After enjoying the beauty of your beautiful sunflower in bloom, it is time to harvest the most-awaited and nutritious sunflower seeds, To get the most out of it you should know when to harvest sunflower seeds. When to harvest sunflower seeds?
It is important to know when to harvest sunflower seeds-
Seeds harvested early
What happens if you harvest sunflower seeds too early? It can lead to seeds having
- a low germination rate if you wish to grow a new plant
- underdeveloped with less nutrition and oil, if the goal is to consume them
- it may also pose problems in storage due to the presence of high moisture-attracting molds.
Seeds harvested late
What happens if you harvest sunflower seeds late? It can lead to damaged seeds
- overripe and susceptible to birds and insects
- seeds loss as more seeds will fall on their own
- they become weak and harvesting by hand can damage these brittle seeds
When to harvest sunflower seeds for best results?
The foliage turns yellow
- Large sunflower head begins to wilt and droop down, and the backside becomes yellow-brown. It happens 34-45 days after bloom
- Most of the petals have dried and fallen
How do I know when sunflower seeds are ready to harvest?
- The white seed hardens and becomes black with white stripes
For perfect seeds as soon the petals wilt and fall cover the sunflower head with a paper bag or net to protect them from getting moulded or eaten by birds.
How to harvest sunflower seeds? | When to harvest sunflower seeds?
There are two ways to harvest the seeds
- Wait till the seeds dry naturally then cut the stem below the head
- Dry indoors- when the outer seeds mature, cut the stem one foot below the head, hang in warm and dry temperatures indoor
Rub the heads by hand to get these nutritious seeds.
How to dry sunflower seeds for planting
if your goal is to plant them again
- Rub the heads by hand to get these nutritious seeds.
- Spread them on a towel
- Store in a dry warm place to ensure drying, recheck them in a while
- Store cool place,
How to store sunflower seeds for eating
It is easy to store them and beneficial to consume them
- Ensure the seeds are completely dried
- keep them in an airtight container to prevent damage
- store in a cool dry place or freeze them if you wish to store them for a long duration
Harvesting sunflower seeds for birds | When to harvest sunflower seeds?
Birds love feeding on seeds, and to provide their food allow the seeds
- To naturally dry on the stem
- Cut the stem
- Take the seeds and store them until you feed the birds
How to harvest sunflower seeds commercially?
If you have a large space and large-scale production of seeds, you can harvest them for commercial use due to their demand for people who value nutrition.
- Remove the seeds when mature by threshing them
- Remove other waste from seeds
- Dry the seeds to reduce the moisture content to 10% to prevent rotting
- Store or freeze them until ready for sale
Frequently Asked Question (FAQs) When to harvest sunflower seeds:-
Q1. When to plant sunflower seeds?
Ans. When you have no 80- 100 frost days ahead, in April to June depending upon your region.
Q2. Is harvesting sunflower seeds with combined easy?
Ans. If you are harvesting them on a large scale, adjust your combine to minimize the seed loss
Q3. Can you harvest sunflower seeds from cut sunflowers indoors?
Ans. Yes, if they are mature, dry them to get seeds.
Q4. What to do with sunflowers after harvest if we don’t want to sow them again?
Ans. After harvesting sunflowers, dry them, and then can be consumed, sold, or processed for sunflower oil, even these seeds can be given to birds.
Q5. What month are sunflowers harvested?
Ans. They are harvested in August or September, in early fall, depending on the weather conditions and the time of plantation.
Q6. Do sunflowers grow back after cutting?
Ans. If you have an annual sunflower it wont, but a perennial one will.
Q7. When should cut my sunflower head?
Ans. After 35-45 days of bloom, as soon as the head droops and its back become yellow–brown.
