From my perspective as a sunflower seed, my primary need is to be placed in the perfect environment to break my dormancy. I require warm soil to signal that the harsh cold is over. For children, this means planting me after the last frost in the spring, when the soil has warmed up. I need to be nestled into moist, well-drained soil at a depth about two to three times my size. Please ensure the young gardeners keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged; I need to drink, but I cannot swim! With the right balance of warmth and moisture, I will absorb water, swell, and send my radicle (the first root) down into the soil to anchor myself, followed by my shoot which will push upwards towards the light.
Once my shoot emerges from the soil as a seedling, my entire existence is dedicated to finding the sun. My first two leaves, called cotyledons, provide me with initial energy stores. Soon, my true leaves will develop, and my photosynthesis engine will start. This is a critical time. I need plenty of direct sunlight—at least six to eight hours a day. This is why your choice of location is so important for me. Children should watch me carefully; my stem will grow strong and straight as I literally follow the sun across the sky each day, a process called heliotropism. Please water me at my base to encourage my roots to grow deep and strong, which will make me resilient against summer winds.
As I enter my vegetative growth stage, I will begin to grow at an astonishing rate, sometimes several inches in a single day! This is the most exciting phase for children to witness. I am developing a strong, hairy stem and broad, green leaves to maximize my sun-catching ability. My internal vascular system is hard at work transporting water and nutrients from my roots to my leaves and sugars from my leaves to the rest of my body. I am building my structure to support what is to come. During this phase, I will appreciate a layer of mulch around my base to help retain soil moisture and keep my roots cool.
My ultimate purpose is to flower and reproduce. When the days are long and sunny, I will sense it is time to stop growing taller and start forming a bud. This bud will slowly open to reveal my magnificent composite flower, which is actually made of hundreds of tiny florets. The outer ray florets are what humans see as yellow petals, while the inner disk florets will mature to produce the seeds. I will attract pollinators like bees and butterflies to ensure successful fertilization. Once pollinated, my seeds will develop and mature. As my flower head becomes heavy with seeds, I will stop following the sun and permanently face the east. Eventually, my petals will brown and my head will droop, signaling that my seeds are ready for harvest, providing food for wildlife or a tasty snack for the children who nurtured me.
