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| Hi there,
got some seeds from a neighbour at the end of last season, searched the internet just now after sorting my seeds. Now I am not sure whether to raise them indoors about now or sow directly after the frost.
Lin |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| I have those. Very easy to start from seed, nothing special required. Just sow in good starting media and keep warm (about 70 to 75 F (I think this is the low 20's Celsius). They will germinate in about 7-14 days, IIRC. They spread like any perennial, but not as aggressively as some things. I don't have any real problem with unwanted volunteers, as the goldfinches usually strip all of the seeds from them before even fully ripe. |
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| I have the variety "Sante Fe" which has not expanded in size much in the five or so years I've had it. |
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- Posted by dandy_line 3B-Mn (My Page) on Sun, Mar 4, 12 at 20:29
| They grow wild around here and in their native state are well behaved. But in the garden they can get out of control, growing upwards of 8 or more feet, then flop over in the Fall rains. But, in their original native state, they got chewed down to ground quite often and still managed to flower and set seed. The best way to treat them is to act like a Buffalo and hack them down to about 1 foot around the first of August. That way they bloom at a much smaller level. They actually like that! I think it best to germinate them in the fridge, at about 5C for a bit. Also, you might try Coreopsis tripteris as a border shield plant. It grows tall and straight and never flops over. Over here I call it Minnesota bamboo. |
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| I have them, started by wintersowing. They do get to about 8 feet, after being cut back twice during the season (it will help control the plant) and I do have to tie them up to make sure they don't fall over the path. I don't have any problem with reseeding. 2nd year last year and I have it in a tight space. It did double in size and last springhad to cut the root ball in 1/2; neither plant had ANY problem after the fact with the pruning. That being said, I am keeping it but will continue to cut it in 1/2 every year. |
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- Posted by debra_boston Zone 5 - Boston (My Page) on Mon, Mar 5, 12 at 11:39
| Dear Linaria, I didn't know Helianthus Maximilianii so I looked it up and based on what I found, I think you would prefer a Helianthus that gives you more flowers, bigger flowers and isn't as tall and is easier to grow and maintain. That said, I highly recommend Helianthus Helianthoides "Summer Sun". Go ahead and grow your H.M. but then grow H.H. S.S. at the opposite end of the garden as a control. It will be an interesting experiment for you. I have been growing HHSS for over 25 years now. It is my favorite perennial. It is the easiest one to grow and requires almost no care, but looks so good. If you deadhead this perennial, it will bloom for you into October. If you decide to cut it in half in July, the flowers will not be as tall as they could be, usually 5', now they will be 3' instead. I like a tall flower toward the rear of my perennial border. My neighbors like the yellow flowers and tell me they look so cheerful from across the street. Yellow is very visible from afar, but blue and purple recedes. Once you get a HHSS going, it will return every year. To make more plants, I usually just push the deadheaded flowers whole into the ground 2' away from the mother. In the spring, et voila! -- babies! Good luck on your experiment! |
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