# Sunflowers



## BULLSEYE BILL (Oct 2, 2002)

*Yes*

Deer love to eat sunflowers. When walking through planted sunflower fields in the fall, we will see where deer take bites out of the heads, sometimes eating almost all of it.


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## Ardilla (Jul 17, 2006)

I don't think the deer read the seed catalogs. They seem to eat all sorts of plants that they aren't supposed to like. Ignorant deer...


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## Hobie (Jun 1, 2006)

I've never had problems with deer eating my grown sunflowers. It's more the dang woodchucks eating the fresh sprouts.


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## spunky (Nov 14, 2006)

*sunflowers*

I sent Johnnys Seeds in Maine a curt little email with my order this year. Now dont get me wrong here. I order every year from Johnny's , and I believe they are a fairly " eco" friendly company. Look at the sunflower varieties they offer, and practically all of them are pollenless ?????


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## Ann (Feb 18, 2006)

Yea, I noticed that, too. I've ordered from other places, like Nichols Garden Seeds and The Cooks Garden. Now that you mentioned it I'll send Johnny's an e-mail, also.


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## rogerd (Sep 14, 2002)

I don't think deer will bother the sunflowers till after they have bloomed so the bee's should get to forage them first.Then the birds or deer will have good eating.
Thank you
Roger


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## pgg (Jun 19, 2005)

Thanks for the all the info.

Patrick


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## sagittarius (Feb 17, 2004)

The last two summers I planted 3 strips of sunflowers, 15ft x 400ft, two black oil type, and one grey stripe type. The deer nibbled on them alittle, but not much. Nearby I also had planted buckwheat, white clovers, soybean, and field corn. I found the honey bees did not hit sunflowers very hard, 95% of polination was done by regular large bumble bees, based on observation all summer. Song birds stripped the seed heads before they fully ripened. Everything was gone by mid September.


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## Korny's Korner (Mar 25, 2007)

*sunflowers*

I don't thiink you can plant any thing that a deer won't eat except maybe zinnias. Those stupid deer don't read about the plants they don't like. If you plant sunflowers you will have deer in your garden that you did't know existed. I think the only think they like better is strawberry plants I live in some of the best deer hunting in Pa. Almost have to put up a fortress in order to have a garden. 

Korny


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## Walliebee (Nov 17, 2006)

spunky said:


> I sent Johnnys Seeds in Maine a curt little email with my order this year. Now dont get me wrong here. I order every year from Johnny's , and I believe they are a fairly " eco" friendly company. Look at the sunflower varieties they offer, and practically all of them are pollenless ?????


It's a real conflict of interest. Johnny's sells to a lot of market growers who want market value items in their display booths. Pollenless sunflowers keep longer and stay cleaner in a vase. They are in high demand. Millions of dollars have been spent in the development of these designer sunflowers.


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## Ann (Feb 18, 2006)

I also e-mailed Johnny's and got the following reply:


> Hello Ann,
> 
> Thank you for your email. I will forward your request for more
> Sunflowers that have pollen for honey bees to our flower research department. We specifically bring in the pollen less sunflowers for cut flowers. When they are brought into the house they will not drop pollen on counters and tables.
> ...


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## buckbee (Dec 2, 2004)

Hey, that's great. We could spend a few more million dollars and get all our flowers with no pollen! Then we would have nice, clean tables - and no bees.

Isn't science wonderful?


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## longarm (Apr 21, 2006)

*Venison.. It's what's for dinner.*

I always plant the non-hybrid heirloom varieties of sunflowers - bees love them!


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## hummingberd (Aug 26, 2006)

Korny's Korner said:


> I don't thiink you can plant any thing that a deer won't eat except maybe zinnias.
> 
> they don't seem to like my marigolds either!


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## Korny's Korner (Mar 25, 2007)

hummingberd said:


> Korny's Korner said:
> 
> 
> > I don't thiink you can plant any thing that a deer won't eat except maybe zinnias.
> ...


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## dcross (Jan 20, 2003)

Anyone ever planted the black oil sunflowers sold for birds? How'd it go? I have to much space to fill to spend $30/pound


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## Jesse (May 15, 2006)

Buckwheat is fairly cheap - although some don't care for the honey and it's an annual.

A good, cheap option is yellow sweet clover - it is a perennial. Some call it a weed, as it is hard to kill - but the bees will thank you.


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## spunky (Nov 14, 2006)

dcross said:


> Anyone ever planted the black oil sunflowers sold for birds? How'd it go? I have to much space to fill to spend $30/pound


 I did fine with one cheesy row ; but I didnt see alot of benefits. My problem is my microclimate is very windy, and I take the brunt of winds on my property, so any type of sunflowers get hammered. I would start becoming a seed saver, if I were you.


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## sagittarius (Feb 17, 2004)

dcross said:


> Anyone ever planted the black oil sunflowers sold for birds? How'd it go? I have to much space to fill to spend $30/pound


It grew great for me, almost too well. $12 for 50 lbs. Don't over crowd it and give it some Nitrogen.


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