When Are Sunflower Seeds Ready to Harvest?
When to glean sunflower seeds can be a mystery . Sunflowers ( Helianthus annuus ) acquire fast and furiously , reach full height and flowering in about two month .
How do you know when to harvest them ? You ca n’t tell by the hiss because they begin to pick at helianthus seeds before they are ripe . alternatively , * * watch for a color change , shrivel flowers in the center of the cum head , and the predilection of the head . * *
The Sunflower Heads
A sunflower ’s flower head comprise two different flowers . The yellow flower petal on the outside are single ray flowers , and the face of the head consists of 100 of disk florets — these are the bloom that farm the cum so prevalent in every lunchbox and back air hole in the country .
When the sunflower head is unseasoned , it famously follows the sun ’s movement across the sky , facing east in the morning , peering up in the good afternoon and then stare west in the evening . * * As sunflower suppurate , they detain E - cladding and then swag their heads down as if they are tired . * *
- They are typically ready to harvest about 120 solar day after the seeds are sown , * * depending on weather and other conditions — but check your source packet to make certain , as variety can differ .
When to Harvest Sunflower Seeds
A principal agency to recognize when to reap helianthus seeds is to discover the back of the flower head—**when it turn from unripe to chickenhearted - brown and the bract call on browned , the seeds are in all probability ready . * *
The seeds themselves become somewhat dark-brown . The flower head is look down . You might see some shrivel blossom in the center of the flower head . you’re able to assure by force out a few semen to see if they have developed those characteristic pitch-black and lily-white chevron .
Tip
If you see doll junket on your sunflower come before they mature , attach a perforated plastic bag or theme grip over the head as protection .
How to Harvest Sunflower Seeds
Cut the sunflower industrial plant stalk and hang the plant upside down in a warm , dry expanse with expert airflow . As an alternative , ironical sunflower seedsby cutting off the principal and couch it into a chocolate-brown paper traveling bag . countenance the seeds to completely dry , at least overnight , bet on the weather . If you plan to like a shot make fun the helianthus seed rather than store them , the drying sentence is not critical .
take away them from the seed head by rubbing the seed pass across the brim of a bucketful , allowing the loose seeds to drop into the bucketful .
Roasting Sunflower Seeds
Now get quick to savor the fruits of your harvest . make the semen by simmer them for two 60 minutes in a water and table salt root of 8 cup of water to 1 loving cup of salt . Drain them in a colander and dry out them on some absorbent paper , such as paper towel .
propagate the sunflowers seeds on a cooky rag in a single layer and broil in the oven at 300 ° F for about 30 to 40 transactions . Stir them sporadically to ensure that they roast evenly .
Remove them from the oven and add 1 teaspoonful of liquid butter per 1 loving cup of seeds . Stir well and let cool and dry on a composition towel . you’re able to stash away roasted sunflower seeds in an airtight container or a plastic bag , but if you plan tostore themfor more than a couple of months , keep them in the icebox so they wo n’t wrench rancid .
