Sunflower

So we have tried to attempt our first season of gardening this spring/summer. In an attempt to get my 4yr. Son interested we got him a sunflower starter kit from miracle grow for easter. It did good until we transplanted it into a big pot outside. Now it doesn't seem to grow, or die. I has a few wilted leaves and few green leaves with holes in them like something has been eating them. My son has really gotten into this growing thing and understands that the sunflower is his. So he is very upset over the "bugs" eating it. I check constantly but can not find anything on it when I look. I will get add pictures soon but my kindle wont' take good ones so i have to wait until my husband is home with his phone. But after a melt down from my son I am looking for any advice to save this plant.

In my experience sunflowers don't like to be transplanted. My best advice is to water it and hope.

Don't give up though! Your son's enthusiasm is wonderful! Gardening is a wonderfully long and rewarding path to set him on, this is a gift you are giving him. Gardening is also a path filed with mistakes and mishaps. Even if this plant doesn't work out, it's not too late to stick another sunflower seed or ten in the ground. Green beans are a hearty satisfying plant, they grow fast and don't mind being transplanted. Don't give up!

And welcome to permies feel free to ask any question you have, people are nice here.

Welcome to permies Kristie.
Pictures would be a great help, as would be a location.
What is a pest where you live, may not be a pest where I live.
(You can add your location at your 'Profile' page. It greatly helps people in fine-tuning a response, or eliminating possibilities.)

We certainly want to encourage 4 year olds - they are our future.
We do NOT want him growing up with the impression that ALL bugs are bad.
So, the quicker we can find the problem, the quicker we can get him on the path to victory.
The greater success he has now, the more likely he is to become an advocate of 'growing his own solutions' in the future.

Holes in leaves are often an indication of 'creepy/crawly' things.
If you can somehow elevate the pot, that might be enough to discourage the culprit.
Also, unless it is a 'dwarf' variety of sunflower, the pot may not be deep enough for its root system.
And, as Matu pointed out, sunflowers are not the best choice for transplants.

Excellent choices for first time gardeners are radishes and carrots.
With many varieties of radish, 30 days from casting the seed, to having something to eat is possible.
(And, neither one requires Mom to cook it before it can be eaten.)
Children have rather short attention spans, so the quicker they see results, the more enthusiasm they have. It will keep their attention focused while the slower things are maturing. Starting with a 120 days to maturity crop is likely to be forgotten long before the rewards are seen.

Good luck

Watering isn't a problem because we have had so much rain lately!! We do have a green bean plant that was given to me at the farmers market as a Mothers day gift. 1 out of 3 of them have made it. We also have a cherry tomato plants that my mom helped me get going because my son loves them so much. They are doing super well!! Maybe the sunflower is getting to much water with all the rain. I swear anytime my pots start to look dry it storms for 2-3days.

He is super excited about the other plant too, but I think he has a special place for the sunflower because the "easter bunny" gave it to him. It is also the only one we have grown from seed. But thanks for the advice, I may look for sunflower plant that is a bit more mature that I add to the pot maybe without him noticing! Just to keep him excited.

My location is northwest arkansas. will add to my profile too! We tried carrots also but they never made it. oh and I will get pics up tomorrow!

Pictures, If i can get them to work.