Why do my sunflowers droop?

"We planted a couple rows of sunflowers and they first grew in looking very strong. Now the petals look wilted and some of the flowers stalks are falling over. Why is this and is there a way to fix it?" - Read the answer

ARTICLES TO READ

Recovery: Bringing Back Bumble Bees
Bees are in big trouble. The good news is that virtually all ecologically literate North Americans will tell you that. The bad news is they’re worried about the wrong bees — honey bees.

Edible Landscaping - How to: Espalier an Apple Tree
Many gardeners would love to grow apples, pears, peaches, and other tree fruits in their yard, but don't have the room or climate to accommodate them. While there are many dwarf tree fruit varieties on the market, sometimes even these trees are too large for a small yard. Plus, if you live in a cold winter or cool summer climate, some fruits just won't grow and mature well for you. Learn how to accommodate in this article.

Best Herbs for Teas
Here are my picks for the most flavorful and widely adapted "tea" plants for home gardens, along with tips for harvesting and my favorite recipes. All of these plants grow well throughout the United States. They are hardy perennials (up to -20oF) that do well in sun or part shade, except where noted.

Sweet Potato Weevil
This pest affects crops in the southern United States. The weevils' larvae -- 1/3-inch-long white legless grubs with dark heads -- tunnel through sweet potato roots and vines

Find your Zone
Exactly which USDA hardiness zone are you in? Well, it depends. Use our zone map and article to help.

Crepe Myrtles: Plant Care and Collection of Varieties
The Crepe Myrtle is a fast-growing, small to medium-sized deciduous tree that produces large, colorful flowers over a long period from midsummer to fall. The foliage is attractive in fall and the textured bark provides winter interest. Another common name is southern lilac. It is typically cultivated as a multi-trunked flowering tree grown throughout the warmer climates of the world.

AWESOME NEW PHOTOS FROM THIS WEEK

Sago Palm (Cycas revoluta), by hedacc:

Tall Bearded Iris (Iris 'Glad'), by Henhouse:

Holy Ghost Orchid (Peristeria elata), by dawiz1753:

Tall Bearded Iris (Iris 'Handful of Magic'), by IrisLilli:

Daylily (Hemerocallis 'Patrick Starfish'), by queerbeet:

Gazania (Gazania rigens Big Kiss™ Mix), by Paul2032:

Daylily (Hemerocallis 'Cool Hand Luke'), by Char:

Landscape view by Maxmom98:

Landscape view by Fleur569:

Landscape view by Creemoregardener:

NOTABLE DISCUSSIONS FROM OUR FORUMS


Subject	Area	Replies
Can a Fan Produce Multiple Scapes?	Daylilies forum	51
And the winners of the July 2017 raffle are.....!	The July 2017 Not-A-Raffle-Raffle!	44
Red leaf plant....know it's name?	Plant ID forum	29
Widest flower color ranges within a species	All Things Gardening forum	25
What is wrong with this society garlic!?	Ask a Question forum	23
How do you grow daylily seeds/crosses	Daylilies forum	22
Stunted growth	Ask a Question forum	22
dirt mounds in my yard	Ask a Question forum	20
Question about Biennials	Ask a Question forum	20

THE NUMBERS FROM LAST WEEK:

935 members joined.
6,144 posts written in our forums.
1,148 photos posted to the plant database.
727 plants added to personal inventory lists.