Weird Sunflower Growth

[l008com]

This is a "skyscraper" sunflower. It started to grow above it's original rabbit screen, and the rabbits climbed over and ate it. But they didn't eat the whole thing (they did eat all of the other four). They left a few leaves. So I put extensions on all my screens and planted new plants to replace the other four, but this one I just let continue growing.

So as you can see, at the point where the rabbits ate it, it has split into three stems. But the "side stems" can't even hold themselves up. What should I do about this? Should I just leave them hanging? Should I snip the side stems and just let the center one grow? Should I the them all together, and tie them to the center driveway stake for support and maybe they'll stiffen up as they grow?

 

[Anniekay]

Firstly, growing it in the grass is not advisable. The grass steals nutrients from the plant. You need to dig a propper flower bed, at least a foot wide and deep all around where you want it to grow and keep it weeded. It's too late now to fiddle with it, not enough growing season left for it to flower.

There's always next year.

 

[cpp gardener]

Any of those options will work. I think tieing them all together with a bigger stake is better. I had a volunteer come up in the lawn this summer. I just mowed around it. It didn’t get as big as some others that came up, but it did flower.

 

[MiTmite9]

View attachment 104995

This is a "skyscraper" sunflower. It started to grow above it's original rabbit screen, and the rabbits climbed over and ate it. But they didn't eat the whole thing (they did eat all of the other four). They left a few leaves. So I put extensions on all my screens and planted new plants to replace the other four, but this one I just let continue growing.

So as you can see, at the point where the rabbits ate it, it has split into three stems. But the "side stems" can't even hold themselves up. What should I do about this? Should I just leave them hanging? Should I snip the side stems and just let the center one grow? Should I the them all together, and tie them to the center driveway stake for support and maybe they'll stiffen up as they grow?

Sunflowers need full sun. They require quite a bit of water, when first establishing themselves. They HATE having their roots tampered with (shallow root system). Mulching with leaves and/or compost is good.
Sunflowers sound "fussy," but are actually very hardy plants. Some sunflowers will have only one flowerhead, other varieties will end up flowering all over the plant. Your plant may end up having several flowerheads.
I would tie up the stems to the center stake, loosely. Get some of that grass away, but ----- don't mess with the sunflower's roots at all. Maybe just clip the grass to the ground and lay down some mulch to stifle that grass.
If you don't have squirrels, count yourself lucky.