How to get Sunflower seeds

[Tapper]

I have grown 5 huge sunflowers which are now just starting to grow their flower heads. I fancy harvesting some seeds in order to imitate Mulder from the X files. Has anyone advice on how and when is the best way to get the seeds

[BroadRipple]

Hi Tapper - I want to know the same thing, although mine are far from huge...
And b/c they're petal-less and not looking great, wondering if I can pick them and dry them somewhere, or if they need to stay rooted until the seeds are riper-looking (bet the answer is yes...)

[Tapper]

Yes me too, I was planing to leave them alone until the plants just dry out and i would pick up the dropped seeds, unless someone in the know says otherwise

[taff]

leave it till the head itself has dried out, you don't have to wait for it to fall off. You'll see the seeds after you rub a bit at the fluffy bits [stamens? no idea], underneath these bits are the seeds....went a yoda then sorry

[snohare]

I've heard that you need to cover the seedheads with stockings to prevent the birds from eating the seeds...good luck in getting stockings put on a sunflower ten feet high !

[JamesM]

When the plant's on it's way out I lop of the head and leave it somewhere sensible to dry out (obviously leaving in the garden may encourage birds to eat the seeds although this is an excellent way of having a budget feeer).

Once that's done they're nee to be put somewhere dry until they're ready to be used again. I use manila envelopes although anything from a plastic bag to a tupaware tub will be fine.

That's all I do- it's that easy. Some say put them in the freezer after 2-3 months but i've never bothered and my sunflowers grow well year in year out.

[rustylady]

Let the flowers stay on the plant as long as possible. This will give the seed a chance to ripen properly. You shouldn't need to cover them, but if you notice birds visiting this will indicate that the seeds are ripe (have you any idea how many seeds there on a sunflower head? - there should be plenty for you and the birds).

[Two_Sheds]

I tried harvesting my own sunflower seeds once ~ never again. Too fiddly, too dirty (my nails turned black)
Now I leave them in situ for the wild birds, or cut a whole head for my parrots to pick over

[Aberdeenplotter]

I've heard that you need to cover the seedheads with stockings to prevent the birds from eating the seeds...good luck in getting stockings put on a sunflower ten feet high !

do you need to find a woman with 10ft legs first?

[Aberdeenplotter]

dry out thoroughly in the greenhouse if possible then cut across the diameter. After that, seeds should be able to be flicked/picked off although apparently it turns one's nails black. Sounds like a job for a goth doesn't it?

[Florence Fennel]

I leave mine on (the sunflower heads not the tights). It's lovely watching the birds feasting on them.

[jackie j]

As everyone says leave to dry, cut it off but leave a bit of stalk. Put the head in a paper bag and give a good shake, I cant remember getting black nails when I flicked them off.

[BroadRipple]

TwoSheds, I honestly thought you'd written 'for my [I]parents[I] to pick over'...which was quite a funny image. Particularly with the fingernails.
FlorenceF, no, silly, stockings only go about half way up. so that's a twenty-foot leg, minimum. hope you haven't started asking around on freecycle...

[Florence Fennel]

Stockings half way up?

[Helgalush]

I've picked off my sunflower seeds about a fortnight or so ago and they have been drying out even more indoors.

I wanted to know though, do I need to shell them out of their black pods (like you would if you were going to eat them) or will they be perfectly fine for sowing as they are?