Harvesting Sunflowers

My method for harvesting sunflower seeds is a hands on approach. When the flowers droop and the petals start to curl you know it's about time to start harvesting your sunflower seeds. If animals or birds are a problem, you can cover the heads with fine netting or paper bags as soon as the petals begin to wilt. If the seeds appear grey they are ripe. When the seeds are fully ripened they will beginning to loosen from the head of the flower. Using a sharp knife cut the stem about one inch below the head. Now briskly rub the *capitulum from the seeds with your knife or your hand. I used a knife since I have pollen allergies. Using a spoon, fork or your own nails you can scrap or pluck the seeds out of the flowers. Make sure to check them for any damage from ants or worms and discard those. Allow the seeds to dry before storing in an airtight container.

This is where I scraped the capitulum from the seeds.

I used my nails to take my seeds out.

A couple of fun facts for you- Did you know? *That fluffy yellow growths that appear on the flower above the seeds are individual flowers called capitulum. One tablespoon of sunflower seeds has 4.5 grams of protein. Sunflower Buds will follow the sun across the sky - called Heliotropism. But once they bloom they lose this ability.