With the arrival of fall, comes the harvest of the summer. A mixture of sadness and gladness always ensues as I go about preparing for winter. There is nothing to compare to the joys of gardening and the personal satisfaction one experiences from these tiny seeds which you have planted and nurtured along until harvesting time. They are like your children who can now return the blessing of life to you that you have freely bestowed on them over the growing season.
My sunflowers have provided me with an enormous amount of beauty and cheerfulness this past summer. It was hard to say goodbye. But I am already thinking about the many days of sitting by the fire looking through gardening books, seed catalogs , and websites as I add to my gardens next year. If I had no season of rest and anticipation, I wouldn’t experience the full pleasures of gardening as I do. Winter increases my appreciation a hundred fold!
I have cut the heads off my sunflowers and they are just going to feed the many feathered friends that will visit my deck for a number of weeks. I saved some seeds for planting next year, but I take great pleasure in bird watching as they grow fat for their winter migration or winter stay.
Some of you may be interested in harvesting your seeds for your own use. Follow these simple instructions, and you will be ‘happy as a lark ‘ as you consume the fruits of your labors for many weeks to come.
Sunflowers are ready to be dried once the back of the head begins to turn a deep yellow to yellow-brown.
Cover the head of the sunflower with a paper bag and tie with twine.
Cut off the head about one foot from the head
Hang the head upside-down in a warm well ventilated location. High humidity will cause mold, so try to find a dry room.
Check the sunflower head every couple of days and remove any fallen seeds. Store in an airtight container.
Once the head is completely dry and no more seeds are falling, they’ll need some help from you! You can rub your hand across the head or knock two heads together to help loosen those still lodged.
Clean out any unwanted debris and rinse in a colander with cold water. Spread out over a layer of towel and let dry completely. Remove any damaged seeds – birds would still enjoy these!
If you plan to consume the seeds soon, you can salt and roast them now. Soak the seeds overnight in a solution made of two to three tablespoons of salt per quart of water.
Drain and spread the seeds out in a single layer on a shallow baking sheet. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown, at an oven temperature of 300 degrees. Stir the seeds occasionally as they roast.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer.
Roasted seeds are best stored in the refrigerator and may be kept for several weeks. Unroasted seeds can be kept for several months in the freezer.
Check the National Sunflower Association for a complete guide to pretty much everything you ever wanted to know about sunflowers!
Growing these happy giants this year was a real joy and you can be sure will be a regular part of my gardening for many years to come! There was nothing like going out on my deck each morning to be greeted by these tall, cheerful friends of both humans and birds. My cat Chubbs even took much joy in them as he found a shady respite from the broiling sun on many occasions.
Goodbye for now tall fellows – we’ll be enjoying your gifts and can’t wait for spring planting!
Do you grow sunflowers? Let us know what you use them for in the comments below!