Did you know that the tallest sunflower measured at 9.17metres? At District Eating we have set up a competition to see who can grow the tallest sunflower!
One of the main reasons we have decided to do this is because we now want to use our waste heat to not only grow food but flowers too. This is a great opportunity for District Eating to branch out in the booming flower industry and use our low carbon solution to help reduce our flowers air miles. 90% of the flowers bought in the UK are imported, some from as far away as Colombia, Kenya, Ecuador and Ethiopia. Yet we can grow a wide variety of flowers in this country, including beautiful scented varieties that are too delicate for global transport.
We have chosen sunflowers as part of our competition for a number of reasons. Firstly, they are amazing for feeding our pollinators due to each individual floret containing nectar and pollen. This supports biodiversity and attracts a whole range of bee species. Birds are attracted by sunflowers too and are a great way to naturally control pests in your garden!
Sunflowers are also known as ‘phytoremediators’ which means they naturally remove toxins from the soil without affecting the surrounding eco-system. ‘Phyto’ meaning plant and ‘remediator’ meaning remedy.
Finally, they are also a great way to brighten up your garden and a great excuse to spend some time outside!
We would love you to share your journey with us on any of our social media platforms so we can see how you’re getting on! (Social media links below).
If you’re not already part of our mailing list for this competition just send an email to pip@districteating.com with your name and address.
Keep an eye out for our next blog post on how to grow and care for your sunflower.
Good Luck!
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