Thursday, November 12, 2009

How do I harvest sunflower seeds from the sunflower to plant next year?

Last year, right before they moved, our neighbors gave us some sunflower seeds to plant. They got them from sunflowers they grew in their garden. Well, we planted them, and WOW! Beautiful sunflowers grew! Tall and large blooms. They are in a vase now, and I want to get their seeds and plant more for next year. How do I get seeds from these flowers? Do I cut the big blooms, dry them somehow? I am NOT a green thumb gardener, so the more detail the better for me! Thank you in advance for your suggestions. (I wish I could post a picture, they are just beautiful!)

How do I harvest sunflower seeds from the sunflower to plant next year?
I just laid my sunflowers on a table on the back porch.Took a couple of weeks. They dried out and I sorta bent them backward and the seeds came out. Next time I will try hanging them upside down. Thats how I dry my herbs. Just curious to see how they do that way. Some people put the head of the flower in a paper bag and tie a string around it. There is really no trick. Just keep them dry. We laid some outside and watch the birds have a feast. They had NO trouble getting the seeds out. m
Reply:Hang them upside down in cool dry place and place newspapers on the ground or floor under them. The flowers should dry in a couple of weeks and then you can harvest the seeds.
Reply:They're supposed to be harvested when the back of the flower head turns from green to brown. Before that, the seeds may not be completely ripe, and so may not germinate.





Then let the heads dry completely. Shake out or pick out the seeds when very dry, put in a clean glass jar or other container, and store in a cool, dry place until time to plant next year.





Enjoy them!
Reply:And most important, put them in a place impenatrable to squirrels.
Reply:Wait for them to dry out and just gather the seeds. That's it. They should grow just fine next year. The bloom will wilt by itself anyway. You can cut if off when it starts to hang. Just set it out and it will dry by itself.


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