Fouts Financial Group   .   Mary Rae Fouts, EA, CFP^®   
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24 Years of Experience  .  Impeccable Professional Credentials

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Fun Growing Giant Sunflowers Summer 2011  This summer, I grew Giant Sunflowers (and a variety of other, smaller sunflowers) from seed I purchased through the Park Seed seed company in South Carolina.  Although I am an avid gardener, this was my first experience growing sunflowers, and they turned out spectacular.  What a feast for the bees, birds, and critters!  Hoards of Honey Bees (my neighbor has a Honey Bee hive), Mason Bees, and Carpenter Bees clustered around the blossoms, gathering nectar.  The goldfinches (no other bird, just goldfinches) devoured the leaves, and the squirrels ate all the sunflower seeds, petals, and some of the seed head (blossom) backs.  In fact, the only part of the Giant Sunflower that was not consumed by the bees, birds, and critters was the stalk.  I guess you can say that Giant Sunflowers are nature's perfect food! The goldfinches began eating the leaves as soon as the Giant Sunflower seeds germinated and started growing.  The Giant Sunflowers grew so fast and robustly, that there were always new leaves coming out; seemingly more leaves than the goldfinches could eat.  It almost seemed as if the Giant Sunflowers welcomed the goldfinches.  I read in an online bird forum that goldfinches really like the taste of sunflower leaves.  Apparently, the sunflower leaves are particularly beneficial for goldfinches during nesting season.  Goldfinches eat seeds and sunflower leaves, which creates a milky mixture that is regurgitated and fed to nesting young.  Perhaps that explains why we are loaded up with goldfinches (and other birds) at our house.  I have posted a leaf closeup photo below, showing a couple of leaves that the goldfinches had started to eat. We grew the Giant Sunflowers near our garage (in tough, clay soil).  They grew to be a towering 8 feet to 12 feet tall.  Great fun!  Watching the squirrels eat the Giant Sunflower seeds provided hours of free backyard entertainment.  Here are a few photos of my Giant Sunflower Experience 2011.
For More Information Mary welcomes your call at (925) 979-9972.  She looks forward to discussing your concerns and Fouts Financial Group services. Fouts Financial Group  .  Mary Rae Fouts, EA, CFP®  .  1547 Palos Verdes Mall #407  .  Walnut Creek, California 94597 Telephone (925) 979-9972  .  Facsimile (925) 979-9970  .  mary@foutsfinancialgroup.com  .  CA Insurance License 0C24544 © 2003 to 2012 by Mary Rae Fouts; all rights reserved.  Best viewed with Internet Explorer browser.  Thanks for stopping by!