Two Hour Gardening Project: Stage 4 – Sunflowers, Marrows, and Weed War

Add color with giant sunflower (North America's biggest, brightest annual, nutritious seeds). Plant marrows/squashes—delicious subtropical veg needing extra care. Declare war on weeds—options presented, you choose.

Needs: 1 pkt sunflower seed; 1 pre-sown marrow/squash seed pkt; 1 pkt 7.5 cm peat pots; 25 kg moss peat. Time: 4 hours in 2 weeks.

Mid-May Weather/Soil

Dry, sunny; soil warm, workable. Assess garden now before lush June masks differences. Note favored spots and cold/damp/drafty areas. Avoid cold areas for patio/tree.

Flower of the Fortnight: Sunflower

Helianthus annuus—jack-and-beanstalk plant, 3–3.6 m in 6 months, large hairy leaves, dinner-plate flower. At south wall base in elephant manure trench: 4.5 m. World record ~6.7 m. For garden effect, keep ≤1.5 m: plant close (45–60 cm). Flowers same size, won't overpower, no staking needed. Plant 15 cm from wall.

Groundwork

War on weeds essential—if they hold, they crowd desired plants. Easier once garden established. Focus on cultivated areas; large/uncontrollable areas: ground covers or mow. Weed = plant out of place (usually wild invader). Three methods: (1) hand weeding (laborious but effective), (2) hoeing (severs top from roots, makes green manure/natural mulch), (3) chemical. 1 and 2 preferred. Chemical types: (1) total herbicides (kill all), (2) selective (lawns—kill broadleaf, spare grass), (3) pre-emergence (kill seeds). Chemicals last resort—misuse kills people too.

Project Work: Marrows/Squashes; Sunflowers

Biggest task: start marrows/squashes/courgettes/pumpkins well. All related—same method. Courgettes = marrow bred for tiny picking. Best flavor at ½–⅔ catalog size. Don't wait for rhino-hide skin—inedible. Dig bare earth, clear weeds/stones. Make hill: compost/soilless mix 90 cm across, 30–45 cm high, hollowed center. Bottom: ½ bucket well-rotted farmyard manure/organic manure. Mix well. Top with more mix, slight depression.

Plant 3 peat pots (2 seeds each) pressing pointed end in. Thin weaker seedling at 2 weeks. Plant pots in hills near rim, rims buried 2.5 cm. Soak. Soak hill weekly till harvest—94.6% water. If not all-female self-fertile, hand-pollinate: transfer pollen from male (cone center) to female with brush, or push male into female. Unpollinated = bitter. Vigorous, sprawling—allow room. Head start: sow indoors.