Buzz
Sunflower seeds are relatively easy to harvest, but it's crucial to wait until the flowers have fully dried to collect the seeds effortlessly. You can allow the flowers to dry naturally on the plant, or you can cut them and dry them indoors. Regardless of your method, you must handle the dried flowers carefully to protect the seeds. Below is some essential information to help you harvest sunflower seeds properly.
Steps
Dry Naturally on the Plant
Wait until the flowers begin to fade. You can start harvesting when the flower heads turn brown. However, if you grow sunflowers in a humid climate, the flowers may develop mold or rot (in this case, you should cut the flower heads when they turn yellow and place them in a greenhouse or shed to continue drying). You should prepare for drying when the back of the flower heads turns yellow or brown.
- To harvest sunflower seeds, you must wait until the flower heads are completely dry. Otherwise, the seeds won’t come off easily. Typically, after a few days of wilting, the sunflower will be dry enough to harvest.
- If you grow sunflowers in a dry, sunny climate, letting the flowers dry naturally on the plant is much easier. However, in humid climates, it’s better to cut the flowers from the stems and dry them indoors.
- Prepare to harvest when at least half of the yellow petals have fallen. The flower heads should droop, looking wilted but still holding the seeds. This means the sunflower is perfectly dry.
- Check the seeds. Even if the sunflower seeds are still tightly attached to the flower head, they will soon come off. The seeds should be hard with the distinctive black and white striped shells, or entirely black, depending on the variety of sunflower.
Cover the flower head with a paper bag. Place the paper bag over the flower head and secure it lightly with string or nylon thread to prevent it from slipping off.
- You can also use a thin fabric or breathable material bag, but avoid plastic bags as they don't allow airflow, causing the seeds to become damp. Excess moisture can lead to rotting or mold on the seeds.
- Covering the flower head with a bag helps prevent birds, squirrels, and other animals from secretly 'harvesting' the seeds before you do. It also keeps the seeds from falling to the ground.
Change the bag when necessary. If the bag becomes wet or torn, carefully remove it and replace it with a new one.
- You can keep the bag dry during rain by covering it with a plastic bag, but avoid using ties, and remove it as soon as the rain stops to prevent mold growth.
- Replace the paper bag immediately if it becomes wet. Wet paper bags tear easily, and mold can develop on the seeds if they remain in a wet bag for too long.
- Harvest any seeds that fall when changing the bag. Be sure to check for any damaged seeds. If the seeds are intact, store them in a sealed container until you're ready to collect the rest of the seeds from the flower head.
Cut the flower head. Once the back of the flower head turns brown, cut it from the stem and prepare to harvest the seeds.
- Leave about 30.5 cm of stem attached to the flower head.
- Ensure the paper bag remains securely over the flower head. If the bag slips off while cutting and transporting the flower head, you may lose a significant amount of seeds.
Drying Indoors
Prepare the flower for drying. The sunflower is ready to dry when the back of the flower head starts to turn dark yellow or brown.
- The flower must be completely dry before harvesting the seeds. Once the flower head is dry, harvesting will be much easier, whereas harvesting from a damp flower head is almost impossible.
- At this stage, most of the yellow petals will have fallen off, and the flower head will begin to droop or wilt.
- The sunflower seeds should be hard, with the characteristic black and white striped shells, or completely black, depending on the variety of the sunflower.
Cover the flower head with a paper bag. Secure a brown paper bag over the flower head using string, nylon thread, or twine.
- Avoid using plastic bags, as they don't allow the flower head to 'breathe,' causing moisture to build up inside. Excess moisture can lead to rotting or mold, rendering the seeds unusable.
- If you don't have a brown paper bag, you can use a thin fabric or other breathable material.
- Since you're drying indoors, you don’t need to worry about animals eating your seeds. However, you should still cover the flower head with a paper bag to prevent seeds from falling off.
Cut the flower head. Use sharp scissors or pruning shears to cut the flower head.
- Leave about 30 cm of stem attached to the flower head.
- Be careful to ensure the paper bag doesn't come off during the cutting process.
Hang the flower head upside down. Continue drying the flower head in a warm area.
- Use string or nylon thread to tie one end to the stem near the flower head and the other end to a hook, rod, or drying rack. The flower will dry from the tied point, gradually drying toward the stem and flower head.
- Keep the flowers indoors in a dry, warm, and well-ventilated area to prevent moisture build-up. You should also hang the flowers off the ground or floor to keep them away from rodents.
Check the flower head regularly. Each day, carefully open the bag to collect any fallen seeds.
- Store the seeds in a sealed container until all the seeds are harvested from the flower head.
Once the flower head is fully dry, remove the bag. When the back of the flower head turns dark brown and is completely dry, the sunflower seeds are ready for harvesting.
- The drying process usually takes one to four days, depending on when you cut the flower head and the drying conditions.
- Don't remove the paper bag until you're ready to harvest the seeds. If you remove it too soon, the seeds will fall to the ground, and you may lose quite a few.
Harvesting and Storing Seeds
Place the flower on a clean, flat surface. Set the flower head on a table or similar flat area before removing the paper bag.
- Harvest the seeds from the bag. If there are seeds in the bag, transfer them to a bowl or container.
Rub your hands over the seed areas. To separate the seeds, gently rub them with your hands or a stiff vegetable brush.
- If you have more than one flower head to harvest, hold one in each hand and gently rub them against each other.
- Continue rubbing until all the seeds have been separated.
Wash the seeds. Transfer the harvested seeds into a sieve and rinse them thoroughly under cold running water.
- Let the seeds dry completely before removing them from the sieve.
- Washing the seeds helps remove dust and bacteria that may have accumulated while the seeds were outside.
Dry the seeds. Spread the seeds in a thin layer on a thick bath towel and let them air dry for several hours.
- You can also use several layers of paper towels instead of a bath towel. Regardless of your method, make sure the seeds are spread out and not stacked on top of each other to ensure quicker drying.
- When laying the seeds out to dry, remove any foreign objects or damaged seeds.
- Ensure the seeds are fully dry before proceeding with the next steps.
Salt and roast the seeds if desired. If you'd like to eat them right away, you can salt and roast the seeds immediately after drying them.
- Soak the seeds overnight in a saltwater solution (2 liters of water and 60 to 125ml of salt).
- Alternatively, you can boil the seeds in the saltwater solution for 2 hours instead of soaking them overnight.
- Dry the seeds on a clean paper towel to absorb excess moisture.
- Spread the seeds in a thin layer on a baking sheet, then bake in the oven at 150°C (300°F) for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the seeds turn golden brown. Stir the seeds occasionally during the roasting process.
- Ensure the seeds are completely dry before storing them.
Store sunflower seeds in an airtight container. Place the roasted or raw sunflower seeds in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator or freezer.
- Roasted sunflower seeds should be kept in the refrigerator for the best results and can last for several weeks.
- Raw sunflower seeds can be stored for several months in the refrigerator or freezer, with the freezer providing the longest storage time.
Items You Will Need
- Brown paper bag or fabric bag
- String, nylon thread, or twine
- Sharp scissors or pruning shears
- Sieve
- Paper towels or thick bath towels
- Medium to large skillet
- Airtight container
