Hoping for some good balcony sunflowers this Summer

@TheHorse (205682)
Walnut Creek, California
May 20, 2018 2:12pm CST
Yesterday, I stopped a Kaiser to pick up some meds. Of course, I checked my illegal planting. I harvested some (past their prime) snow peas and noticed two 4' tall sunflowers (no yellow showing yet) that I'd forgotten I planted. They looked a bit wilted, so I watered them. I was not arrested. At the preschool, the kids and I have some sunflowers going, and they're healthy so far. But my most impressive sunflower plants are on my own balcony. I think they're "mammoth" sunflowers, which can grow to be 12' tall, But the small planters I use means they'll only get to 6' or so, if all goes well. I'll attach a picture of my balcony sunflowers as of this morning. I'm going to give them some extra Miracle Gro Quick Start in a few minutes, as I'd imagine they've gobbled up a lot of nutrients from the soil they're in. When do your sunflowers actually show flowers? Ours might in less than a month. I'm not sure.
20 people like this
19 responses
Go Crossbones
@crossbones27 (48417)
• Mojave, California
20 May 18
Didn't you get arrested for this.
7 people like this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205682)
• Walnut Creek, California
20 May 18
Not this time. I'm getting better at "not being seen."
3 people like this
AKRao24
@AKRao24 (27424)
• India
20 May 18
What for should he have got arrested for dear friend...just it is my curiosity! growing plants in the balcony is a crime or growing Sunflower plant? Thanks!
3 people like this
Go Crossbones
@crossbones27 (48417)
• Mojave, California
20 May 18
@AKRao24 It was a little joke he was doing. Funny how that will linger in a beneficial way for him.
2 people like this
Abishek S K
@Lignitecityabishek96 (7110)
• Cuddalore, India
20 May 18
I never saw sunflowers in real.
7 people like this
AKRao24
@AKRao24 (27424)
• India
20 May 18
What do you say @Lignitecityabishek96 ! How can you be so ignorant? We are one of the big producers of sunflower in India and you have never seen one so far? I am really surprised to know about it! Thanks!
5 people like this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205682)
• Walnut Creek, California
20 May 18
Is India to hot and humid for sunflowers? Here's they're common in states that have cold Winters and warm Summers.
3 people like this
Abishek S K
@Lignitecityabishek96 (7110)
• Cuddalore, India
20 May 18
@AKRao24 I never got a chance to see because I am from South India. In North especially in Gujarat, it was popular.
5 people like this
AKRao24
@AKRao24 (27424)
• India
20 May 18
Wish you all the best dear friend they are looking healthy and they will grow very fast1 the flowers convert into seeds very fast , I think you know about it! thanks ! All the best!
4 people like this
AKRao24
@AKRao24 (27424)
• India
20 May 18
@TheHorse , you are alone man...yes they will be sufficient for you! any way having too much of those seeds is not good for health!
1 person likes this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205682)
• Walnut Creek, California
20 May 18
I wonder if they'll get big enough for us to harvest the seeds and bake them.
2 people like this
Kristen Howe
@KristenH (33351)
• Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
20 May 18
I wish I had sunflowers. But no potted plants this year. Hope it works out well for you.
3 people like this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205682)
• Walnut Creek, California
20 May 18
Why no potted plants? Ohio should be good for sunflowers. Just get big pots!
3 people like this
John Roberts
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
20 May 18
I have never grown sunflowers.
3 people like this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205682)
• Walnut Creek, California
20 May 18
I started when I worked with kids in Oakland. Gardening was great for the kids and made the parking lot look...nicer.
3 people like this
SIDDI KIMPOLE
@SIDIKIMPOLE (488)
• Eldoret, Kenya
22 May 18
@TheHorse Nice picture! Thanks for sharing!
1 person likes this
Louise Crisologo
@mlgen1037 (29886)
• Manila, Philippines
20 May 18
Hi @TheHorse . We dont have sunflowers at home but I told my mom if she could plant one. She is still thinking about it. I would like to see the sunflowers.
3 people like this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205682)
• Walnut Creek, California
20 May 18
I'd think they'd do OK in the Philippines.
2 people like this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205682)
• Walnut Creek, California
23 May 18
@mlgen1037 Heh. Oh, I hope she does it. Worst case scenario: they don't thrive.
1 person likes this
Louise Crisologo
@mlgen1037 (29886)
• Manila, Philippines
21 May 18
@TheHorse I will really bug my mom about it but I think there is a place here that grows sunflowers. I will have to look into that. Thank you, Colin. (I remember that is your name I saw on the videos).
2 people like this
Ithink
@Ithink (9980)
• United States
21 May 18
I cant wait to plant and we too do sunflowers, we don't normally get any before July, normally end of it. We have done Mammoth and these little ones I cant remember what they are called right now thou. I love gardening and getting fresh veges!
2 people like this
Ithink
@Ithink (9980)
• United States
22 May 18
@TheHorse I havent yet but when I do I plan on doing the Three Sisters Planting.
