I'd win it... hands down... no questions asked! I've grown sunflowers before. They are so easy. Put the seeds in the ground and before you know it, you have a 6 foot tall plant with a flower so large and full of seeds, you have to tie the stalk to a fence or something to keep it from falling over. So earlier this year, I picked up a pack of sunflower seeds (the gigantic kind) and planted them in a couple different locations. Oh yeah... I got 'em from the dollar store. I put markers by their plant sites so I wouldn't accidentally pull them up. After a week or so, there was sprouts. After another week or so, only one at each location seemed to be surviving. Then they flopped over. Not because they were getting so tall, but because they were evidently so weak. So I staked them up using popsicle sticks. Yes, they were that tall! Now... almost two months later...I finally got a bloom on the lone surviving plant. Drum roll please.... in this corner standing tall and proud at all of 13 inches... Ain't I the saddest looking thing you've ever seen? ( photo / image / picture from cherylad's Garden )
Next year you should get seeds from the two dollar store. But then, they may be twice as pathetic. Only a dollar store can have something like that. I would ask for 90ยข back from the store. I'm sure the flower is quite embarrassed. Perhaps this is a hybrid... a cross with a dandelion or a flower of similar stature. If you plant some weeds around it it may improve its appearance. Congratulations Cheryl, yes, your flower wins, petals down. Jerry
I shouldn't bother writing this. I can't match the humor of Jerry's comment let alone top it. Forget that I tried to post anything.
Cheryl...that is such a shame...I buy flower seeds at the dollar store and never have had problems with them. As a matter of fact they are some of the easiest ones to grow. I have several flats of petunias sitting in my driveway that are growing well despite the incredible neglect they are receiving.
I'm going to go outside and give him a little hug and present his trophy. Hmmm... what could I use as a trophy? Maybe a brand new popsicle stick with stickers on it?
LOL! Well, in this day and age of dieting and anorexia - why blame your very slim looking sunflower petals?
And I thought the ones the birds planted were small. They are giants compared with yours. Well done, Cheryl! dooley