How to Harvest Giant Sunflowers

Many common sunflower (Helianthus annuus) varieties are grown in the home garden. The giant varieties Russian Giant and Mammoth Russian produce tall sunflowers that can potentially reach as high as 15 feet. Their seeds are edible and form on flower heads that can span up to 1 foot in diameter. Giant sunflowers are harvested in the fall after the flowers are finished their peak blooming time and have dried out a bit on the plant.

Clippers
Bag
Bucket
1/2-inch mesh screen
Airtight container

Instructions

- 1
  Check to see if the sunflower is ready for harvest, which is after the giant sunflower yellow petals have dropped, dried or even fallen, the back of the flower head is dry and the center of the flower is dark and dry. The seeds should also appear plump and white and may have black stripes on them.
- 2
  Cut off the flowers, including 1 foot of the stems still attached. If you cannot reach this high, cut the blooms lower on the stems and just snip the extras off later.
- 3
  Place the giant sunflowers upside down in a paper bag to catch the seeds as the flowers continue drying. Place them in a dry location, such as your garage, for a few days.
- 4
  Rub two flowers together over a bucket that has a 1/2-inch mesh screen on top to separate the chaff from the seeds. You can also use your hand to rub the seeds off the flowers.
- 5
  Store the seeds in the bucket in a dry location for one to two months so they can completely dry out. During this time, stir the seeds every week or so to promote air flow, move the ones near the bottom to the top and make sure there is no mold growing.
- 6
  Store the dry seeds in a sealed, airtight container. Place them in the refrigerator. They should keep for three or four months.

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