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Old October 24, 2017   #481
clkeiper
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"Plant sellers often don't get rewarded with higher prices when they buy expensive seed. Hybrid seed might be 100x more expensive than OP, but the market price of a flat of plants is still the same. That's another reason I try to sell individual plants instead of selling them by the flat. I can spend 10-20 cents on one seed and make it back by selling a $2 plant. Flats of 48-72 plants only bring $10-15, which doesn't pay for expensive seed."
That is the truth. I spend a boat load of $$ on seed for every season. I spent about 300.00 on the clearance rack at a seed supplier just after labor day for next year already. some of it wasn't cheaper.. like the "paydirt" corn. I still spent 25.00 a pound on it. and I still have many more $$ to spend on seeds yet.
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Old February 5, 2018   #482
Al@NC
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Cole,
Do you have to go 1 gallon trade planters on those Dwarf Sunflowers? I see that you can get away with 8" for the Sunny Smile Sunflower according to Harris Seeds...

I read that sunflowers don't like their roots getting disturbed so you wouldn't want to transplant or change pots more than once from seedling to planter.

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Old February 5, 2018   #483
Cole_Robbie
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The trade size gallon I use is actually too small, I think. They are just cheap, and I bought a lot at once. I have to bottom-water the larger plants and let them soak in order to water them adequately.

They don't seem to mind being transplanted, honestly. Usually the root ball comes out as one big chunk, so the roots don't really get disturbed. Important tip for when you do transplant sunflowers - you know how tomato plants grow roots off of buried stem? Sunflowers do NOT do that. So legginess can't be corrected by burying the stem deeper at transplant, like I do with tomatoes.
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Old February 5, 2018   #484
Al@NC
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Thanks Cole! My Daughter's school was looking for ways to make money and I brought up the sunflowers for Mother's day idea...

I read your earlier post that you have to plant the sunflower on top of the soil instead of burying it.

I ordered Sunny Smile Sunflower seeds from Johnnyseed.com and I'm trying to come up with ideas for the planters. I was thinking about having my Daughter paint her hands and do a Mother's day theme on the nursery planters similar to what you see on google when you search for "Mother's day pots"...





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Old February 6, 2018   #485
Cole_Robbie
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Those are great ideas.

Sunflowers do get seeded below the soil - some other types of flowers require light to germinate, but not sunflowers. But if you transplant sunflowers, then you are best served to place the root ball toward the top of your new media.
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Old February 6, 2018   #486
Black Krim
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Cole , looked on line at Amazon for the trade gallons and found a source rather quickly but for a small quantity. Im betting you buy a few hundred. If I might ask, what is your source?
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Old February 6, 2018   #487
FourOaks
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Black Krim View Post
Cole , looked on line at Amazon for the trade gallons and found a source rather quickly but for a small quantity. Im betting you buy a few hundred. If I might ask, what is your source?
While waiting for Cole to respond, you might check out Mcconkey Plastic -

https://www.mcconkeyco.com/Pages/Store_Home_2.aspx

Lots of folks use them. I have order from them in the past myself. That was before I discovered a semi local source. I can get the 1 gallon pots for 17 cents each. Just have to go pick them up. My supplier sells them 450 to a case.
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Old February 6, 2018   #488
Cole_Robbie
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I buy from Hummert International. They are near St Louis, which is not too far from me. Shipping is usually the deciding factor in where I order from. Hummert has a truck shipping deal twice a month if I spend enough money, and when I don't, the UPS charges are usually not too bad since they are only about 100 miles away. I did get royally messed over once due to an oversized box charge, which was the box that the supplier sent to Hummert and not Hummert's packaging job, but I was still less than pleased. It is very difficult to get them to tell you what the shipping will be before you place your order.

I'm trying to remember what I paid per pot for the trade size gallons. It was not much, maybe 12 cents or so each.
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Old February 7, 2018   #489
Black Krim
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ok. Will search locally as shipping is a big factor in calculating costs.
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Old February 7, 2018   #490
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I also buy from Hummert. Good service and prices. My son is with Boeing and works 5 minutes from Hummert's whse. He picks up my orders and saves me on shipping.

There might be a wholesaler near you where an order can be picked up.
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Old February 8, 2018   #491
Cole_Robbie
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Hummert just sent me an email that their truck-shipping minimum order size has dropped to $200 and the fee has dropped to $15.

From Feb 12th until the end of February, Hummert is also offering free shipping, as long as you mention "Hummert's February Delivery Special."

Some larger items like greenhouse plastic will often ship directly from the factory, and I am guessing the free shipping offer will not apply to those products.
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Old February 8, 2018   #492
bjbebs
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Good to know Cole. My son just picked up some 4 year film and plug trays. I think I'm set for the year.
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Old February 8, 2018   #493
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I recorded dwarf sunflowers last winter to test timing to meet different
children NYC urban gardening programs. A few weeks ago I started a 1010
tray and again two weeks later. Another this weekend and again two weeks
from then.

For my starts, in my grow room climate, and might be a bit different for
others....November 20th planted. Nov. 27, first pic. 4 weeks later still in the
mini net pots, potted up into a variety of containers.

*I use the jiffy discs since young children will be growing, adding water, then the
seed. Kids like cute things. Easy to place a seed. They take those home. Two trays
4 weeks old they will plant in their community garden. Again easy to plant in the net pots. Tiny hands.

Three trays will be starting to bloom and some will be blooming. Those are for
sale for proceeds going toward the garden.

Valentines day is my target for blooming Mothers day. Why I'm starting the ones
I want to bloom for the holiday now. I should hit the target for some blooms.

As a consumer of FarmersMarkets, I'm more likely to purchase from a full thick
table, and want maybe a bloom but like to take home close to bloom so I can
watch it growing in my home. (same with purchased tulip...I buy a tight young
bunch with just one or two near bloom as the bunch will last longer)
This is the first year I have two big sacks of bulbs in the downstairs fridge I plan
to pot up some this weekend.

This pic shows from sprout to 11 weeks.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg sunflower test.jpg (271.0 KB, 59 views)
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Old February 8, 2018   #494
FourOaks
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Quote:
Originally Posted by oakley View Post
Valentines day is my target for blooming Mothers day. Why I'm starting the ones
I want to bloom for the holiday now. I should hit the target for some blooms.
Very interesting. And photos to boot.

Oddly enough my largest sowing of all my seeds will probably be on Feb 15. I use "15" as its easy to count by when looking ahead. Except for Feb and its silly 28 days, but its close enough.
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Old February 9, 2018   #495
Black Krim
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie View Post
Hummert just sent me an email that their truck-shipping minimum order size has dropped to $200 and the fee has dropped to $15.

From Feb 12th until the end of February, Hummert is also offering free shipping, as long as you mention "Hummert's February Delivery Special."

Some larger items like greenhouse plastic will often ship directly from the factory, and I am guessing the free shipping offer will not apply to those products.
Can u suggest a decent quality film? To last several years. Plan to roll up sides.
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