut flower arrangements. Today,…
Continue reading ➞ Transplanting Sunflowers in the Garden – Growing Sunflowers for Cut Flowers
As a habit, I often browse tons of different gardening forums. I think I started doing it when I was bored one day, and the habit just kind of stayed with me. These days, I usually try to take a mental note of the common questions that are being asked. This week, there was definitely…
Continue reading ➞ Favorite Flowers for Beginners – Growing Flowers from Seed
