I’m happy to report that I can live up to my name of MUCK GIRL and the sunflowers I planted a couple of months ago, sprouted, grew, and BLOOMED.

They beat the odds really between the thunderstorms we’ve had in the Glades lately that produced whipping wind gusts of 40 mph and pelting rain. Not to mention, my hungry dog Dudley Dew, who thought sunflowers were just the tastiest treat ever.

Let’s review their progress:

Planted on 4-2-12:

Here We GROW, sprouted just three days later:

4-5-12

Getting even bigger – again three days later:

4-8-12

Six inches tall on 4-13-12

11 days after being planted!

Only 20 days after being planted, a heavy thunderstorm took its toll on the plants:

Poor fellas took a beating!

On 5-2-12, a month after being planted and surviving bad thunderstorms:

Bouncing back from the bad weather

A bud started to form on 5-16-12

Getting there.

And then it just seemed they grew overnight!

50 days later on 5-22-12

Getting so close to opening up:

6-2-12 – Two months after being planted.

And finally here they are in all of their glory –

64 days after being planted. They bloomed!

And here I am looking quite proud –

One proud MUCK GIRL!

I planted Mammoth Russian Sunflowers and boy, did these fellows live up to their name. The tallest one is nearly 8 feet.

The tallest Sunflower.

I also planted Mexican Sunflowers. They didn’t bloom until after the Russian Mammoths. Here’s the bud:

Mexican Sunflower Bud

The Mexican Sunflower is smaller and a fiery orange.

Mexican Sunflower

I have to give credit to the MUCK, which is so rich and fertile. I know it’s the reason for my successful Sunflower Season.

~ MUCK LOVE