sunflower - Knowledgebase Question

watertown, wi
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Question by eastgalaxy
October 8, 2005
we are learning about the sunflowers we grew in our garden this year, they grew about 10ft. and have light faces, my husband cut two head down,and have them in the garage. How do we shell the seeds, and when? He started to skim them off the flower head after one week drying them out, was that correct? I love sunflower seeds w/out the shells. Please help


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Answer from NGA
October 8, 2005
When the seeds are completely mature, the flower heads will twist and turn and the seeds will easily fall out. The best way to collect them is to place the dried head in a large paper bag and then rub the face of the flower head with your fingers. The dried seeds will pop right off and into the bag. Allow the seeds to dry completely on the inside before storing. You may have to shell a few to see whether or not they're completely dry. Then you can either store them raw or toast them in the oven. Toasted sunflower seeds are easier to shell than raw ones. Enjoy your sunflowers and don't forget to save a few untoasted, unshelled seeds for planting in your garden next spring!

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