ground squirrels

My balcony sunflowers are pouting

@TheHorse (238314)

Walnut Creek, California

April 27, 2016 12:35pm CST

I had watered these guys the day before, and when I went outside to greet my balcony plants yesterday morning, my two big sunflowers were looking all droopy and depressed. I think I heard them ask why they had to live in a pot, while most sunflowers get to live in big fields. I explained to them that if I planted them at Ground Squirrel Gardens, they'd probably get eaten by vicious herbivores. Within an hour, they had perked up. The fact that I watered them might have helped, but I'll attribute it to my kind words.

38 people like this

39 responses

@marguicha (230350)

• Chile

27 Apr 16

Probably they wanted to speak with Father Sun

2 people like this

@TheHorse (238314)

• Walnut Creek, California

27 Apr 16

Father sun was out. I think they were thirsty.

@amnabas (14877)

• Karachi, Pakistan

27 Apr 16

Wow they are wonderfully blooming.

2 people like this

@TheHorse (238314)

• Walnut Creek, California

27 Apr 16

I can see the yellow petals forming in one of them. I think I'll have actualy flowers soon. Here's what they looked like only an hour later, after I had spoken with them.

@Marcyaz (35316)

• United States

27 Apr 16

They do like water and being talked to. They are looking good.

1 person likes this

@TheHorse (238314)

• Walnut Creek, California

27 Apr 16

I just took a picture of the little yellow petals hiking in the top on one. I'll post it later.

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@Marcyaz (35316)

• United States

27 Apr 16

@TheHorse Glad you could take a photo of them.

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@TheHorse (238314)

• Walnut Creek, California

27 Apr 16

@Marcyaz Here's a picture I just took that shows the yellow peeking through.

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@annierose (21977)

• United States

28 May 16

My mom once told me that plants are like persons too. It is a good thing to talk to them. Perhaps what you did are what they need to regain their strength. I have seen other people talking to their roses, orchids and other plants like real persons too.

1 person likes this

@TheHorse (238314)

• Walnut Creek, California

28 May 16

Well, they do like the carbon dioxide we exhale. Maybe they get a wee bit emotionally attached to us too.

1 person likes this

@annierose (21977)

• United States

28 May 16

@TheHorse I do not know. They said it is because plants have feelings too. They are like humans that needs an affection from their owners. Well, you can do an experiment. Talk to a particular plant and not to all of them and see if there will be a difference.

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@TheHorse (238314)

• Walnut Creek, California

28 May 16

@annierose But it still could be the extra carbon dioxide!

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@quantum2020 (12054)

• Ciudad De Mexico, Mexico

27 Apr 16

Well, a good explanation of the motives that placed them there should have had an effective result on the flowers! Be careful and place them inside the house from where you can be able to watch them, as the plants, till today, are not able to scream if they´re attacked by the squirrels!

1 person likes this

@TheHorse (238314)

• Walnut Creek, California

27 Apr 16

Some cute little birds (smaller than a sparrow but larger than a hummingbird) were nibbling on the lower leaves, but I shooed them off. Happily, the ground squirrels don't invade my balcony.

1 person likes this

@quantum2020 (12054)

• Ciudad De Mexico, Mexico

27 Apr 16

@TheHorse That is great! Even though flowers and other greens provide most of the food in the food chain. It must be great to have their company as they are living things!

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@TheHorse (238314)

• Walnut Creek, California

27 Apr 16

@quantum2020 I enjoy having plants around me. I especially enjoy it when a garden really thrives.

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ElizabethWallace

@ElizabethWallace (12069)

• United States

27 Apr 16

There is a secret to growing plants. When there is a problem, it's too much water, or not enough; too much sun or not enough. It's always one of these things, but the secret is which one? No one knows.

1 person likes this

@TheHorse (238314)

• Walnut Creek, California

28 Apr 16

Yep, that's true. I could see the soil was dry. Plus I hadn't talked to the sunflowers recently.

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@TheHorse (238314)

• Walnut Creek, California

28 Apr 16

@ElizabethWallace And of course we pass a little carbon dioxide on to them. But I think you're right. While chatting with them, we perceive their needs. More water. Less sun. Aphids we hadn't expected. Etc.

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ElizabethWallace

@ElizabethWallace (12069)

• United States

28 Apr 16

@TheHorse Don't think that the talking is unimportant. when people chat with their plants, they can pick up on their needs (by observation, probably). Hard to do if you never look at them closely as you would when having a conversation, eye to leaf.

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@Rollo1 (16676)

• Boston, Massachusetts

28 Apr 16

I wish I had a bucket full of sunflowers, but they would probably get so big, they'd tip the bucket over.

