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Time to put sunflowers in the bag

Sacramento Digs Gardening
BY Debbie Arrington PUBLISHED AUG 19, 2018

These mammoth sunflowers at the Fremont Community Garden are over 8 feet tall and will require
a ladder to bag the heads. (Photos: Debbie Arrington)

Save the seed with these easy tips

Bees love them. Birds love them. People enjoy them, too. Sunflowers add a lot to a summer garden, and August is all about the seeds. Opportunistic birds (and rodents) will harvest their own. But what if you want some for yourself?

Also, those giant heads will spread lots of seed in the garden if left to fully mature on the stalk.

When are the seeds ready? Look at the back of the sunflower head. It goes from green to yellow to brown. When the back is fully brown, the seeds are ripe.

Before those seeds disperse everywhere, bag the head. This helps collect the seeds as well as protect them from birds and critters. When the back of the head turns brown, slip a large paper grocery bag over the seed head and secure the bottom with twine or rubber bands. Leave it for a week as the seeds finish maturing, then cut the stalk 4 to 6 inches below the seed head. Place the bag right side up, somewhere out of direct sun. As the seeds dry, they'll fall off into the bag.

Paper works better than plastic, which may cause moisture build up and mold.

Is your sunflower head too big to fit in a bag? Wrap cheesecloth, sheeting or other light fabric around the seed head. (An old pillow case works.) Tie at the bottom around the stem. After cutting, keep the head wrapped until the seeds are dry and loose.

Plenty of seeds here for humans -- or birds.

When ready, the seeds often shake loose. Or you can gently pry them out with a fork or your fingers. Or you can rub the seeds off. Grip the stem and rub the head against a rough surface such as a washboard or corrugated metal. The seeds will pop right off.

As an edible decoration, sunflower stalks also may be cut a little early as the seeds are ripening (after the back of the head turns yellow). Hang the seed heads upside down to dry indoors, protected from birds. The seeds will be ready in about two weeks.

While birds aren't finicky about underripe seeds, sunflower seeds should be dried on the plant (or maturing seed head) for human consumption.

How to roast sunflower seeds: Remove ripe seeds from seed head. If you want them salted, soak seeds overnight in salted water (1 cup salt to 1 gallon water). Drain. Then, dry the seeds in the oven. Spread them in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Pre-heat oven to 250 degrees F. Slow-roast seeds in oven for 4 to 5 hours, stirring occasionally. Let cool. Store roasted seeds in air-tight container.

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Keywords:

seeds gardening Sacramento sunflowers birds summer flowers summer gardens

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Garden Checklist for week of April 14

It's still not warm enough to transplant tomatoes directly in the ground, but we’re getting there.

* April is the last chance to plant citrus trees such as dwarf orange, lemon and kumquat. These trees also look good in landscaping and provide fresh fruit in winter.

* Smell orange blossoms? Feed citrus trees with a low dose of balanced fertilizer (such as 10-10-10) during bloom to help set fruit. Keep an eye out for ants.

* Apply slow-release fertilizer to the lawn.

* Thoroughly clean debris from the bottom of outdoor ponds or fountains.

* Spring brings a flush of rapid growth, and that means your garden needs nutrients. Fertilize shrubs and trees with a slow-release fertilizer. Or mulch with a 1-inch layer of compost.

* Azaleas and camellias looking a little yellow? If leaves are turning yellow between the veins, give them a boost with chelated iron.

* Trim dead flowers but not leaves from spring-flowering bulbs such as daffodils and tulips. Those leaves gather energy to create next year's flowers. Also, give the bulbs a fertilizer boost after bloom.

* Pinch chrysanthemums back to 12 inches for fall flowers. Cut old stems to the ground.

* Mulch around plants to conserve moisture and control weeds.

* From seed, plant beans, beets, cantaloupes, carrots, corn, cucumbers, melons, radishes and squash.

* Plant onion sets.

* In the flower garden, plant seeds for asters, cosmos, celosia, marigolds, salvia, sunflowers and zinnias.

* Transplant petunias, zinnias, geraniums and other summer bloomers.

* Plant perennials and dahlia tubers for summer bloom.

* Mid to late April is about the last chance to plant summer bulbs, such as gladiolus and tuberous begonias.

* Transplant lettuce seedlings. Choose varieties that mature quickly such as loose leaf.

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