help me save a sunflower!!

[brandy]

ok guys, sam grew a sunflower in playgroup.. its about two-three inches tall, but he has broken the stem!
ive set it in the window propped up.. but is their any hope?
he loves the darn thing.. he was so so so proud of it when he brough it home today,
i dont want to devestate him but my thumbs are far from green!

[Mister Squiggle]

Hiya Brandy,
Sunflowers tend to not recover from this kind of breakage, but you could try keeping it in a warm spot behind glass (a windowsill which gets lots of light) and use a little barbeque skewer to support it. Try trying the stem to the skewer with really soft stretch material (a little thin piece of old tights would be ideal) and you might, fingers crossed, have some luck. I noticed Tescos are selling these skewers at the moment (the wooden kind) and I grabbed some, as they tend to be hard to find just when you need them.
We've never had much luck with sunflowers outdoors here, as the wind tends to snap them, but perhaps other orgers might have been more fortunate.
Good luck!

[brandy]

if all else fails any one have any baby sunflowers that i can replace his with! *grins* i watered it a while ago and he was there with eagle eyes... its in the window seal at the moment propped up gently against the window pane.
ill have to be sneaky, as his is in a very pretty decorated styrophone cup at the moment! *laughs* and he would notice one not in the cup!

[highlander]

Brandy i have some sunflowers but i wont be in wick until tuesday, let me know if you dont get one by then.

[Dadie]

wait till sam is in bed or out then replace with another if he notices its different just tell him its grown overnight...

[danc1ngwitch]

good idea, looks like i am not the only one who has ( cough cough ) the sun flower

[brandy]

highlander i may take you up on your offer!
*laughs*
as lon as its still green, i will try yo get his attention away..
if not will let ou know!

[Dadie]

stick it together with sellotape its only a temporary repair but it should last a bit longer ... hopefully enough time to get the replacement in place..

[Victoria]

you could also get some more seeds and start some off again - it might distract him from the origional one.

[brandy]

sadly the sunflower gave its last today!
but hes not noticed it.. so see how it goes..
we are off to the airport tomorrow for a field trip so his 4 year old mind is well wrapped in that idea!

[MadPianoPlayer]

Hi.
Try putting it in the middle of a heavy book. That way when it dries up it will still be the same as ever and you can look at it whenever you want!

[brandy]

i snuck out and bought seeds and a new one is growing really well *G*