Sunflower seeds are currently in the process of being shipped to 2009 participants who will plant the flowers in their own gardens and monitor the activity of bee behavior. These efforts will assist researchers from SFSU in learning more about bees' relationship to pollination and the insect's currently declining numbers.
Here are the simple steps to join the The Great Sunflower Project:
1. Sign up for free, request seeds or plant your own sunflower seeds (this year's seed is the annual Lemon Queen sunflowers: Helianthus annuus.
2. Describe your garden.
3. Time how long it takes 5 bees to visit your sunflower plant.
4. Enter your data online or send in your form.
All ages are welcome to participate in the Great Sunflower Project. As soon as you create an account, you'll be added to the list of people scheduled to receive sunflower seeds. One batch of seeds has already been sent out this week. More seed batches are scheduled to be be sent in April and May.
The seeds are annual Lemon Queen sunflowers (Helianthus annuus). These sunflowers can be grown in a pot on a deck or patio or in a garden. Of course participants may obtain their own seeds and then send in the data. But, if doing so, project organizers ask that you use annual sunflower "Lemon Queen" (Helianthus annuus), which ensures that all participants will be comparing the same flowers.











Fun post!How i wish i am living in US so that i can join that kind of project.
-Aubrey
Posted by: online sunflowers | May 12, 2009 at 09:37 PM
How fun! Thanks for sharing the kids will love this!
Posted by: Amanda | March 29, 2009 at 08:32 PM