My black thumb is at it again!

[newgardner]

Planted some sunflower seeds....started off great...about 1 month later...the leaves are turning yellow. I just cannot seem to find any GREEN in my thumb at all!!! What am I doing wrong??

[Rogue11]

How did you plant them? ground or container? what kind of soil and fertilizer are you using?

[newgardner]

It was just the tiny individual "kits" you can buy at Target or Wal-Mart. Probably something kids would like....got them for my daughter. I'm sure it's just cheapo soil...it came with the tiny pot. Maybe if I transplant them now?? I have new "good" soil and pots. She's going to be sad if they die. (They are sitting on the window seal...lots of good sun.)

[Rogue11]

After growing sunflowers for a long time I have found that they never do as well in pots as they do in the ground. The best thing is to direct sow them or germinate them and transplant them into the ground after a few days. Sunflowers will first develop 1 single very long taproot that grows almost vertically down. This root not only provides nourishment but also stability for the plant when it grows taller. Usually the taproot will grow longer than a sunflower is high and that's something that just can't happen in a pot.

So you could try transplanting them, maybe they will still perk up if they are not too big yet. Or you could just start over by direct sowing.

[newgardner]

Wonderful...I will try that! Thank you so much for your help!!

[TZ -OH6]

I don't trust windowsills. The light and heat are too variable. I have either cooked or dried out way too many things in windows over the years.

[digitS']

Sunflowers only tolerate a very short time indoors - and, then they have to be transplanted.

I don't think they put up with a pot even for as long as squash or melons. They don't transplant all that easily, either. If you are attentive to beginning to hardened them off at the right moment, then carefully transplanting, they may do fine.

A little challenging.

Steve

[Rogue11]

I have seen some little kits at target that come with pots smaller than what I use to germinate my seeds. when those companies make you believe you avtually can grow anything in those they set you up for failure right from the beginning. even catgrass wouldnt survive very long in them.

[newgardner]

Really? I didn't know that. Guess I need to transplant my other things I have growing in these little pots. I did transplant my sunflowers...they didn't make it. Wilted over and dried up the next day. I did put some seeds into the ground though....we'll see.