We’re three quarters into our challenge now and you sunflowers will hopefully have grown significantly. Get out a tape measure and send us a picture like Lorraine has, theirs is 40 inches/101 cm!
Some of you already started staking your sprouts, but staking your growing sunflowers will help keep them tall against the British weather. Danny Clarke and Fran Lawton have top tips on how to stake your sunflower:
How to stake your sunflower
What you’ll need:
String
Scissors
Stake e.g. bamboo
1. Cut a minimum of 30 cm of string.
2. Carefully wedge the stake into the ground 2cm from the sunflower stem.
3. Take the string and loop it around the steak then the stem in a figure of 8*. Leave a little slack to avoid damaging the stem.
4. Do this a few times then tie the two ends of the string together with a simple knot or bow.
5. Cut the excess string.
*A figure-of-8 tying method creates a cushion between the stake and your sunflower for extra protection to your stem.
Staking involves attaching your sunflower to a support. If you don’t have a bamboo support or a wall to fix your sunflower to, ask at your local community gardening group:
Get more gardening tips in shows like Garden Rescue and The Instant Gardener. Catch up or watch live on the Together TV streaming service >>
Check out the Sunflower grower Gallery | Go to the My Sunflower Challenge Homepage
