I live in a more Northern community. The S/F don't dry out by season's end. So I have to rub the buds off the head. Then I put them in a warm dry place to dry the heads out. Then when they are dry, shuck the seeds. It becomes a process. But as you say, it's worth it all to keep the bees fed over the months when most other flowers have passed.
This is my first year to grow sunflowers (for use as bird food). My first heads are close to being ready to harvest. I’m in Louisiana, USA - it’s very hot and humid here (“cool and dry,” and “warm and dry” are not terms we use here).
I don't envy you, I'm not built for Louisiana weather 🤣 too hot for me ☀️😣 South Of England doesn't get so hot. Good luck with your sunflowers 🌻 I hope the birds enjoy them ☺️ Thank you for watching xx
You can brush the flowers off which would reduce the debris with the seeds, and if you let the heads completely dry you can out trays under the heads and hit them with sticks to knock seeds out. Love the paperbag idea for ones that aren't wuite ready though
Whether you harvest for seed or eating or just let them go for the birds, easiest plant to grow. Put the seeds in the ground, give them water, watch them grow.
We didn’t mean to grow sunflowers but we have a few… now we’ve decided we want to harvest the seeds to grow next year for the bees and eventually seeds for the little critters
I try and save as many seeds from as many plants in the garden as I can to sow the next year, but a lot of my sunflowers go to the birds over the winter ☺️🕊️ to keep them happy.
Yes, definitely. Leaving them out can really improve the drying time. I find a paper bag works really well and putting them in jam jar in a cool, dry place, with tissue paper in the bottom and lid off works aswell. Thank you for your comment and thank you for watching xx
I just love to look at then, my husband eats them and I can feed them to my chickens and turkeys! I subscribed to your channel. I have a new channel also.
Im so confused bc the heads droop and I can see the seeds and the leaves fall off but the middle isn't done. Then the birds get them before the flower dries completely
The bigger the flower head the harder it is to get every seed. I always struggle to get the center seeds to set but now I just get the majority of outer seed and leave the remaining seeds on the head for the birds, (usually on a try in the garden as it falls apart too easily and creates a mess 😂) the birds do watch my garden waiting but I try and get there first 👍😏
hi quick question i grow them in pots, just started growing in fact, arghhh but still get slugs, least i think they are slugs eating the leaves, how they climb that high.
Slugs can be determined but don't tend to like sunflower because of the hairy stem and leaves. There are servery types of beetle and weevils which like to eat sunflower leaves and this can look like slug damage but without the slimy trail. They tend to get picked off by birds quite quickly aswell so can manage the problem nicely 👍🐦
Mealy bug should not be pose an issue for the seeds, but the plant can suffer when young and green. Ladybird and lacewing larvae will eat mealy bugs in large numbers but you can also just squash them on the plant if in small numbers or use a natural perfume free soapy water spray which work quit well as does Neem oil. 💦🌿👍
They will grow very easily in the ground or in compost in a flowerpot. They selfseed where they fall every year in my garden, you won't have any problems 💚👍🌻 Happy gardening and thank you for watching xx
Don't forget, if you enjoyed this video, give it a 👍 and subscribe to see more from Gardening Naturally with Green FingerTips.
I had several get some mold will they germinate ok and grow?
@JohnJude-dp6ed I haven't had good experience with germinating sunflower seeds when they go mouldy, they need to be dry ideally.
This was my first year growing Sunflowers. This video was very helpful. Thanks for taking the time to do it.
I'm very pleased it was useful for you. Thank you for watching xx
I live in a more Northern community. The S/F don't dry out by season's end. So I have to rub the buds off the head. Then I put them in a warm dry place to dry the heads out. Then when they are dry, shuck the seeds. It becomes a process. But as you say, it's worth it all to keep the bees fed over the months when most other flowers have passed.
It can be a challenge here as well in more damp summer's 🫤 I have to hang them up in the shed to dry.
It's worth it in the end.
This is my first year to grow sunflowers (for use as bird food). My first heads are close to being ready to harvest. I’m in Louisiana, USA - it’s very hot and humid here (“cool and dry,” and “warm and dry” are not terms we use here).
I don't envy you, I'm not built for Louisiana weather 🤣 too hot for me ☀️😣
South Of England doesn't get so hot.
Good luck with your sunflowers 🌻 I hope the birds enjoy them ☺️
Thank you for watching xx
You can brush the flowers off which would reduce the debris with the seeds, and if you let the heads completely dry you can out trays under the heads and hit them with sticks to knock seeds out. Love the paperbag idea for ones that aren't wuite ready though
Love this, the under tray would be much easier.
