North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Lon J. Rombough" <lonrom@hevanet.com>]

I've been testing that theory by growing sunflowers in the same area for three years.  As far as I can tell, the most they do is slow some of the weeds.  If I don't weed, they are just as full of weeds as any other area in the garden.  The shade they produce seems to have as much effect in slowing weed growth as anything.  Of course there are many kinds of sunflowers and it may be that other varieties or species will have differing effects.  The person who would really know is Dr. Alan Kapuler in Corvallis.  He breeds sunflowers and many vegetables and has tried a range of varieties and species of sunflowers.
-Lon Rombough
Grapes, writing, consulting, my book, The Grape Grower, at http://www.bunchgrapes.com  Winner of the Garden Writers Association "Best Talent in Writing" award for 2003.
On May 19, 2005, at 6:08 PM, Doreen Howard wrote:

Dylan Ford wrote:
If my memory serves (which is ever less likely), it is a substance
> in sunflower seed hulls that suppress the growth of some plants. Or so I've
> heard.

Yes, the hulls are allelopathic, but the plant roots also secrete a hormone that is allelopathic, especially for weeds.  That's a good thing.  But, my concern is that if I grow sunflowers in ground I will ultimately use for more dwarf fruit trees, will I create problems for the trees.
Doreen