Leave the seed heads on the plant to fully dry. For best results, put a mesh bag or a piece of mesh cloth around each flower head to keep birds from getting to the seeds that are still growing. (I find it nice to also leave a couple sunflowers for the birds. There should be enough to share!).
About two weeks before you plan to harvest your sunflowers, stop fertilizing and watering your little sunflower patch.
Cut each stem about 12″ below the petals with a clean pair of pruners when the seeds on the plant look dry and the back of the seed head is brown. Put your stems in a harvest basket or other large container to catch any seeds that fall off.
Bring the seed heads indoors. Hang them somewhere cool, dark, and dry for a week or two.
After a week or two, check to make sure the seeds are nice and dry. To get the seeds out of the flower heads, just rake them over a bowl or plate with your fingers. They should come right off.
One sunflower head can often produce up to 1,000 seeds, though it depends on the type of sunflower you grow.
Rinse the seeds in a large colander and pick out any petals or plant parts that got mixed in with them while they were being taken out. Spread your seeds out on paper towels and leave them to dry for another day or two.
As summer winds down, it’s time to think about saving seeds from your beautiful sunflowers to plant again next year. With their bright, cheery faces and wide diversity of colors, sizes, and forms, sunflowers are a fabulous flower to collect seeds from for future gardens.
While birds and rodents love munching on ripe sunflower seeds too, with some simple harvesting and processing steps, you can beat them to the bounty Here is a complete guide to successfully saving sunflower seeds for replanting
Overview of Saving Sunflower Seeds
The basics steps for saving viable sunflower seeds are:
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Allow flower heads to fully mature and dry on the stalk,
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Harvest the dried heads and remove the seeds.
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Further dry the seeds for 1-2 weeks.
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Clean and store the dry seeds in air tight containers in a cool location.
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Optionally freeze seeds for a few days to kill insect eggs.
Follow these guidelines and you’ll have a supply of homegrown seeds to start your own sunflowers next spring!
When and How to Harvest Sunflower Heads
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Leave flower heads on the stalks until the backs of the heads turn yellow or brown. Lift and gently shake the heads – seeds that shake loose are ripe.
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Or wait until birds start eating the mature seeds – a sure sign they are ready for harvest.
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Cut flower heads off leaving an 8 inch stem attached. Remove seeds soon to avoid mold.
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Place cut heads on a screen or cloth, not touching, in a warm, dry, well ventilated area out of direct sun.
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Turn the heads every 2-3 days to evenly dry. Drying takes 1-2 weeks.
Steps for Removing and Cleaning Seeds
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Gently rub the dried heads over a bucket or tarp to loosen and catch seeds. Pry off stubborn seeds. Discard light unfilled seeds.
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Spread seeds in a single layer on screens or newspaper for another 1-2 weeks of drying time.
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Pour the dry seeds from hand to hand or in front of a fan to blow away the chaff and light debris.
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Optional – float seeds in water to separate viable sinkers from dead floaters. Discard any floaters, dry sinkers again for 1-2 days.
Storing Sunflower Seeds for Replanting
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Place thoroughly dry seeds in airtight containers such as mason jars or envelopes and store in a cool, dry location.
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Label with the variety and harvest date. Seeds remain viable for 4-6 years in ideal conditions.
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For long term storage, freeze seeds for 2 weeks to kill weevil eggs that can damage seeds. Store the frozen seeds in airtight containers in a freezer.
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Check stored seeds periodically and discard any with holes or damage which indicates insect infestations.
With proper harvesting, drying, cleaning, and storage, your homegrown sunflower seeds will retain high germination rates when you are ready to plant them the following year.
Tips for the Best Seed Saving Results
Follow these tips for successfully saving your sunflower seeds:
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Mark flower heads not to harvest early. Save seeds from plants with ideal traits.
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Harvest seeds on a dry, sunny day to speed drying.
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Stir seeds daily when drying to prevent mold growth.
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Inspect seeds and discard discolored, damaged, or lightweight ones.
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Store seeds with silica gel packets to absorb excess moisture.
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Refrigerate seeds for a few weeks before planting to improve germination.
What to Know Before Saving Seeds
Before beginning seed saving, understand:
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Different sunflower varieties can cross pollinate up to 1 mile away.
