Sunflower Harvesting
Move the seeds to a colander and rinse them under cold.
Sunflower harvesting. Ill even throw in some fun tasty variations for the sunflower seed. At the end of the season harvest sunflower seeds for a tasty snack and or to replant or to feed the birds in the winter. Some growers prefer to cut the stems earlier when the backs of their sunflowers are yellow and dry them completely indoors. Arrange sunflowers in tall containers that provide good support for their heavy heads and change the water every day to keep them fresh.
The best way to keep your harvest safe is to harvest as soon as the calyx turns to its brownishyellow color. Harvesting sunflower seeds depends on your preferred drying method. Harvesting sunflower seed heads. Raw sunflower seeds are widely available on the market these days.
We show you how to tell when sunflowers are ripe and ready to be harvested. How to harvest sunflower seeds. Read all about harvesting sunflowers here. One of the pleasures of watching those huge yellow flowers following the summer sun is anticipating harvesting sunflower seeds in the fall.
The sunflower seeds you harvest can certainly be shelled and eaten raw. Begin by cutting the head from the stock leaving about 6 to 8 inches of stalk behind the head. Sunflower harvesting is a favorite past time of birds squirrels field mice. In this case cut the stalks about a foot below the heads when the outer seeds are mature and hang the heads upside down a warm dry place.
Then just cut the stem a inch below the heads. But the sunflower predates corn as a domesticated crop and was onceharvested for use in dyes and for its nutritious seeds packed with vitamins a b and e calcium and folic acid. To remove the seeds simply rub your hand over the seeded area and pull them off the plant. Then set the sunflower head on a flat clean surface and grab a bowl to hold the seeds.
There are several signs to look for when the sunflowers are ready to be picked. Although it may be a challenge to beat hungry birds to the task harvesting sunflower seeds as a healthy homegrown snack is a tasty and time honored tradition. You wont be the only one harvesting sunflower seeds. To harvest sunflower seeds let the flower dry on or off the stem until the back of the head turns brown.
But some folks want to beat the critters and dry indoors.