Our field continues its blooming. The heads in the foreground
are nearly finished blooming, while heads further back and on the sides are
at about the R5.7 to R5.8 stages. We had a small rain shower
yesterday. It rained 0.48 inches. Not bad, but we could use some
more.
 We've been seeing heads for about six days now, so these next few
photographs can be considered a review. Would you agree these two
heads have completed about 80 to 90 percent of their flowering? If so,
then they are in the R5.8 to R5.9 stages.
 These two heads are in the R5.9 to early R6 stage. On the right,
the R6 plant's ray flowers haven't started wilting yet, but the center
is completing flowering today. So, technically we may be off a day or
so by calling it an R6 plant.
 This plant would be considered in the R6
stage because it has completed blooming and the petals are starting to wilt.
 We still have some pollinators still active on late blooming heads. This
bee is loaded down with pollen.
 Well, I knew it couldn't last forever. This little moth is one of
the most notorious insects in a sunflower field. This is the sunflower head
moth and it is quite destructive. It lays eggs in the head, the eggs
hatch and the larvae burrow in the head causing all sorts of damage. I
don't think we have too many moths flying in our field, but we need to be
sure. We'll set some traps tomorrow. |
Our field continues its blooming. The heads in the foreground
are nearly finished blooming, while heads further back and on the sides are
at about the R5.7 to R5.8 stages. We had a small rain shower
yesterday. It rained 0.48 inches. Not bad, but we could use some
more.
