annual sunflower plants

i know this is going to sound silly but i am having a terrible time starting sunflower seeds in pots they pop up and then they are gone must be my birds not getting enough to eat at the feeders anyway is there anyone who has some plants they can send me i would be willing to pay thanks peggy

Hi.... I have had the same problem, but I think the slugs were the culprit. But don't know!! I do know I get volunteer sunflowers from seeds the squirrels plant wherever they can, and they do better than the ones I try to plant!! Good luck to you.... I don't think I'm warm enough here anyway, to really enjoy a good sunflower. They just don't do well.

Sanna

Propagation: Zinnia and sunflower germination need help fast.
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/513974/

~* Robin

I grow sunflowers every year but never start them in pots. This year I had to sow twice as the first bunch became lunch for my local rabbit.

I too have also have great luck transplanting the one's that pop up under my bird feeder every spring. They usually only grow to about 6' but they're beautiful.

The ones in the photo grow in a 24' strip of soil that is only 8" wide.

little wing - nice utilization of space...

I do have a question about growing sunflowers my self. I read that where sunflowers are field grown for food and oil production that they can't be planted year after year. Crops must be alternatedfor good production. Would the same be true for just regular gardening. The fence row i've grown for several years is kind of fun for the whole neighborhood to watch but I'm thinking maybe next year I should do holly hocks or morning glories to give it a rest.

Also wanted to mention with regard to transplanting your sunflowers from bird seed seedlings. sometimes you get completely different strains of sunflower and they will look kind of odd next to each other. It hapened to me this year, but not last year. Probably had somthing to do with brands I was using. I switched this winter.