Each summer I grow sunflowers.
In the past I have grown them for their beauty mostly as a cut flower and to brighten the patch.
But here at Highfield they have multiple purposes. In this hot summer climate, they provide shade for other crops in the patch.
The spent heads will be given to the chooks for them to pick on.
When the plants have faded I will do what I always do and dig them in as a bulky green manure. I find that they break down surprisingly quickly.
This sunflower, this big single flowering yellow one, came to the patch ( I'm guessing) from the chicken seed mix in the chook house litter I use to mulch the beds - a seed that escaped the chickens' beaks perhaps. It certainly isn't a variety I had planted, I usually plant seeds of the darker toned flowers and the ones that produce multiple flowers per plant.
But I love the idea that this plant has come from the chooks and will go back to the chooks.
Right now it is offering a little shade to the corn patch and I am hoping that the bean seeds recently planted will use it as a climbing frame too.
I am really enjoying the challenge of thinking out multiple purposes for everything we do. The sunflowers are a great example.
Lovely sunflowers Louise, I wonder if it’s too late to sow seeds in my own garden.
ReplyDeleteHi Jan, Not too late at all. Your in SA aren't you?
DeleteI find they come up pretty quickly. I'd sow them direct.
Those dark toned ones are beautiful! ESP the love the first one you pictured. By the way I purchased H&G yesterday just to read the article on you and your great work!
ReplyDeleteI like the dark ones too. Oh thank you for your support... if only I had royalties coming to me!
DeleteLove this! That would be brilliant if the beans climbed up the sunflowers - permaculture in action!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jess, even if the beans don't go up, the shade that they are providing is really valuable. People are often afraid of any shade in their vegetable patch. Here we really need to offer the plants some rest from the sun.
DeleteI love sunflowers. I am hoping to supply a wonderful little boy with sunflower seeds for his own patch for Christmas.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great gift Cristy!
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ReplyDeleteI love sunflowers and have wonderful memories of them, from my youth. BUT I always forget to sow them. You've jogged me, now. Mind you, who knows if they come to anything with the erratic weather we've been experiencing in parts of Victoria, this summer. It's crazy!
ReplyDeletewow those sunflowers are stunning
ReplyDelete