I GREW A SUNFLOWER!

Shouldn't be a big deal right!?!  Sunflowers grow like weeds in some places.  I see them in gardens all the time.  They're a quite popular flower to grow with young kids.  So it's been really interesting to me that I have never been able to grow one until now.  Truthfully, this one had a rough start, hence it's not fully grown in almost mid-September.  I started with 8 seeds in June.  Only 4 germinated and I quickly killed 3 of them.

I thought I had killed this one too. I weeded out some plants around it and it laid flat on the ground in protest.  It was 6" at the time and had appeared pretty hardy.  Apparently, though, it is VERY sensitive to having it's roots disturbed.  Now I know.

I hope this one actually flowers.  It's been raining so much this week that I have my doubts.  It will be glorious if it does.  My very first sunflower!

(can you spot the spider near the bud?)