Thank you for commenting and thank you for watching xx
Great video. Watched it from New Zealand and I will now know what to do once this hot weather subsides
☺️👏 thank you for watching xx
One place I would love to visit is New Zealand. Looks like a beautiful place to live.
3rd year grower. First time trying to save to sow next yr
Thanks for the video! Don't feel I need to watch another bc you're very informative.
🫶🌻
Awe, thank you 😊💚 and thank you for choosing my video to watch Xx
My chickens love the black oil sunflower seeds i grew this summer!!
Our chickens used to love them, they would eat a flower head a day easily 🤣🤭🐓
Thank you for watching xx
I put my seeds in small jars for stocking stuffers
That's a good idea 💡💚 love it
Thank you for watching Xx
Whether you harvest for seed or eating or just let them go for the birds, easiest plant to grow. Put the seeds in the ground, give them water, watch them grow.
I feed them to my chickens and turkeys, I grow a 30x 70" plot...
I bet they love them ☺️👏🌻🐔🐓🦃🐥
Thank you for watching xx
Wow, that’s tiny!
🤣 thank you for watching 👍
30'x70'@@callumclark3358
This was so helpful! Thank you so much! Love&light from Texas ✨️
Thank you 💚 I appreciate your comment. Thank you for watching xx
nice video
Love from Bangladesh ❤❤🇧🇩
Thank you For watching ☺️
@@GreenFingerTips ❤️❤️
Very helpful thank you!
Thank you for watching Xx ☺️
We didn’t mean to grow sunflowers but we have a few… now we’ve decided we want to harvest the seeds to grow next year for the bees and eventually seeds for the little critters
They grow so easily 🤣 it only takes a few to hit the floor and you have a nice display ready for the birds.
Thank you for watching xx
Thank you for sharing 👍 🇨🇦
Thank you for watching xx 🇬🇧
I use all my seeds to re-grow as well as Microgreen's
I try and save as many seeds from as many plants in the garden as I can to sow the next year, but a lot of my sunflowers go to the birds over the winter ☺️🕊️ to keep them happy.
Thank you for watching Xx
I Thank you for this informative video. Now I know how to tend to the sunflowers rather than let them be.
I'm very pleased I have helped ☺️👍 thank you for watching xx
@@GreenFingerTips ♥️💕
i always leave seeds out in the air to stop moisture mould for a day then jar them
Yes, definitely. Leaving them out can really improve the drying time.
I find a paper bag works really well and putting them in jam jar in a cool, dry place, with tissue paper in the bottom and lid off works aswell.
Thank you for your comment and thank you for watching xx
I just love to look at then, my husband eats them and I can feed them to my chickens and turkeys! I subscribed to your channel. I have a new channel also.
Thank you, I appreciate you subscribing.
The birds love sunshine seeds, don't they ☺️👏🐔🦃
This was so helpful!
👏😊 I'm so pleased. Thank you for watching xx
💕💕💕
Thank you for watching Xx 😊
Im so confused bc the heads droop and I can see the seeds and the leaves fall off but the middle isn't done. Then the birds get them before the flower dries completely
The bigger the flower head the harder it is to get every seed.
I always struggle to get the center seeds to set but now I just get the majority of outer seed and leave the remaining seeds on the head for the birds, (usually on a try in the garden as it falls apart too easily and creates a mess 😂) the birds do watch my garden waiting but I try and get there first 👍😏
Thank you for watching xx
hi quick question i grow them in pots, just started growing in fact, arghhh but still get slugs, least i think they are slugs eating the leaves, how they climb that high.
Slugs can be determined but don't tend to like sunflower because of the hairy stem and leaves.
There are servery types of beetle and weevils which like to eat sunflower leaves and this can look like slug damage but without the slimy trail.
They tend to get picked off by birds quite quickly aswell so can manage the problem nicely 👍🐦
posibly grass hoppers or flying bugs
How to keep mealy bugs away? Or can I still use the seeds from the flower infested by mealy bugs? Or could that be harmful
Mealy bug should not be pose an issue for the seeds, but the plant can suffer when young and green.
Ladybird and lacewing larvae will eat mealy bugs in large numbers but you can also just squash them on the plant if in small numbers or use a natural perfume free soapy water spray which work quit well as does Neem oil.
💦🌿👍
@@GreenFingerTips great thank you so much for your response.. ❤️
💚😊
Now study how to plant sunflowers
They will grow very easily in the ground or in compost in a flowerpot.
They selfseed where they fall every year in my garden, you won't have any problems 💚👍🌻
Happy gardening and thank you for watching xx
Thank you very much. It will start in a few days
💚👍🌻 Good luck