The Harvesting Time of Sunflowers

Ready Signs of Ripeness

• The sunflower is ready to harvest when the back of its flower head turns brown and the seeds have ripened to the point that they are about to fall out. One sure sign that a sunflower is not quite ready for harvest is if the seeds don't pop out easily. In warm, dry weather, the seeds will ripen naturally on the plant. When the flower heads shrivel and the seeds are easy to remove --- an indicator that they are ripe --- cut the plant stalk to the ground. Birds, squirrels and other animals know when sunflower seeds are ripe, too, so some gardeners cover the flower head with a brown paper bag once the back of the head turns yellow. At this point, the seeds are mature but not yet dry enough to harvest.

Wet Weather Conditions

• Wet weather inhibits seed ripening on the plant. To help the ripening process along, cut the plants to the ground and transfer them to a dry, cool place to dry out. Once the flower heads shrivel, cut them off their stalks and finish drying them in an oven turned to its lowest setting. Place the seed heads in single layers onto the oven racks, with the door slightly ajar.

Harvesting the Seeds

• When the heads have thoroughly dried -- either outside or in the oven -- cut them from the stalks and collect the seeds by standing each head on its side and hitting it with a mallet or your hand. Store the seeds in paper bags in a dry, well-ventilated place. Wet seeds do not store well.

Roasting Sunflower Seeds

• Roasting sunflower seeds is simple reward after a successful harvest. Mix one cup of seeds with 2 tsp. of vegetable oil and 1 tsp. of salt. Heat the mixture in a frying pan at low heat, stirring constantly until the seeds become hot. Alternately, place the seeds, oil and salt in a shallow pan and roast in the oven at 300 degrees F for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring about every 10 minutes.

Using the Stalks

• Once you have collected and stored the sunflower seeds, the stalks may be dried for use in outdoor fireplaces or chimineas. The resulting ash is rich in potash, a beneficial fertilizer for root crops such as potatoes. Shredded sunflower stalks also make an effective mulch.