Sunflower is one of the most advantageous flower present in the nature. Its qualities will leave your mind struck and blown. When to Harvest Sunflower Seeds. Sunflowers are not just grown for its amazing appearance and charm but are also planted to be of service in daily lives.
The bright yellow flower provides a quality yellow color dye, the stem comes handy in making of cords and ropes and even the seeds of the flower and is compressed in order to get sunflower oil from them which is considered to be of a very high quality and good for health. The oil is nearly as good as olive and almond oil and is used in preparation of meals and used as a condiment.
The flower is a sun worshipper and will automatically bloom and shift its head where ever they sense sunlight. The petals of the sunflower are arranged in 3 layers and each having a particular name. However, When to Harvest Sunflower Seeds, when the flower reaches maturity it stops following the sun and face east. When to Harvest Sunflower Seeds.
To grow sunflowers without obstacles keep track on when to harvest sunflower seeds?
Cultivation: Points to Remember
It is important to thoroughly know dos and don’ts before growing any plant for its betterment and saving you from a lot of unnecessary trouble. Know about how to cultivate sunflowers properly.
- The seeds of the sunflower should not be sowed more than an inch deep into the soil.
- Make sure you provide them with enough space and plant the seeds 6 inches apart from each other.
- Thin the seedling when the plant grows up to 6 inches an leave the stronger ones out up till they reach 12 inches.
- To confirm sunflowers come back every year and continuous blooms stagger your planting, sowing new rows of seeds in every two and three weeks, with the beginning of the spring. When to Harvest Sunflower Seeds
- Water the plants when the soil is dry which is once or twice the week. The soil to be used while planting sunflower is a well drained soil.
- April – May is the best time to grow sunflowers and allowing good blooming.
Now that the cultivation of sunflower is all straightened out, let’s get us in to the main part- when to harvest sunflower seeds?
When to Harvest Sunflower Seeds?
These beautiful bright tall looking flowers provide a source of food to bees and butterflies but die too. So let us discuss the main concern when to harvest sunflower seeds?
- At the end of the season, it is easy to harvest sunflower seeds for re-planting, for baking purpose and fixing up a cake with the same to feed birds.
- This is one of the easiest step , once the sunflower have died back completely and the backs of the bloom of the plant have turned brown, it’s the sign to harvest again.
- Cut the stalk with the help of scissors, up to about one foot down from the flower head of the plant and place it in a container that can catch any loose seeds.
- There are two ways of harvesting the first is hanging to dry. You can easily tie up the seeds and hang in your balcony or any place you find appropriate. When to Harvest Sunflower Seeds
- Second is –Removing the seeds. Many think of this as a relaxing process. You can easily deseed the flower with the help of a bucket.
- You can also re-plant the seeds of the sunflower and grow sunflower again. You simply need to wash the seeds and dry them, when done you can sow the seeds into the ground and few inches few from one other.
These points give you the answer to the question of when to harvest sunflower seeds.
Get back to Queries
Q1. How do I know that sunflower seeds are ready to harvest?
A1. Once your sunflower has died completely and the backs of the bloom have turned brow, that’s when you know sunflower seeds are ready to be harvested.
Q2. What happens when you harvest sunflower seeds too early?
A2. If the seeds are immature it affects the germination process. Seeds that are harvested too early have lower germination rate, meaning very few of them will sprout and later bloom.
Q3. When should I cut my sunflower head?
A3. Keep close check on the flowers and once the flower has died and the back of the bloom starts turning brown it’s time to cut the sunflower head.
Q4. What month do you start to harvest sunflower seeds?
A4. You can reliably harvest the sunflower seeds from the month of July to October depending on the variety you have plated and when.
Q5. Do sunflowers grow back after cutting?
A5. Yes of course, sunflowers do grow back after cutting depending upon the soil anc weather conditions.
Q6. What to do with sunflower seeds after harvesting?
A6. If you are planning to re-plant the flower, store them in an air tight container in a cool, dry place until you are ready to re-plant the seeds. There are two methods of doing so- hanging the seeds and removing the seeds.
Q7. How to harvest sunflower seeds commercially?
A7. Harvesting of sunflower commercially is carried out by combines equipped with mechanisms for crushing of stalks of plants, leaving them on the processed field. Stalks which weren’t cut off together with a root.
Q8. Can you harvest sunflower seeds from cut flowers?
A8. This is one of the easiest step , once the sunflower have died back completely and the backs of the bloom of the plant have turned brown, it’s the sign to harvest again. Cut the stalk with the help of scissors, up to about one foot down from the flower head of the plant and place it in a container that can catch any loose seeds.
Q9. How to store sunflower seeds for eating?
A9. In order to store sunflower seeds for eating bake them for 15 mins and store them in an air tight container up to 2-3 months.
Q10. Harvesting sunflower seeds for birds?
A10. For harvesting sunflower seeds for birds keep in mind that before harvesting sunflower seeds, grab some pruning shears and cut the heads off.
Q11. When to Harvest Sunflower Seeds?
A11. You can plant sunflower seeds from April – May month.
