Sunflower - Colossus
Show off to the neighbours or have a bit of fun with the children or grandchildren, by growing a giant sunflower. Eye-catching huge yellow flowers, up to 30cm in diameter, stand proudly aloft tall stems. Height: 2.4-3m.
Sow outdoors where they are to flower. Before sowing, prepare the ground well by raking until the soil is fine and crumbly and remove any large stones. Sow 12mm deep, in rows 45cm apart. Thin out the plants when the seedlings are large enough to handle, to about 45cm apart. For earlier flowering sow the seeds individually into 7.5cm pots of free-draining compost and place on a warm windowsill. Gradually acclimatise the plants to cooler conditions by putting them outside for a few hours a day for a few weeks. Plant out when all risk of frost has gone.