Sunflower Growing

No summer is complete without seeing yellow and black sunflowers in people's gardens. We are running a local competition for 12s and under - the Sunflower Olympics - to see who can grow the tallest sunflower this year.

Here are a few tips we think may be useful for successful growing:

1. Although the seed packet says sow outdoors we suggest you start the seeds off indoors on a bright window sill so that the sunflower can get well established because they are very tasty to slugs and snails!

2. When planting them out put a stake in at the same time, or a stout bamboo cane, this will avoid damage to the roots if you try and put support in later. if you're growing for height remember a 3 foot cane will be absolutely useless! How many of you lost a sunflower in full flower in a strong breeze? Make sure the support is suitable.

3. Tie the sunflower to the support with something strong but gentle, try to avoid wire. Cut up tights are ideal attached in a figure of eight.

4. Put slug deterrent down the moment you plant your sunflower. If you want to avoid chemicals try crushed egg shells in a thick ring or a plastic drinks bottle as a collar with the top cut in sharp points.

5. Feed your sunflower regularly.

Who knows you may win the tallest sunflower of the year!

Garden Tips for Pest Control on the Cheap

How many of you throw out used coffee grounds? We've heard of the tip using used coffee grounds around delicate plants prone to being nibbled by the ever present slugs - seems logical because they won't like the gritty sensation. If you've no coffee grounds then save your egg shells, dry them off in a cooling oven then crush and place these around such plants as delphiniums that seem to be a tasty morsel high on the slugs' menu. This method has been tried out and it worked! Place the egg shells thickly in a circle around where the shoots will appear - don't leave it too late!

deter it before it gets a taste for the shoots!

Don't let it get this far

Another tip is about those last dregs of tea in the pot that usually end up down the sink. Apparently save these extra strong dregs in a jug then use to douse foliage that looks as though it may be getting greenfly etc. We hope we've remember this tip correctly - it's either a pest repellent or a plant food. Try both.

Washing up liquid diluted in a spray is a good greenfly treatment - and won't do harm to birds and bees.

If anyone knows if unwanted CDs , plastic bottles half filled with water laid on the soil and beer traps work let us know and we'll pass on the good news!

Don't forget to install your waspinator soon as wasps are on the look out for new dwellings!

Enjoy your garden.

What you want to end up with!