The good is that my smaller sunflowers (Double Dandy and Peach Passion) are blooming, far earlier than I expected, although duller in color than I had hoped.
The bad is that several of my infrareds are covered with purple-black splotches and freckles. I've googled and ransacked my library without finding anything, but I'm betting it has something to do with all the grey and wet that we are no longer having. Any notions?
I've rather noticed that most of my garden books really don't have that much info on plant maladies. The only thing that looked close is anthractnose. That seem likely? The heat blast of the last few days has helped a lot.
Kyra no worries that is normal on a few different varieties of red sunflower. From the pic you showed it isnt a malady just a common trait many will show. I have seen it in Chianti, Moulin Rouge, Infared and Red Sun. If the patches become moldy or the leaf starts really looking sickly it might be a different issue but from the picture you have it is not a fungus just a plant trait. Not all of them will show it but some will. Enjoy the Sunflowers.
P.S. I know this picture doesnt illustrate my point well but it's all I have.
That does help me sort it out as some of the plants are flourishing, colouration and all, but a few look rather ill. I was looking for one explation and now see it must be several things at once.
Kyra, was it still in the pot when you took the photo? Sometimes my plants start to do that when I've kept them in the small pots for too long and they are potbound and stressed out. I figure they are just ripe for fungus, etc since they have few resources. I've lost a few like that, and others seem to rebound once I get them into the ground and give them a little spray of messenger. Then the new growth comes in looking healthy.
