Sunflowers: thinning out/replanting - ??

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Trying to grow sunflowers with 3yo DD.

We planted loads direct into the garden; only 2 have germinated as our borders are very shady and we had to put them at the back. We also planted some in 2 small pots, and have just returned from holiday to find four 6-inch seedlings. They are growing about 2 inches apart.

I guess I need to separate them, although I'm concerned it may be a bit late - any advice? Am wary about putting them in our borders as I can't think of any sunny spots, but I can't imagine them surviving in the little pots for long ...

They can survive in surprisingly small pots as long as you can keep watering them. 1-2 litre ones would be fine. They're pretty tough and I think you could separate them gently.

If putting them in your beds watch out for slugs, my dd lost hers that way this year. It's not too late to start again, May was so rubbish for gardening that we've started a lot of plantings off again for the allotment which failed before.

Thanks curious, that's brilliant. Will move them into 1 larger pot each and make sure they get plenty of sun. We have awful snail trouble but they've so far avoided the couple we've got in the beds - maybe because there are lots of yummy hollyhocks nearby - altho I'm going to invest in some of those copper ring things

Anyway thanks again

You're certainly not too late to separate them - I did it a couple of weeks ago when I came back from hols to find them half dead through lack of water. I've re-potted them, staked them, and ignored them since then except to count how many have died - none so far.

if you put them in pots you can use some anti slug and snail tactics - you can get sticky back copper tape and put a ring round the top of the pot (they hate copper and won't squelch over it, gives them an electric shock) and/or you can put sharp sand or crushed shells on the top of the compost, they don't like walking over it.

my snails or slugs love sunflowers so much they climb over a metre up the stems to the leaves

Thanks ohno - will try to re-pot tomorrow. Have put shells down futures - am going to order copper asap, as snails are munching my hollyhocks and my lupins have gone without trace