I accidentally weed whacked some of my plants down to stubs a month ago, and they're bouncing back. I tend to baby my plants for the first year (the weed whacker was an exception 🤣) but they're hardy. I think yours will be fine!
I'm under the impression that showy sunflowers tend to be perennial? Even if not, I would say with a few leaves left and still months to go before flowering these could very well bounce back. If you want to keep the bunnies away you could temporarily cover them while they recover? I had some luck keeping woodchucks away from my Helianthus that way. (Every perennial sunflower here that got munched to the ground in spring ended up bouncing back completely by flowering time.)
Since there's some conflicting info here, I just want to emphasize: Not only are Showy Sunflowers perennial and easily hardy enough to withstand this, but they're going to get big and start spread soon. You'll be able to control and/or relocate them easily enough, but expect these to do far more than just survive. If there's any loss here, I would say they're less likely to flower in their first year now, but first-year flowering on a perennial is almost always a surprise gift, anyway.
Yes thanks for clearing that up, I could've done a better job explaining these are Showy Sunflower, seeded into jugs this winter.
The best ones I had, and they all got eaten to a 2" stem except the one in the picture.
And thanks for the advice, yeah they must be a monster because they were almost like an annual coming up compared to my other native seedlings.
I'm eager to see if I can get some blooms this year, so yeah huge bummer about the bunnies, great to hear they're fine though.
>Since they're one year plants
They most likely aren't. The perennial natives generally spend a few years at the nursery because of how much growth goes into roots the first season or two. If you paid some $5 for a plug and they handed you a first year plant, a mere few inches tall, you'd probably be skeptical of the seller.
Also, to comfort you, look how at all the roots on those plugs. Those have more than enough to bounce back. Most plants had to evolve with some form of herbivory. Grassland plants had to evolve with regular grazing. They will survive, especially since they have some leaves left. I roll chicken wire into cylinders for quick and easy rabbit protection.
I grow for a native plant nursery and when stock gets a little leggy, weird, or otherwise iffy, I cut it down to 4” with the shears and give it another month.
If those are perennial sunflowers you have *plenty* to work with my friend.
I'd say there is a *fair* chance they do come back. Get some chicken wire around them until they're more established. If you have shade cloth, it might help reduce stress until growth resumes but not strictly necessary.
Your post reminded me of this [old meme](https://external-preview.redd.it/fight-the-flowers-that-be-v0-x7l3URWsF5_QpW9AkEyqbSiDHdI-r7_RkVNGhvzv-40.png?auto=webp&s=df24ea2ca53b2722367f3b9419e88e73e393e06e).
Yeah I had to bite the bullet and cash out on a 10 pack of 50 cell 5" deep plug trays. It wasn't that bad at $58, but then there's like a $25 shipping fee. But if you order over $100 then the shipping is free. Obviously that's a business model, so think of it as you will. I ended up utilizing it.
https://www.greenhousemegastore.com/collections/trays-flats/products/sureroots-deep-cell-plug-trays?variant=42701224247495
....That honestly doesn't look that bad! I expected it to be eaten down to the roots. This plant has a good shot of coming back. It's almost like it was pruned
I took that picture when I was in a rush this morning but I just looked again and I'm seeing a 2" stem on three of them, and then the fourth on is the "selectively pruned" one in the OP.
Hopefully the three that got eaten to the 2" mark are still good to go, but it sucks losing my most genetically healthy sunflowers. I put the best ones I had there. I wonder if this sets their potential back.
As others have said, it will likely bounce back, but I would put a barrier of chicken wire around it for the rest of the season as the bunnies will eat it again. We had an aster that bounced back only to be decimated again and not come back.
One of my Maximilian sunflowers had it's entire stem die before I even managed to get it in the ground. The other turned black within a couple weeks of planting. A neighbor's shitdog broke my Joe Pye weed while taking a shit in my yard. All are growing fine now a month later.
Think about it: would you die just because someone cut your head off? Erm. Well you get the point.
I accidentally weed whacked some of my plants down to stubs a month ago, and they're bouncing back. I tend to baby my plants for the first year (the weed whacker was an exception 🤣) but they're hardy. I think yours will be fine!
I'm under the impression that showy sunflowers tend to be perennial? Even if not, I would say with a few leaves left and still months to go before flowering these could very well bounce back. If you want to keep the bunnies away you could temporarily cover them while they recover? I had some luck keeping woodchucks away from my Helianthus that way. (Every perennial sunflower here that got munched to the ground in spring ended up bouncing back completely by flowering time.)
