Sunflower winners crowned at UQ

School students from around the state are vying for The University of Queensland’s sixth annual sunflower competition this morning.

For months, budding greenthumbs from 34 schools have been watering, pruning and nourishing their sunflowers for judging.

The School of Land and Food Sciences’ Sunflower Growing Competition was open to all UQ and Queensland primary and high school students.

UQ certificates and a first prize of $275, $75 for second and $50 for third, will be awarded in two divisions to UQ students and school students.

A 1.8kg sunflower, grown by UQ student Kate Riggs, won last year’s competition but the record stands at over three kilograms.

UQ agricultural student Peter Kopittke grew the 150-centimetre recordholder weighing in at 3010 grams.

Sunflowers will be weighed, from above the soil, at the UQ Centre lecture theatre (Building 27A, K6) off Union Road at UQ St Lucia from 9.30am.

The most bizarre plants such as the smallest and with the most sunflower heads would also win prizes.

Lecturers will talk to students about plant science, food science, nutrition and soil and environmental science during the weigh-ins.

Sunflowers had to be grown from allocated seeds in containers no bigger than 11 litres without hydroponics.

For more information contact: Sunflower competition organiser Andrea Adkins on (07) 3365 1175, a.adkins@uq.edu.au or UQ communications officer Miguel Holland on (07) 3365-2619, m.holland@uq.edu.au. The competition runs from 9.30am to 12.40pm. Winners should be announced from 12.30pm.