The Woodpile received a large grant from the U.S. Department of Critter Agriculture to study innovative ways to protect the sunflower harvest against climate change and loss of farm land to urbanization. We set three goals (1) find ways to grow sunflowers in urban environments, (2) improve sunflower yields per plant (3) reduce the amount time needed for sunflower gardening so critters working 9-5 jobs could grow their own.
Normally, these studies are done with rigorous scientific procedures. Test plots are set up on a farm, each plot has one condition changed (water, fertilizer, etc) to see how it affects the plants. We thought this was an unrealistic approach because it didn’t reflect real world conditions. We put out a call to all critters to try their best ideas no matter how crazy they seemed. A bit of friendly competition can work wonders. You could plant your test sunflowers in the most unusual places you could find. Even Mom (our human caretaker) wanted in on the action. We said yes of course. (What could humans possibly know about growing sunflowers?)
Have you ever considered how much wasted space there is in the human built environment? Take for example the cracks between the boards on Mom’s porch.
All you have to do is add a bit of soil, plant your seeds, and water. Presto – you got yourself a sunflower garden. The advantage of this approach is there is no weeding involved!
What is wrong with this picture? The seeds were planted a week ago and some have already sprouted. Why would anyone be planting more seeds? I recall seeing the odd looking tail before ... This is not a gardener, it is “Crooked Tail” the seed bandit digging up the planted seeds!
Look at all the wasted space in this suburban flower bed! Susan decided to try two different experiments. In this spot she planted a single seed
Another spot, she planted ten seeds in the same hole. Look at them grow!
The experiments in the veggie garden had mixed results. This very aggressive lettuce plant refused to share the sun with the sunflowers. (Yes, as you have long suspected plants do have personalities!)
My prize sunflower which gets a six-pack of Guinness beer each week is doing amazing. I showed it to the head agriculturist running the experiments. She was duly impressed until she asked to see my account book and found out how much I was spending on it.
I also planted a sunflower in Mom’s rustic stone steps and explained to her how I wanted to improved the natural look. She didn’t buy into my argument and I had to transplant it. Something about it being a tripping hazard.
Smutty Nose got her nickname from her black nose, the result of eating chocolate sundaes for breakfast everyday. She has a nice herb garden going. She noticed at the bottom of the herb garden wall some accumulated sand (left over from sanding the icy driveway.)
She has been diligently tending a sunflower in this most unlikely spot.
She also planted a chive plant that is thriving, just to the right of the sunflower.
The head agriculturist invited all the experimenters to go on a field trip. We arrived at this well tended garden plot. Clearly a very industrious critter gardener at work.
Wow, look at how well these sunflowers are doing. This critter gardener has found a successful formula for efficient growing at almost no out of pocket expenses. Just what we were looking for with these experiments. What do you mean this isn’t a critter garden??? Oh, I see its Mom’s garden plot. And she will be teaching a class on how to grow sunflowers. Life is full of unexpected surprises.
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