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Do any of you grow sunflowers

kitschkitty

Mama Doe
I read this a while ago and have been thinking I really should try growing some...

Sunny Sunflowers
I have never had to actually plant a sunflower because the odd seeds that were not consumed by my bunnies during winter ended up somewhere amid the garden mulch and inevitably sprouts up in summer. If a seedling grows where it is not appropriate (e.g. too close to a lettuce) it is easily moved to another roomier part of the garden. All seedlings are best transplanted in the coolest part of the day and well watered immediately to overcome the shock.
To do really well sunflowers need fertile soil and generous watering otherwise they will probably grow into spindly specimens. Sunflowers grow as tall as a person and when in flower they are a cheerful sight to behold. The whole plant can be supplied as rabbit food; I mean everything, leaves, stalks chopped into short lengths (e.g. 15 to 25 cms for easy handling), flower petals and flower heads. Flowers are fed to bunnies’ whether mature or not. If room is limited in your garden grow sunflowers as a pot plant, either started from a seed or as a young plant purchased from the local nursery or garden centre. Re-potting may be necessary to give the flower room to grow and when doing so use a quality organic potting mix. Sunflower seeds are remarkably rich in vitamins and minerals and have a high twenty-four gram protein content. For that reason no more than a daily teaspoon of seed should be added to the feed bowl. The rest of the plant is perfectly safe and can be fed generously. Like a dog with a bone, all hard fibrous parts of plants will keep your bunny busy and ensure his teeth are neatly filed.
Case Story
I used to dry most of the huge flowers and later tediously try to remove stubborn seeds but decided it was too much hard work. Now I harvest the immature flower heads before the seeds are hard and dry and just before the wild birds pick them to pieces. The heads are torn into meal size portions and bunnies enjoy eating these segments as well as the fresh seeds. Sometimes I pick smaller side shooting seedless flowers for a bright and cheerful flower arrangement. As the bouquet start to wilt I trim and discard the yucky ends that were immersed in the water and feed the rest to my buns.
 
My mum and I used to!! I dont remember anything about them though except how tall they used to get, and how yummy their seeds were after you cooked them :D

BUT I'd say seeds are a big No-No for rabbits!!!
I've found this bit of information on seeds from the House Rabbit Society:

In reality, a diet of vegetables, hay and restricted pellets provides all the nutrients and energy your house rabbit needs. Seeds are high in fat and are important for wintering animals. Your house rabbit has no such need; in fact, the National Research Council recommends that domestic rabbits receive no more than 1.5% of their calories as fat. Labels on the back of these mueslix products list a minimum fat content of 4-5%; the real value is probably greater. Rabbit metabolism is geared for a low fat diet (in comparison, the average human diet contains 35-40% fat!), and the excess is not burned but is stored as body fat. Rabbits appear to be more sensitive to fat than are humans, and in addition to obesity, the excess fat can accumulate in your rabbit's liver and arteries (atherosclerosis). Veterinarians have reported that rabbits fed seed-rich diets have a much higher incidence of fatty liver disease (hepatic steatosis), which is often fatal. These seeds and grains are also rich in starches. While some of this starch is digested in the small intestine, much of it is not accessible until it reaches the cecum. There it becomes a potent energy form for the cecal bacteria; unlike cellulose fiber, which slows fermentation, starch in the cecum is fermented rapidly and can lead to bacterial overgrowth, bloat, and gi stasis.

Manufacturers claim that seeds and grains satisfy "the chewing urge." While this is true, it is far safer and cheaper to satisfy that urge with baskets, untreated wood, and cardboard boxes.

Also, if I can remember right, seeds can cause some blockage..or digestive problem. I dont remember the details!

Leah xx
 
We planted some seeds a couple of years ago and the sunflowers grew to about 4 ft high.

We were going to keep the seeds to give to the hamster BUT I came down one morning to find 2 of the plants completely pulled over and broken and all the seeds had been eaten! This happened again the next 2 days. I finally found out what had happened on the next day when I caught the squirrel jumping at one of the remaining plants and pulling it over!

Haven't bothered growing any ever since, but they do look lovely.

Kate
 
I think it would be great to pick them before they "go to seed" or to feed the squirrels with the seeds - hadn't thought of them and I'm only a block away from the cemetery. :D
 
we got one

bob broght it home from school just b4 spring it was only a little thing


now its over 5ft high :shock: :shock: :shock:
 
sunflowerupdate.jpg


Got lots of them all over the garden. The biggest is about 10 ft tall right now. If I catch a squirrel on it, it will regret its act of vandalism!! :twisted: [/img]
 
WOW!!! :shock: ! checks the size of tht baby! Hmm tht bit says seeds suitbale 4 wintering animals - no need 4 house rabbit,so should i b givin them 2 my out door buns durin winter? :?
 
The seeds are very high in fat, so not really good for buns (even outdoor ones) better for birds and other animals that are allowed them!

Lovely sunflowers by the way! :D
 
Yeah, and our biggest one has this weird glow in the dark, as if it was watching us. :shock: I'd feed the seeds to the birds in winter, but my son said he wants to eat them. So let's see how soon he gets tired of removing the shells.... :lol:
 
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