Giant Sunflower, three of them

It's giant sunflower, that's what written on the seed packets, a giveaway from Diana; a PhD researcher, a keen gardener, the mother of Rayyan. We have been waiting how high they will reach up to, and how big will the flowers be. So in the end, the seeds reveal their true DNA make-up. One reach up to 8 feet, the other two about 6 feet.

Then I wonder if ordinary sunflowers will become giants if they are overfed. If human succumbs to obesity, I suppose plants should too, as what keen pumpkin growers had been showing as they come out with 100kg giant size harvest. If human can get rid of the extra fat through regular exercise or fat extract or serious dieting program, I am thinking if plants could do the same, on their own free will. Or they have safety mechanism in their system refraining from going beyond their DNA specification....

Giant Sunflower, three in a row

Giant Sunflower. the one on the left.  

Giant Sunflower. The tallest at 8 feet.

The middle sunflower is bending heavily, almost forming a complete letter "C". The left one is still showing its blooming stage and the right one is shooting higher than the rest, with a lot of flower buds branching out. Three giant sunflowers with characters of their own. Fantastika. Thanks Diana.

The story of a vegetable bed.

 First lets see what was there before. It was the very site of our first papaya, which has grown so tall almost to the roof of our double storey semi detached bungalow. We had enjoyed a lot of sweet red slices of papaya over many months. At the end the plant  had died due to termite attacks.

papaya was the first plant to grow

I quickly filled up the void with sunflowers which grew into little forest. That too has gone with their bright yellow flowers.

then replaced by sunflowers

When we first transplanted the three seedlings of clitoria ternatea, sunflowers were still around, still flowering. Now the whole bed is for clitoria. 

Clitoria ternatea, the latest.

clitoria already at the top of trellis

The three seedlings are at different stages:

One, the most vigorous plant has completed its winding to the top of trellis. The shoot would probably be wondering why it has to go horizontal now.

The second clitoria has different story. It was not as energetic as the first one, trailing behind. It has completed two rounds of winding around the slanting bamboo stake before a strong gusts of wind loosened the grip and the whole tiny stem was dangling, dancing in the air with nothing to grab. I offered assistance by tying it back to the stake. Now the plant is making a new winding process. If we look closely we can see the missing loop due to wind.

The third one was a late comer, It germinated weeks after the first two. In fact I was about to give up and empty the tiny pot that I notice a tiny shoot appearing. With me now is three clitoria ternatea at 3 different stage of growth even though, there were sown at the same time and seeds coming from the same place. I am expecting a pretty blue flower anytime now.

bangchik

WEDNESDAY: sunflowers in chorus

sunflowers

a bed for sunflowers, some has opened.

the edging is made of papaya stems
(biodegradable edging)

sunflower still growing
 four on the left and three on the right

a flower

another flowers

the other flower

close-up of the other flower.

bangchik and kakdah PUTRAJAYA  Malaysia

Petals can make sunflowers different.

wide and short petals

long petals

Most of the sunflowers in the garden are with long  and wavy yellow petals. It is rare to find  the one with wide, dense and short petal as in the first photo. And yet the seeds come from the same mother plant.

but why the difference?

bangchik

A day of Sunflowers.

Four little seedlings on the vegetable bed.

Three sunflower seedlings lining up the pots
(the little one on the right need to be pulled out)

a stretch of four sunflower seedlings

another three little seedlings

nine of them here, where the old papaya used to tower mighty high.
Those on the right are slightly older.

three mature plants.
One is blooming and the other two are waiting for their turn.

sunflower in a pot
the younger plant

sunflower sharing the same pot.
the older plant.

It comes from the plant on vegetable bed,
the earliest to bloom.

I did try to spread sunflowers all over the garden..., but I can never have that sea of sunflowers as shared by Garden Shoots :  Acres of Sunflowers . But I do have the choice of seeing sunflower blooming on a continuous basis, one after another.

How's your sunflowers?
(Bagaimana bunga matahari anda?)

bangchik 

 

New sunflowers in the garden

Seasonless Little Garden

Sunflowers originate from America where seasons are permanent feature governing how plants should behave year after year. Putrajaya where I live, is tropical therefore season is seamless, always a hot and wet summer throughout the year.  We just had a delightful season of  blooming  sunflowers in the garden. Now we are ready to see sunflowers making a comeback with seeds saved last season.

two plants in a large pot

sunflower in pot
view from the top

Another eight of them are placed close to the site where the old papaya once grew mighty high. The other three are placed on the vegetable bed replacing the place once filled by eggplants. This time round, it will be interesting to see how two plants fare within the constraint of a container. The light yellowish green is a familiar colour for sunflower leaves, and will soon be the focal point.

