Next to daisies, sunflowers are my favorite flower. Every summer you’ll find at least one in my yard, balcony, or whatever space is available for me to “green.”
2022
We moved to Texas on Memorial Day weekend, the official start of summer. The whole backyard was lawn on top of clay soil, so I dug a patch by a fence pole and amended the soil.
I dug a second patch, not as vigorously as the first, added the little soil amendment I had left, and planted my seeds. As expected, they all sprouted beautifully so imagine my chagrin when, one by one, they disappeared into the belly of an unknown creature. I was left with a solo Giant Mammoth that ended up facing away from the house when it finally settled into position. You understand my disappointment.
I now know that a rabbit was the eater of my sunflowers.
Rabbits. The cutest, most abominable creatures in my garden.
2023
Since rabbits especially love tender greens, I decided to start my sunflowers indoors to give them a head start. Sunflowers do not traditionally make the best transplants, and, the cool weather was unseasonably long for North Texas this year. This meant that the sunflowers stayed inside longer than I intended and got quite leggy. I was also concerned whether the taproot got stunted by staying in the peat pots for so long.
Yes I know, I’m supposed to plant according to the last frost date. . .
I transplanted into the same two locations as last year, plus one quick dig with no amendment, and one of my new raised beds.
Transplanting is not easy. The plants usually go through a period of shock and there are always adjustments to be made. Some recover extraordinarily quickly while others seem like they never will. My sunflowers?
- Raised beds. They are doing amazingly well. Not surprising at all.
- Well-amended bed. They are not far behind their taller counterparts.
- Moderately amended bed. Struggling but I think they will make it.
- Quick dig. These struggled and ultimately gave up.
They were all transplanted at the same time, watered, fed to one degree or another, and of course, all turned their faces to the sun, as orientated in the yard. Even so, these flower friends of mine did not have fun in this transplant process!
Human Transplants
We, humans, are not very different when it comes to transplanting. It’s just called something else: job or career change, switching churches, relocating, moving, the list can go on. We add to the soil of our hearts when we marry and join families or new communities. There can also be feelings of depletion, withering, and a need for a little extra love and attention when one of our loved ones moves away or passes on. The part of them that feeds our soul has become less accessible or gone altogether. But the one constant who will never change is God himself.
He is always available to nourish our growth so that we flourish wherever we are planted, for however long. I for one, need to remember to keep my face turned toward him. He knows how I am made. In fact, Psalm 139:13 states he is the one who made me! He knows how much time I need to grow and thrive in various environments. He understands the challenges I will face, and he prepares the place he is calling me to as well as preparing me before I get there. Yes, much better than I prepared those sunflowers and their various soils.
When I am transplanted, or, when life changes, requiring adaptation:
- Am I getting enough water? I need Jesus to be the wellspring of my life.
- What about fertilizer? Am I feeding my soul with the Word of God and the things of the Kingdom of Heaven?
- Am I getting enough sun? And not just the vitamin D kind. More of the Son kind. His presence is precious.
- Do I need to be staked? Staking is restraint. Sometimes I need to be reined in so I don’t flop all over the place in my emotion or reaction to external stressors. Staking is also pressure of a sort, albeit good pressure. Not all pressure is negative, but it does need to be handled appropriately. It will hold me up when the wind and rain are a bit much, or I didn’t get the proper nutrients in His Word for my strength.
Be Encouraged
So, a reminder to self, and hopefully an encouragement to my readers: we must stay close to our unchanging source when our comfort has been tampered with, whether lightly or severely. He knows what we need before we even ask, according to Matthew 6:8. And, He knows how we need to be tweaked, trimmed, supported, watered, and even shaded. Also, as in the case of sunflowers, he knows how to protect our seed (harvest, influence, legacy) from the birds who would come along just at the opportune time, to destroy everything we worked so hard to produce.
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