Dove plot. Did something wrong again.

This is my second year trying to plant native sunflowers, and my second failure. I spread them in October with some winter wheat. I did not disc them in early spring, because the fella at Turner Seed told me to plant them and leave them alone. Did a soil test, and added some lime per the results. And still, this is all I got. The wheat came up, the sunflowers did not. See those sunflowers that came up like crazy in the top third of the pic on the right side? I didn't plant those. That was a burn pile that we burned early deer season last year. Nothing's been done to that besides scraping the ashes off into the brush.

So I don't know. I'm real frustrated right now, I don't know if it's worth trying again, or just spray paint yellow circles on the ground. It's gotta be cheaper than throwing away seed.

Sorry if the pic is huge, trying to post from the phone at the lease.

interesting dilemma ----- interesting post ------ I have no suggestions,,, we disk in the spring in one field,, the other field we dont do anything,,,, in both cases they just come up.

We disk late winter/early spring and get great response.

That's what's killing me. Where I did nothing at all is covered in sunflowers that are 8+ feet tall. I mean covered. Can't see through them. It's not erosion, anything that might run off from where I planted goes about 20 yards left of the patch in the pic.

I think the seed does better when buried and it needs some time in the ground while it's cold. Jay at Turner told me he'd like to see em in the ground no later than Jan 15 but earlier is better. Getting The ground turned up good the first go around helps as well I've heard.

That seed should still be in the ground, but didn't germinate. So if you just disk mid winter, I bet you will have a better stand next season.

Been doing this for 18 years now. Full Throttle is right, the seed is still there. Where you went wrong is mixing wheat with the SS seeds, the wheat choked them out. I tried the same thing many years ago and had the same results as you. Next year don't do anything but turn the ground good in January.

try farming...
you'll be covered up in them...

I can't do any better.

Thanks guys, I appreciate the help. Should I spray out this wheat, or just let it go until January?

Just let it go, just hope it doesn't come back volunteer. You might mow it if you get an opportunity.

This. You can't let the wheat grow over the sunflowers.
Most people graze the wheat to the bone before spring. If you can't do that then you need to disk it before mid February.
The good thing is that your seed is probably still there if you covered it up enough to keep the birds from eating it.
And as far as the sunflowers where you didn't plant, normally sunflowers will come up in any area that you break up. Especially if done in December or January.
Native sunflower seed can sit dormant for lots of years.

Okay then. Thanks again. I'm headed back out there this weekend, I'll go ahead and hog it down and wait.

Just put out several bags of milo about August 28th and you're good to go on opening morning. Works every year for Cory Anderson and the boys at DWE Hunt Club.

I think I'll pass on that rec, but thank you though... Me and the game warden are on pretty good terms, think I'll aim to keep it that way.

This was supposed to be just a hobby plot, to see if it would work. Now that it isn't working, it's turned into a personal mission. Just a couple of us sitting out there in the evenings after the other work is done, trying for some appetizers to cook with dinner.

Last year I planted several hundred pounds of sunflowers and had exactly 1 flower. And that was was in my cattle pen, not in area where I planted. I am not a farmer, but trying to learn.

As a suggestion only, maybe you can hire a farmer or someone that has massive experience to come out and do everything. Learn from them and then continue yourself. It is my understanding you need only disc in subsequent years.

I think you've seen the answer but don't know it yet. The burn pile. Try a controlled burn for the entire field.