From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Buffalo, NY

Anybody growing sunflowers near their pumpkins & if so, how close? Read they secrete a substance detrimental to most plants--only beneficial to corn, I heard. Please let me know distance & how pumpkins are doing. Thanks.
Mark

6/8/2002 6:29:11 PM

walton n.y.

i grow mine on the outside edge of the patch as a wind break at seasons end vines are still a few feet away

6/8/2002 6:40:43 PM

Topsfield, Ma.

Been growing sunflowers on both ends of patch for 4 years as windscreens, and a wall of morning glories along the long side. Makes for pretty scenery...but maybe why I haven't grown a 1000lbr yet ?

6/8/2002 8:33:49 PM

North Ga

My sunflowers are right on the border of my AGs, have to deadhead AGs so they don't grow into the Sunflowers. WHAT A MESS!!!! I love this game!!!

6/8/2002 10:39:31 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

Sunflower seeds do have a natural substance that stops vegatative growth. Look under any birdfeeder and the bare spot. Thats not from to many bird droppings.

6/9/2002 9:28:06 PM

Mineral Virginia

must be only certain breeds; I have an entire row of sunflowers 18 inches away from a row of tomatoes and squash combined; they both did fine. They are about 6 feet away from the closest pumpkin plant and so far it is fine as well.

scott

8/8/2002 11:25:01 AM

Montoursville, PA

Sunflower seed shells killed foundation plantings that were growing under the bird feeder at my house. That is how I learned about the possibiliy. I nursed the foundation plantings which were juniper types thinking I was in trash problems from the builder chucking stuff to close to the surface. Read about the problem in a book somewhere. I moved the bird feeder, replaced two wheel barrow loads of soil, replanted the foundation plantings. Every one is now happy.

I think the reason it does not affect the garden much is the fact the seeds are cured late in the season. Many birds feed, take a seed and go somewhere else to eat it. There may not be a concentrated pile of shells by the garden planted sunflower plants because of competition.

10/5/2002 5:16:35 PM

Ypsilanti Michigan

They make a good hiding place for pumpkin leaves to filter out the hot sun. Just keep an eye out for vines that love to grow upward! They could go up a sunflower, and go out and get top heavy and snap right off. Sunflowers are wonderfull plants to grow. I have some in my garden. I have a soker hose on "2" with "20 20 20" feeding them. Three feet high with a huge trunk forming. just wanted to msee what would happen.

6/24/2003 8:23:39 PM