March 17, 2021:  I purchased this seed packet at the local Stop and
Save grocery store in Ayer.  My thought was to grow the best looking
seed in the pack and to plant it indoors sometime in early June. 
After it became established in its pot, I would then transfer it to
the old Harvard garden where I still have permission to grow things.
The land is quite fertile there and I think MUCH better than the soil
here in Ayer where I live.  Past attempts at growing sunflowers here
have failed for various reasons.



Here is a very close up shot of the seed I selected.  It rests on a
piece of burlap.



Prior to selecting the best looking #1 seed, I picked these 10 seeds
and organized them visually by quality and size.



The selected seed by itself (back side)



June 1, 2021:  Two and a half months later I decided to plant my seed
here in my kitchen in a ceramic pot once used for a violet (from which
I grew some successful leaf cuttings).  The time stamp on this image
file indicated it was planed at 5:35 pm on this day.  Note the 2 inch
deep hole.  I mixed equal parts of a good potting soil mix and a mix
high in organic matter -- and some source sand. In the stainless steel
pot to the right I pre-moistened the two mixes before planting.  I
chose not to "scarify" (file a bit of the surface of) the seed
thinking it would take well to the moistened soil on its own.



A moment before planting ...



Noting the time and date:  The predicted time to maturity is 100 days.
The possible height at maturity is 12 feet (and blooming).



June 6, 2021 at 6:14 am:  New life!



June 7, 2021:  I drove to the old garden to look at it.  It had been
about 4 years since I'd attempted to grow anything there!  The fallow
seasons were good though since this meant there'd be an adequate
supply of nitrogen.  It was 100% overgrown with many tall weeds and
even a 15 foot tree growing in it!  I had to clear some major limbs
(and a tree from which they came) out of the garden. I consider this
my "before" picture.  A blooming peony can be seen in the right-front
corner of the garden.  This forms a canopy of flowers over my previous
cat's grave.  Lu lived from 1990 to 2004.



June 8, 2021:  Here we see two days of growth.  I used indoor full 
spectrum lights to keep it strong and green.