Tuesday, July 3, 2012

CPR and an IV drip for Sunflower


I stopped at the town hall yesterday afternoon, before I picked up grandkids from their art class.  I pulled in the lower level; the back road garage doors were open and I found the assistant road super.  The one on vacation last week.  The road super, as you know, is painting his house this week.

I told Doug I’d come to see if I could have a bucket and to see where the garage door buttons are. ”Does this have anything to do with that sunflower?”

We went into the office, where he showed me the only ‘to do’ list the super left him.  He watered the sunflower before anything when he came in at seven.

Back out to the garage and he opened the door to show me the sunflower.

We were dumbstruck.

OMG, it’s 100 degrees, Sunflower faces south and is baking in the reflected heat from the white door.  We poured water on the crack with abandon.  It was so hopeless; only a tiny crack to put water in.  That’s why Tim told me he let the hose dribble on it all morning.

We did what we could.  Doug poured water on the crack and left the garage door open until he went home.  The kids and I gave it another drink in the evening.

This morning I went straight to the garage.  The white garage door is up, and Sunflower is receiving an slow drip infusion from a tiny hole in the bucket of chicken manure tea.  Doug raises chickens.  He figured it wouldn’t hurt, and with luck we might get away with being stupid.

Now to think of something to do tomorrow.  Coneing it off won’t work this holiday.

15 comments:

  1. Well done for not giving up on it! Resilient plant isn't it? I wonder if some fabric like the stuff they use to protect raspberries from the scorching of the sun, but still lets enough light in to keep them going...

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  2. Ooof, that was a close one! Love the 'water sunflower' sign. :D

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  3. Now there's something to add to your resume!!!
    Jane x

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  4. That is one hardy sunflower! We planted some this year, but they are only 6 inches tall and they are planted in dirt. Maybe I'm babying them too much.

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  5. I LOVE your sunflower postings! I was just smiling the biggest biggie-sized smile you could imagine, seeing how you guys rescued the sunflower. So adorable!!

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  6. That looks like a close call! Good job on reviving the big plant. We're all rooting for you!

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  7. It's starting to look a little better again..that was a close call.

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  8. i am glad you were able to save it!

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  9. With a growl I rip up dozens of sunflower seedlings planted by messy birds in my already overcrowded flower garden yet I find myself cheering for you and your fire station sunflower. May it somehow survive the holiday traffic.

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  10. I love me a good underdog story.

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  11. Wringing hands here hoping against hope it makes it Jo.

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  12. Glad you found the plant when you did. I'm confident it will survive; sunflowers are tough plants.

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  13. A slow IV drip is the perfect solution. It looks much better. And leaving the door open will certainly help. Poor little sunflower. Rooting (so to speak) for it from Edmonton, Alberta!

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  14. It looks like the slow drip is working well, I'd say keep that going while the heat is on. But not at night? I'm eager to see the flower when it blooms.

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  15. Wow, that was quite the recovery! Keep up the slow drip.

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