How to Harvest Sunflower Seeds for Eating, Planting, and Feeding Birds

Known for their brilliant yellow blooms, sunflowers add beauty to any yard. And, not only are they cheerful to look at, but they also produce edible seeds (for both humans and birds!) that make the flower a worthwhile addition to any edible garden. The trick is knowing how to properly harvest the seeds so that you can enjoy their bounty. To learn more, we chatted with a garden expert who breaks down the process and shares how and when to harvest sunflower seeds.

Tools You'll Need

• Garden shears
• Cloth
  
• Paper
• Bucket

Instructions

Follow the below instructions for harvesting seeds from your sunflowers.

Step 1: Scout for Mature Flower Heads

First, you will need to identify flower heads that are mature and ready to harvest. "Mature flower heads will have desiccated [dried] petals that are crispy and fall off easily," says Mariah Henry, director of urban agriculture at the Carolina Farm Trust. To determine the maturity of a flower head, look on the backside for yellowish-brown spots. A flowerhead drooping from the weight of its seeds is another sure sign that it is ready for harvesting.

Step 2: Evaluate the Seeds

Check to see how dense the seeds are packed, says Henry. Loose seeds might fall out too easily and need additional attention. To check the seeds, remove any disk flowers that sit on top of the sunflower seeds. According to Henry, disk flowers look like mini flower heads and house both male and female reproductive parts on the plant. "These can be easily brushed off with your hand," she says.

Step 3: Remove the Sunflower Head

Remove the mature sunflower head from the stem with a pair of garden shears. Do this by cutting 4 to 6 inches from the mature sunflower head. Place these in your bucket to take indoors.

Step 4: Harvest the Seeds

Take a breathable cloth or piece of parchment paper that you can use to collect the seeds. Gently pick out the seeds with your fingers. "The seeds should fall out effortlessly unless they are packed tighter," she says. "Most sunflower seeds will be stripped with black and white depending on the variety."

When to Harvest Sunflower Seeds

Sunflowers bloom from summer through fall. But many sunflower seeds are sown in early spring, says Henry. "Depending on the variety, sunflowers can take up to 120 days to bloom," she says. So, to know when it’s harvest time, you have to check for mature flower heads. "After the flower blooms, it can take an additional 20 to 30 days for the seeds to mature," she says. This can depend upon several factors like climate, summer and fall temperatures, and how much water the plants have gotten in their growing season. "So, it is best to use color cues and physical factors to determine when to harvest," says Henry.

How to Store Sunflower Seeds 

Storing raw sunflower seeds is easy—they should be stored in an airtight container in your pantry or your freezer until you are ready to either roast them off or use them as crop seed or bird food. Sunflower seeds stored in the freezer can last years until you're ready to plant them. If you intend to eat them, store them in your pantry, where they will keep for two to three months before roasting. Just remember—seeds can spoil or become less tasty as they age, so the sooner you roast them, the more flavorful they will be.