Final sunflower harvesting, 2001 crop. (Note: Normal sunflower crops are BEAUTIFUL as they grow. When it's time to harvest, however, they are brown and dried. This is how they are supposed to look when it's time to harvest.)

The Irvin's Miracle II Test: 4 ounces of Miracle II Neutralizer and 4 oz of Miracle II Soap per 10 gallons of water, per acre, during the initial planting.

Conditions during this growing cycle:

• Temperature: 62 days of over 100° Fahrenheit (Normally, it's 80°-90° F.)
• Rainfall: None, for 62 days. (Normally two rains per cycle)

  Summary: Harsher than average growing conditions.

Results:

• Normally, Stan Irvin tries to establish 18,000 seeds per acre, by planting 22,000 seeds. Unexpectedly, especially under these harsh conditions, all 22,000 plants emerged and grew.
• A very even stand of sunflowers was grown. Only those who raise sunflowers can appreciate how difficult that is to accomplish.
• Harvest was delayed by three weeks, due to unexpected moisture still residing in the plants. (Normal sunflowers must be free of moisture before harvesting.)
• An unexpected result: The regular sunflower seeds planted had a far higher than expected oil content when harvested. The cheaper sunflower seeds that were originally planted sold for the price of New Sun sunflower seeds - higher quality, and more expensive.

  Summary:

  Downside:
  An unexpectedly high number of seeds being established, coupled with the even-ness of the stand, produced a crop which would have been larger had less seed been used to establish the crop.

  Upside:
  The sunflower crop grew evenly through hot, dry weather, and produced a product which sold for a premium price!