In article , Steve
Harris writes
I grew sunflowers last summer. Slugs and birds ignored them.

Quite expensive packet sunflower seed failed even to germinate in our
propagator last year. However we noticed a group of likely looking
seedlings sprouting under one of our bird-feeders, so we potted those up
and they developed into 20 huge sunflower plants. We grew them on with
the idea of saving a bit on bought in bird-feed, but our fine-feathered
friends had other ideas. As soon as the broad seed-packed heads reached
anything like maturity, the birds just helped themselves! There was no
sign of slugs anywhere near the plants, maybe the birds initiated their
own food protection policy by eating the slugs before they could attack
the sunflowers?
--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.