A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 sunflowers

i have some sunflowers they have stopped blooming when can i get the seeds,i know i have to let them dry but does it have to be on the stalk to dry are can i cut the heads off?

The actual flower does it the best, really
mother nature provided them with the perfect ability to dry their own...
(I personally don't cut them off early)

But I wouldddddddddd suggest if you leave them on
to cover them *at least the head or two you specifically want to save* with some cheese cloth or tulle fabric.. that way air can still get in for the drying process but those weeeee~birdies' that lovvvvvvvvve to eat those seeds can't get at them....

*I grow sunflowers specically for the birds to eat and they just go like mad~men on them striping them clean.. but it's soooooo much fun for me and the boys to stand and watch*

Actually, I never save the seeds from my Sunflowers. I prefer to leave them on the stem as a feast for my feathered friends. They love it!

I do the same thing, but the funny thing is,
that in the feeding frenzy that the birds do,
they manage to drop a bunch of seeds, and I had 14 "volunteer" sunflowers this year from my "assorted colors" sunflower package...
So, I can't complain, got great flowers, had an awesome time watching those little birds eat and gather seeds anddddddddddd bonus volunteer plants the following year with no work in planting..

but it is fun to save those seeds too to ensure you get the same flowers the next year and the satifaction of knowing you grew them and saved and dried them annnnndddddd replanted them the next year too!!!

i had one that was big as a dinner plate and i especially want to save that one,and oh yeah ill leave some for the little birdies,even the hummingbirds are checking them out ,they are not to far from my canans and they go back and forth checking on them.they are fun to watch,thanks so much for your reply.

I was just looking up some info on this. This was helpful http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/hortihints/0108c.html

Looks like mine have a ways to go, they are downturned, but the seeds are still white and the backs of the flowers are still green. Now, if I can just remember to put cheesecloth on my shopping list!

I think you'll have to cover the heads to keep the birds from getting them. They'll be gone before you know it.