3 plants on vegetable bed
(lilies on the left and basil on the right)

bangchik

Sunflower, counting the seeds in thousands

seeds of different sizes

on a dinner plate,

from two different sunflowers

~ photo 1

The left  598 seeds

comes from a large sunflower head,

with bigger seeds and almost black seedcoats

The right 115 seeds

is smaller in size, clear white/black stripes,

coming from a smaller sunflower head.

~ photo 2

and

there are more 

totalling 2015 seeds,

safely kept in plastic bags in a cool place.

From one plant, it ended up with 35 seeds and now 2015 seeds. The seeds vary so much, from real black colour to white stripes.. How interesting, coming a single plant last year....

first generation ~ 1 seed (July 2009)
second generation ~ 35 seeds (October 2009)
third generation ~ 2015 seeds. (June 2010)

Kaklong 

my eldest sister had taken 100 seeds to her place. 
The place she is living is at the north of Perak, with cooler temperature due to mountains 
and virgin forest nearby. That will somehow recreate the original land of sunflower 
which is America. 

Our neighbour Noor 

has shown real interest  in sunflowers, 
and  Kakdah had  given away some to her.

Kakdah 

had germinated some of the seeds 
with some lavishness since there are thousands available, 
and a few are placed in a pot and the rest on vegetable bed. 

huh, what i am going to do with so many  seeds?

Sunflower early harvest and indoor drying.

The

Counting the seeds of sunflowers

the top half of sunflower head

the bottom half of sunflower head

a sunflower head.

The five bigger plants are very resilient and wish to stay a lot longer. The natural drying process is too slow and really put my patience to the limit. Then I decided to cut them and dry them indoor. There is a basic difficulty in determining the right and appropriate moment to detach the flower head.

I just hope, it wasn't too early and the seeds collected later after indoor drying process is complete, will be healthy and germinate well.

bangchik

sunflowers, a peek at the seeds

sunflowers: peek over seeds

The first attempt last year, ended with the sunflower standing on its leggy stem, with everything turning brown. It was cut and the seeds collected by rubbing the finger across the flower head. But this season is different, because the five sunflowers are big and well exposed. I cant stop myself from keep going back to the flower and peek at seeds. The natural drying process seems to be too gradual..

The sunflower heads remain steady on its stout stems. The yellow petals  had dried up and ready to fall off. The seeds are forming well and very much visible with their black and white stripes. This time round, I wish to cut the flower head early and dry them indoor. Occasional rainfall seem to disturb the natural drying process of the flower heads. The white aphids are trying to establish home within the outer calyx of the flower. Cut them them early and dry them indoor away from the rainfall and the disturbing pests would be a better option.

I am waiting for the right moment to cut the sunflower head.

bangchik

Sunflowers are wearing down.

I wish to illustrate sunflowers maturing, being pregnant with many babies, as in weary state. They look every inch, as suffering from old age, with wrinkles, losing lustre. It is a natural process of one having to say goodbye and making sure many more will come to replace. Even pests are ready to jump in for the final kill. Nature is a wonder and very much cyclic.

 the necks bending.

 flower facing down
yellow petals are losing lustre.

 flower facing down

the closely packed sunflowers in sorry state, aging, bending awkwardly.

This plant has so many flowers,
with seeds alreading forming

BANGCHIK

Sunflowers are bowing

Their heads are facing downward probably as a result of the weight of the developed seeds filling the heads of the sunflowers.The necks are so stiff and the main stems retains their uprightness. There must be real strain on the stems to keep everything up in that awkward position. The smaller plants are different, with the neck  never have to bend so bad.

The other day  kakdah mentioned about bees hovering around these sunflowers. She didn't have time to snatch a camera and snap. Bees with yellow and dark stripes will be at home with the sunflowers, well camouflaged. The nectar must be sweet enough to attract them.

Again kids coming around here, ask "why the flowers are now facing downwards?". Again Kakdah comes up with her answer. " They cant face upwards now, because rains would be collected there and the flowers will rot. Furthermore, passersby had enough of them, and now they are shying away"

I just wonder what will happen when wind decides to come in rough and heavy. Can the bent necks handle the gust of winds?. Can the leggy stems stand ground?. Can the roots hold on to the grip to the last drip?. I shouldn't even ask, for sunflowers had seen it all over zillion of years. Nothing is new and surprising.

bangchik and kakdah

putrajaya malaysia

Sunflowers forming a wall

days earlier

days earlier

now

now

I love it when kids around our area come
and talk about these sunflowers during their play time.
They ask questions about the sun loving flowers,
and Kakdah dutifully  handle most questions her way... haha.
Their favourite question is
why these sunflowers face the same direction
towards the pedestrian walkway.
Kakdah gets away
with her jovial remark,
"Ohhh..,they are greeting passersby.
Don't you realise that?"



These five sunflowers are quite a sight,
forming almost like a wall,
with broad very-green leaves,
and large happy flowers.

bangchik

putrajaya malaysia