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Brisbane Australia

Curiously will too much fertiliser cause early flowering, I currently have some Russian giant sunflowers growing, they have previously taken about 68 days to open their flowers which is a very short time if your trying to get them tall. My best plant at 38 days since germination is 2.5 metres tall or just over 8feet. If it keeps grows to the full 68 days I should break my personal best and maybe the Australian record. What concerns me is I see small rosettes forming which seems early? About 5 metres seems to be the top out for this cultivar due to the short growth period not sure if its my specific conditions or wether its too much fertiliser. The soil wis well worked but I am foliar spraying a couple times a week with a NPK 23. 4 . 10 I would have though this would not have encouraged early blooming? Anyway I guess time will tell.

1/28/2014 8:22:44 PM

Johnston, Iowa

My own experience - I probably over fertilize sometimes, but this has not ever seemed to have had an effect on flowering. I think weather and photoperiod have a more profound effect on the timing of bolting and flowering.

1/29/2014 3:36:26 PM

Brisbane Australia

Interesting, I didn't think they were photoperiod sensitive? I'm still in Summer here however my days are getting shorter? Weather has been cooler but still tops in the mid to high 80s and bottoms in the 70's I think it may just this cultivar it just has such a short maturity rate, I can't wait to grow some other cultivars.

1/29/2014 4:55:36 PM