NativeTech: Planting a Three Sisters Garden
www.nativetech.org
Native American Technology & Art: a topically organized educational web site emphasizing the Eastern Woodlands region, organized into categories of Beadwork, Birds & Feathers, Clay & Pottery, Leather & Clothes, Metalwork, Plants & Trees, Porcupine Quills,
2 people like this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205682)
• Walnut Creek, California
21 May 18
Do you do corn? That's my favorite. If you do corn, plant some green beans beneath them, as green beans apparently replenish the nitrogen that corn gobbles up.
2 people like this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205682)
• Walnut Creek, California
22 May 18
@Ithink I have actually heard of this. I always plant green beans near my corn (for nitrogen) , and I try to get squash going too. But squash likes a lot of water, so sometimes I can't get it to really take hold in California.
1 person likes this
caopaopao
@caopaopao (12395)
• China
21 May 18
I haven't planted sunflower, but I like sunflower seeds.
2 people like this
caopaopao
@caopaopao (12395)
• China
21 May 18
@TheHorse Yes, I like sunflower seeds, but I can't grow these because I have no place to grow them.
2 people like this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205682)
• Walnut Creek, California
21 May 18
If you get big enough flowers, you can harvest the seeds, add some salt and butter, and bake 'em up!
2 people like this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205682)
• Walnut Creek, California
21 May 18
@caopaopao Do you have any space that faces the sun (South)? A small planter will suffice.
2 people like this
Anna
@LadyDuck (458006)
• Switzerland
21 May 18
Sunflowers showing flowers in May??? Never before the end of July here.
2 people like this
Anna
@LadyDuck (458006)
• Switzerland
22 May 18
@TheHorse For the moment this is the worst month of May I can remember, it rains every day and it's pretty cold for the season.
1 person likes this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205682)
• Walnut Creek, California
23 May 18
@LadyDuck It hasn't rained here, but it's been chilly for the last two weeks or so. No pool visits for me.
1 person likes this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205682)
• Walnut Creek, California
21 May 18
None showing yet. But we may have some in June. I slightly edited my post to make that clear.
2 people like this
Alfredo Rossi
@amadeo (111948)
• United States
20 May 18
Mike is planting some.We do it every year.
3 people like this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205682)
• Walnut Creek, California
20 May 18
Do you do corn? I went to College in Iowa and fell in love with corn fields (thanks to cycling).
1 person likes this
Lenore Plassman
@sallypup (57836)
• Centralia, Washington
21 May 18
Those are tall sunflowers for this early in the year. Our sunflowers will bloom toward fall.
2 people like this
Lenore Plassman
@sallypup (57836)
• Centralia, Washington
21 May 18
@TheHorse Usually we're heading into brown, by now, too. This year about once a week we get a crazy heavy rain storm at night. Its sure piling more property work on me.
1 person likes this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205682)
• Walnut Creek, California
21 May 18
Everything happens early in California. Our hills are beautiful and green in February, and brown by May.
2 people like this
Deborah-Diane
@DeborahDiane (40053)
• Laguna Woods, California
21 May 18
@TheHorse - Gorgeous! I'll look forward to some sunflower pictures in a few weeks. They are going to be huge!
2 people like this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205682)
• Walnut Creek, California
21 May 18
It's a "hella" windy day today, but they're still standing strong.
2 people like this
Deborah-Diane
@DeborahDiane (40053)
• Laguna Woods, California
22 May 18
@TheHorse - Good for those sunflowers. I look forward to seeing photos of the blooms.
1 person likes this
Valerie J. Routhieaux
@just4him (306079)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
21 May 18
Looks like you also have a corn plant there. Both are looking good. No sunflowers here.
2 people like this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205682)
• Walnut Creek, California
21 May 18
Each sunflower has a pet corn plant. I didn't want them to be lonely. We'll see what happens. Corn needs nitrogen. I'll put some beans in there as well.
2 people like this
Valerie J. Routhieaux
@just4him (306079)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
21 May 18
@TheHorse I'm glad you gave it a pet.
1 person likes this
Angie
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
20 May 18
in June to July but I have to buy seed and they will make before frost so late this year.
3 people like this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205682)
• Walnut Creek, California
20 May 18
You're just planting now?
1 person likes this
rakski
@rakski (112925)
• Philippines
20 May 18
oh that is nice! I hope you will put a post when there will be flowers there
2 people like this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205682)
• Walnut Creek, California
20 May 18
I will! I can't tell how long it it will be. My best guess is a month.
1 person likes this
Hanni Harel
@Hannihar (129431)
• Israel
16 Sep 18
@TheHorse I hope they turn out nice on your balcony. I do not have any garden or plants I have a cat that would love to get into them and make a big mess.
peachpurple
@peachpurple (13884)
• Malaysia
20 May 18
I am sure the flowers will bloom
2 people like this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205682)
• Walnut Creek, California
21 May 18
I'm confident they will as well. I wonder how tall they'll get.
1 person likes this
Jim Bauer
@porwest (78761)
• United States
27 May 18
Illegal planting? Hmm. Whatcha got growing over there?
1 person likes this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205682)
• Walnut Creek, California
27 May 18
Alas, nothing so interesting.
SIDDI KIMPOLE
@SIDIKIMPOLE (488)
• Eldoret, Kenya
22 May 18
looks great!
1 person likes this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205682)
• Walnut Creek, California
23 May 18
Thanks! I'm hoping they'll be able to continue growing in the smallish pot they're in.