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@TheHorse (238314)

• Walnut Creek, California

28 May 16

I'll try to take a more recent picture of this pair. One got decapitated but survived and is throwing some small flowers anyway.

Arthur Chappell

@arthurchappell (44941)

• Preston, England

28 Apr 16

Your kind words undoubtedly did it - reading your posts here has made me grow to 7 foot six

1 person likes this

@TheHorse (238314)

• Walnut Creek, California

28 May 16

I'm so glad to hear that! I hope you're not bumping into door frames too often, though.

@AbbyGreenhill (45490)

• United States

28 Apr 16

This reminds me we have to plant our sunflower seeds today. Water does wonders for plants and for horses.

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@AbbyGreenhill (45490)

• United States

29 May 16

@TheHorse Water or something stronger?

@TheHorse (238314)

• Walnut Creek, California

28 May 16

Maybe I'll go have a glass right now.

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@PainsOnSlate (21845)

• Canada

28 Apr 16

Kind words are good and a bigger pot would help too. To grow tall you need wiggle room for your toes.

1 person likes this

@TheHorse (238314)

• Walnut Creek, California

28 Apr 16

If these guys throw some small flowers, I'll be happy. Looks like it's going to happen.

1 person likes this

Valerie J. Routhieaux

@just4him (323168)

• Green Bay, Wisconsin

28 Apr 16

I've heard that when you talk to plants they do better, so I'm sure they're happy they are safe in their pots.

1 person likes this

@TheHorse (238314)

• Walnut Creek, California

28 Apr 16

Some say it's because we breathe out a lot of carbon dioxide, which plants need to survive. But I know better (smiley face emoticon).

1 person likes this

Valerie J. Routhieaux

@just4him (323168)

• Green Bay, Wisconsin

28 Apr 16

@TheHorse Science has answers for everything except common sense. Your plants are doing well because you're talking to them.

@cintol (11261)

• United States

28 Apr 16

Oh, how thoughtful you are to your plants, lol although they do say plants grow better when you talk to them.

1 person likes this

@TheHorse (238314)

• Walnut Creek, California

28 Apr 16

They look pretty happy right now, but I think I'd better to chat with them. And water them.

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@fishtiger58 (29819)

• Momence, Illinois

29 Apr 16

I can never seem to grow them, glad they perked up for you.

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@TheHorse (238314)

• Walnut Creek, California

29 Apr 16

I actually have my first sunflower on the balcony! I think I'll go take a picture.

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@fishtiger58 (29819)

• Momence, Illinois

30 Apr 16

@TheHorse Yes indeed you should so we can all see it.

@Genipher (5405)

• United States

28 Apr 16

I think it was the pep talk. "They" say plants like to be spoken to. A good threat never hurts, either. I have some friends that had to threaten their chickens, "Now, Ladies, if I don't see any eggs tomorrow then you'll be going to Freezer Camp!" The next morning they had 13 eggs! Loved your headline! It really painted a good picture.

1 person likes this

@sol_cee (38669)

• Philippines

28 Apr 16

Poor chickens to experience such threat. lol

@Genipher (5405)

• United States

28 Apr 16

@sol_cee Yeah, they're walking on eggshells now...

Just an Ordinary Owl?

@owlwings (43897)

• Cambridge, England

27 Apr 16

It's always worth giving some kind and encouraging words to your plants as you water them and care for them.

1 person likes this

@TheHorse (238314)

• Walnut Creek, California

27 Apr 16

They seem happier today. I did water them in spite of the light rain we had.

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@marlina (154103)

• Canada

27 Apr 16

Your kind words sure did it!

1 person likes this

@TheHorse (238314)

• Walnut Creek, California

27 Apr 16

I want my plants to be happy (smiley face emoticon).

@jaboUK (64346)

• United Kingdom

27 Apr 16

That seems a bit of a small pot for two of them, but I'm glad they perked up, whatever the cause

1 person likes this

@TheHorse (238314)

• Walnut Creek, California

27 Apr 16

Yeah, I just work with what I have here. I think that little planter may be a dollar store special.

1 person likes this

@Marilynda1225 (91115)

• United States

27 Apr 16

I'm sure your kind words perked them up but maybe the water helped a little

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@TheHorse (238314)

• Walnut Creek, California

27 Apr 16

Heh heh. Yes, that probably helped a bit.

@sol_cee (38669)

• Philippines

27 Apr 16

Hahahaha nice pep talk. Kind words can always do wonders.

1 person likes this

@TheHorse (238314)

• Walnut Creek, California

27 Apr 16

They seem to be responding well. Heh.

@DianneN (254926)

• United States

28 Apr 16

Kind words and a good drink always pick me up, too.

1 person likes this

@TheHorse (238314)

• Walnut Creek, California

28 May 16

I'd have to say I agree with you.