This is the first year that I’ve been successful at growing giant sunflowers. I’m fairly certain the chickens sabotaged my prior attempts by eating the seed.

In early summer I planted a row of Burpee’s Mammoth sunflower seeds right in front of the old compost bin that we plan to move. I put a few stakes in the ground and wrapped wire around them to keep out the chickens and give them a fighting chance.

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The result is a stand of beautiful giant flowers finally coming into bloom.

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As showy as the yellow blooms are, the flower on the cusp of opening is possibly more beautiful. It’s all in the patterns.

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They are spectacular – so big that you can practically climb them.

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This picture helps put their size into perspective. The seed packet says 9-12 feet tall. Paul swears that ours are 12-14 feet high. The power of chicken poo at work?

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