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Label and isolate varieties by at least 1/4 mile to ensure seed purity.
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Save seeds from your healthiest, best performing plants.
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Always dry seeds thoroughly before storage to prevent mold.
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Check stored seeds often for any signs of decline or damage.
With extra care taken during harvesting and processing, you can maintain viability and purity of your treasured sunflower seeds for planting year after year.
Getting Started with Seed Saving
Follow these simple tips when venturing into seed saving for the first time:
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Start with easy, self-pollinating plants like beans, peas, tomatoes.
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Just save seeds from a few plants of one variety.
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Research isolation needs before planting different varieties.
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Carefully label all seeds with variety, date, traits.
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Note growing and harvesting observations to refine techniques.
Take it slow the first year. Learn as you go! Soon you will confidently produce a bountiful supply of seeds to continue growing your garden favorites.
The Benefits of Saving Your Own Seeds
Growing plants from your home-saved seeds offers many rewards:
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Free seeds perfectly adapted to your growing conditions.
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Satisfaction of maintaining heirloom and beloved varieties.
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Control over seed purity, health, and viability.
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Options to select and improve plants over generations.
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Lower costs compared to purchasing new seeds.
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Sustainable approach compatible with organic practices.
Part science, part art, part adventure – seed saving is a fascinating and fulfilling facet of gardening. With a little time and care, you can easily save ample seeds for expanded planting of colorful, robust sunflowers.
3 Ways to Enjoy Sunflower Seeds
One way to eat sunflower seeds is raw. Another is to roast them. Finally, you can plant them again in two weeks to make microgreens.
If youre looking to try something new, I highly recommend growing some of your sunflower seeds as microgreens. Sunflower micgrogreens are really hardy; they grow very quickly and fill up a tray with pretty little leaves. They have a great crunchy texture and slightly nutty flavor.
I love to use sunflower microgreens as a garnish. I also enjoy putting avories, cranberries, and tiny sunflower greens on a salad and dressing it with a tangy vinaigrette. Its a nice, nutty salad thats perfect for the middle of winter.
Sunshine seeds are very good for you, so no matter how you eat them, you can feel good about giving your body something healthy.
How to Make Roasted Sunflower Seeds
Its easy to make your own roasted sunflower seeds to replace your potato chip habit. Follow these simple steps:
Soak your sunflower seeds in a mixture of 6 cups water and 1/4 cup salt overnight.
Strain the seeds and spread them out to dry before baking.
Spread the seeds out on a large baking sheet and bake them at 325°F for 30 minutes, or until they start to turn a little brown. Stir often.
Enjoy seeds as is or drizzle some EVOO and sprinkle your favorite spice over them.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container. They should be good for a couple weeks.
How to harvest, save and store sunflower seeds ready to plant next year.
FAQ
How do you dry sunflowers to get the seeds?
Do I need to soak sunflower seeds before planting?
How can I tell if my sunflower seeds are viable?
How do you save sunflower seeds?
Here’s how to save sunflower seeds: 1. Let the flowers bloom and go to seed. They are not ready to harvest until all of the flowers in the central disk have bloomed. 2. Cut the heads off the stalks when the outer petals fall off. Put a mesh bag or old pantyhose over the flower if you intend to let it dry a bit on the stalk.
How do you harvest sunflower seeds from a flower head?
When the seeds are dry and not at all soft, harvest sunflower seeds from the flower head. You can use your hands (with gloves) to break up the flower head and free the seeds or rub one head against the other. If you’re collecting lots of seeds, you can rub the heads over a bucket topped with half-inch hardware cloth. 5.
How long does it take to dry sunflower seeds?
Drying the heads usually takes about 2-3 weeks. 4. When the seeds are dry and not at all soft, harvest sunflower seeds from the flower head. You can use your hands (with gloves) to break up the flower head and free the seeds or rub one head against the other.
Can you grow sunflower seeds from a single plant?
Many sunflower seeds can come from a single plant due to the massive seed heads. So even if you just start out with a few plants, that is all you need to grow beautiful sunflowers every year. In this article, you will learn how to harvest and save sunflower seeds that will keep providing you with impressive flowers and seeds to sow each year.