Nursery World - Natural growth

There's no point in measuring children too often or too soon, says Professor Cathy Nutbrown

Some children will have enjoyed growing sunflowers this summer. I have seen some wonderful specimens in nursery gardens these past weeks, some standing so tall that their thick stems are supported with stakes to help them take the weight of their marvellous single flower heads, so huge, with large yellow petals and seeds that will feed the birds for
quite some time.

Not all sunflower seeds will have grown so well. Some tiny seedlings will have been eaten by slugs soon after sprouting, others will have rotted as a result of young gardeners being over-keen with their watering cans. Some will have shrivelled and died from heat and lack of water. But those sunflowers that made it through are grand, and quite awesome.

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