Sunflower Seed Save

I had high hopes of putting in my fall garden last weekend, but the rain thwarted my efforts yet again. So instead of planting, I put on my seed-saving cap, and spent a few hours collecting seeds from the dried Mammoth Sunflower heads that grew in our garden last summer. It's a bit more difficult to loosen the seeds than you might think, but a good threshing usually does the trick. And if you want a reason to admire the intricate seed pattern, try picking a few out by hand. You'll see that the seeds are neatly arranged in a pattern of interconnecting spirals, each seed turned on it's side, and lined up behind the next. The seeds may look dull on first inspection, but a closer look will show a black and white striped husk - yet another hint of nature's attention to detail.

After I accumulated a Mason jar's worth (that seems to be an acceptable form of measurement at our house these days...), I decided to call it quits. I only conquered two of the seed heads, but I suspect I'll be back at it soon enough - the next time the rain kicks me out of my garden.

I'm surprised the birds didn't get to this first. Black and white striped mammoth sunflower seeds: for eating! for planting! for feeding to the birds!

Comments

[Lee Borden]

Thanks Rashmi,

What a delightful example of "making hay while the sun shines" (or doesn't). Please tell us how you threshed the heads. What tools, if any? What seemed to work the best for freeing up the seeds?

[Rashmi Grace]

Hi Lee,

My threshing consisted of hitting the sunflower seeds against the concrete. I've read that you can attach pantyhose onto the head to collect the detached seeds, but it was easy enough to pick them off the ground, so I didn't bother with that. I imagine tweezers might also work pretty well, if you wanted to go the handpicking route. Otherwise thresh away!

[Anonymous]

I just bend the head back and forth to loosen the seeds. Last year was my forst year to grow them and it was fun. These were the only sunflowers the birds didn't eat?