Sunflowers

Something there is in Delta that does not love a sunflower.

Or loves it too much, perchance?

I have planted sunflowers in the patio garden.  I have planted sunflowers in the pot garden.  I have planted sunflowers in L's community garden.  I have planted sunflowers in the church raised beds garden.

I have seen shoots.  Briefly.

I'm pretty sure something is picking and eating them.  "Eating" because, unlike the corn, there is nothing left behind.  "Picking" because I don't even find stalks left behind.

I planted at least thirty sunflower seeds in the church garden.  I'm pretty sure I saw one shoot there, once.  (Actually, some time after I first wrote this, I *did* find some more sunflower shoots, so I guess they were just *really* delayed.  I've covered them.  I should keep checking, to see if others are coming up even later ...)

I've germinated sunflowers inside, hoping to get them to a big enough size that whatever was attacking them wouldn't.  They get to six inches (15 cm) pretty quickly, and are pretty weak and spindly, so I planted the roots quite deep.  And still something ate them.

So, now, I've started to cover them.  With clear plastic containers out of the recycling bins.  Berry containers.  Salad containers.  Bottles with the tops cut off.

I've seen evidence that something is trying to get at the plants and has pushed the containers around, but so far they haven't eaten anything that I've covered.

My money's on the squirrels.

And I hope the little %x&&@#$ starve ...