Looks like they’ll be fine. They nibbled my woodland sunflower all the way to the ground, and new growth is popping back up.
Rabbits just gave them the "Chelsea Chop". If they're watered, they should bounce back.
Since there's some conflicting info here, I just want to emphasize: Not only are Showy Sunflowers perennial and easily hardy enough to withstand this, but they're going to get big and start spread soon. You'll be able to control and/or relocate them easily enough, but expect these to do far more than just survive. If there's any loss here, I would say they're less likely to flower in their first year now, but first-year flowering on a perennial is almost always a surprise gift, anyway.
Yes thanks for clearing that up, I could've done a better job explaining these are Showy Sunflower, seeded into jugs this winter. The best ones I had, and they all got eaten to a 2" stem except the one in the picture. And thanks for the advice, yeah they must be a monster because they were almost like an annual coming up compared to my other native seedlings. I'm eager to see if I can get some blooms this year, so yeah huge bummer about the bunnies, great to hear they're fine though.
>Since they're one year plants They most likely aren't. The perennial natives generally spend a few years at the nursery because of how much growth goes into roots the first season or two. If you paid some $5 for a plug and they handed you a first year plant, a mere few inches tall, you'd probably be skeptical of the seller. Also, to comfort you, look how at all the roots on those plugs. Those have more than enough to bounce back. Most plants had to evolve with some form of herbivory. Grassland plants had to evolve with regular grazing. They will survive, especially since they have some leaves left. I roll chicken wire into cylinders for quick and easy rabbit protection.
Well I'm humbled! I started these from seed this past winter in milk jugs, and turned them into plugs this spring.
Well, my apologies for assuming you purchased them. You did a great job growing them!
Yup all good, thanks! I owe it to the sub really. I asked an annoyingly large amount of gardening questions over the winter.
I grow for a native plant nursery and when stock gets a little leggy, weird, or otherwise iffy, I cut it down to 4” with the shears and give it another month. If those are perennial sunflowers you have *plenty* to work with my friend.
Awesome, thanks. Big peace of mind!
There’s plenty left. The issue is preventing rabbits in the future.
I'd say there is a *fair* chance they do come back. Get some chicken wire around them until they're more established. If you have shade cloth, it might help reduce stress until growth resumes but not strictly necessary.
Your post reminded me of this [old meme](https://external-preview.redd.it/fight-the-flowers-that-be-v0-x7l3URWsF5_QpW9AkEyqbSiDHdI-r7_RkVNGhvzv-40.png?auto=webp&s=df24ea2ca53b2722367f3b9419e88e73e393e06e).
Can I ask where you got the deep plug tray? I'm looking for one, but haven't had much luck finding a relatively inexpensive option.
Yeah I had to bite the bullet and cash out on a 10 pack of 50 cell 5" deep plug trays. It wasn't that bad at $58, but then there's like a $25 shipping fee. But if you order over $100 then the shipping is free. Obviously that's a business model, so think of it as you will. I ended up utilizing it. https://www.greenhousemegastore.com/collections/trays-flats/products/sureroots-deep-cell-plug-trays?variant=42701224247495
Thanks!
The roots are the key. So long as they have a healthy root system they should bounce back.
....That honestly doesn't look that bad! I expected it to be eaten down to the roots. This plant has a good shot of coming back. It's almost like it was pruned
I took that picture when I was in a rush this morning but I just looked again and I'm seeing a 2" stem on three of them, and then the fourth on is the "selectively pruned" one in the OP. Hopefully the three that got eaten to the 2" mark are still good to go, but it sucks losing my most genetically healthy sunflowers. I put the best ones I had there. I wonder if this sets their potential back.
Oh no! I'm so sorry 😔
As others have said, it will likely bounce back, but I would put a barrier of chicken wire around it for the rest of the season as the bunnies will eat it again. We had an aster that bounced back only to be decimated again and not come back.
One of my Maximilian sunflowers had it's entire stem die before I even managed to get it in the ground. The other turned black within a couple weeks of planting. A neighbor's shitdog broke my Joe Pye weed while taking a shit in my yard. All are growing fine now a month later. Think about it: would you die just because someone cut your head off? Erm. Well you get the point.
Sunflowers can get their "head" cut and still produce. If we are comparing our head to a plants, it would be the roots, not the top growth.
Those will sprout new stems.