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Step 1
Start harvesting sunflower seeds around the third week of September. A sure sign that it is time to harvest the seeds is when the back of the sunflower turns brown and the head starts to curl. The petals will fall off and the seeds will have black stripes on them.
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Step 2
Early harvest of seeds is accomplished with some muscle and utilizing the oven to dry the sunflower seeds. Remove the heads from the sunflower when the back of the flower is a light yellow color. Use a towel to rub the seeds into a bowl. Soak the seeds overnight in a solution of a quarter cup salt mixed with one quart of water. Spread seeds on a baking sheet and roast in the oven at 200 degrees for three hours.
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Step 3
Sunflower seeds can also be dried while still on the head. Cut the heads off the plant. Use the sunflower stem to hang the heads in a garage or shed. Place a bag over the heads to catch seeds as they fall. To prevent mold and encourage drying, poke holes in the bag to keep the seeds ventilated.
Comments
cooperph said
on 10/4/2009 They definitely won't grow back, sunflowers are annuals so you have to remove those stems/trunks!
They have loads of minerals in them, which came form your soil, so you don't want to just throw them out. If you compost, cut them into pieces and then crush them with a hammer to break them up and speed up the decay process. Or you can dry the stalks and then burn them. If you do this it is then easy to collect the ash and then rake it back into the soil.
lani1jill said
on 9/29/2009 Sunflowers are dandy then picked & now what am I to do with those thick stems & the deep roots? Any suggestions? Will they grow back next year? Must I really dig them out? Please help me...