From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Bay Area

How are your giants (watermelon, sunflower, corns, tomato, gourds, etc.) doing? If you have pics that's even better.

7/22/2006 1:47:44 AM

NEPA roller46@hotmail.com KB3QKV

We are growing giant sunflowers and I believe that they are cyclops hybrid. One has flowered and seems to have slowed down growing at about 7'6" and a 10 in. flower. The rest are at about 7 ft to 8 ft and flowers just waiting to open. I am happy with this but looking forward to see how the rest will grow. The tomatoes are finally starting to grow.

7/23/2006 10:49:28 PM

Bay Area

Anyone growing giant Peru Maize (from giant veggie exchange last year)? Do yours stand on its own? My Peru Maize all felt down. They were weaker than my sunflower.

7/25/2006 12:44:55 PM

West Amwell, NJ

Most of my Peru maize fell down too. I'm planting them much closer to each other next year. The ones that are standing have tassels and one looks like it's just starting to put on an ear. The stems seem to break really easily compared to other varieties I've grown (mexican june, jala, goliath, etc.)

7/25/2006 4:24:10 PM

San Jose garysand@pacbell.net

Hi sunflower My sunflowers are as big as 11'6" to 12', when I measure the flower, do i just measure the seed pod or the petals too?

7/25/2006 7:41:34 PM

Bay Area

Gary, petals not included.
Brian, my Peru Maize is over 10' tall and no tassel. Tallest Jala is just over 14'. Great seeds. Thanks.

7/26/2006 3:50:31 AM

Long Island,New York

I don't think I got any Peru maize...or I would have grown it. I have Brian's Jala Valley growing and Mexican June....4 plants--one Mexican is 9 ft tall and the 3 others are 5-6 ft. Also have a bunch of sunflowers....9ft plus for the Bott's...a 9footer on Martin's 19ft sunflower...and my Craven cross from Brian broke in the wind. Thanks for the seeds Brian.

7/26/2006 8:06:29 AM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

I am trying to figure out this Peru Maize also G. I think we only had Jala and Mexican June from Brian in the exchange. These other guys have been smoking to much of what they are growing I think. :)

7/26/2006 8:53:16 AM

West Amwell, NJ

I privately sent tall_sunflower some Peru maize outside of the veggie exchange, now that I think of it. That maize seems very difficult to produce anything; so you aren't missing anything.

My corn (Jala) has a way to go before it tassels; so I'm not sure how big any of mine is going to be.

7/26/2006 9:39:47 AM

Bay Area

My bad.

7/26/2006 12:08:36 PM

Long Island,New York

Brian...how can you tell it will be awhile before it tassels?
also...those additional roots that look like mangrove roots a few inches above the soil line....backfill them?

7/26/2006 9:19:35 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

G...if it aint got tassles yet...it'll be a while...LOL Peace, Wayne

7/26/2006 10:41:11 PM

West Amwell, NJ

My statement about the Jala maize having a way to go before it tassels was based on a few things. Last year my crop didn't tassle until about the beginning of September, and I still haven't seen any bracer roots on any of the plants. When you start seeing seeing the tassle peak out, you usually only have a few feet left of growth.
Sunflowers are easier to tell the ultimate height earlier in their growth. When you see the very beginning of a bud forming, you can count how many leaf stems bunches you have around it. You can use that to approximate the ultimate height of the plant. Just look at the distance between each bunch of leaves further down the stem. You can use that to get a rough estimate of the ultimate spacing of the leaves near the newly formed bud.

7/27/2006 5:54:14 PM

West Amwell, NJ

For anyone interested, I was trying to grow some maize from Peru that produces the largest kernels in the world. Supposedly, the corn cobs are only about 12 inches, but the kernels are about the size of nickels. Here is a pic of some of my kernels in the bigpumpkins.com photo gallery

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Gallery/GalleryImg/Peru_giant_kernels.JPG

I've read that it takes 6 months to produce viable ears. They only grow in one valley in Peru that has just the right conditions for growth. Now New Jersey isn't Peru, but I thought I would give it a try. I started them back in april under growing tents in the garden. They haven't been doing very well at all. Many of them stalks just snapped. They don't seem to have very strong stalks. I've learned from mistakes and I'm trying again next year.

7/27/2006 6:01:45 PM

West Amwell, NJ

Yes, bury the bracer roots on the corn. It helps supports the plant. As the plant grows, you'll probably see more bracer roots further up the stalk, especially on the Jala maize. They have very large bracers compared to the Mexican June.

7/27/2006 6:04:01 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

Well, so much for tryin' to be a comedian...never knew there was so much info in folk's heads. Thanks s-flower...great bunch of info...as usual on this site. Peace, Wayne
PS If ya ever get the Peru stuff to grow, I would like a couple of seeds...feels like Peru here....3 weeks of mid 90's with ultra high humidity...gee, can't wait till Aug. comes and it gets real hot and humid...LOL

7/27/2006 11:25:20 PM