How Can Sunflower Seeds Be Preserved?

Saving sunflower seeds is a rewarding and easy process that can be used for next year’s garden or as a tasty snack. To harvest mature sunflower heads, they need to be dried completely before being stored. The drier the seeds are, the longer they will last. Store them in a sealed, airtight mason jar and label the contents clearly and date them.

To harvest sunflower seeds, let the flowers bloom and go to seed. Once the sunflower heads are harvested, let them dry out further, making sure there’s plenty of air circulation to discourage mold from developing. This could take a few weeks, but expect the seed about 6 weeks after flowering.

To get the seeds from sunflowers for harvesting, gather some garden shears, a wide bucket or lid, and garden gloves. Ensure the flower head is drooping almost directly downward, with the back of the sunflower head showing. The seeds will feel firm and plump when mature and begin to loosen from the flower head.

Sunflower seeds can be eaten raw, roasted, or put back in the soil for just two more weeks to grow as microgreens. To remove the seeds from the heads, brush your hands over them while holding them upside down over a clean bucket to capture them. Pick the fruit when ripe and store in a warm, dry place until dried out. Crumble the dried fruit or scrape out the seeds; store as before.

To harvest sunflower seeds, follow these steps: select and cut the sunflowers, remove the water supply, dehydrate the flowers, and remove the seeds. Grab a 5-gallon bucket and your sunflower heads, rub the surface of the seedhead over the bucket, and the seeds will fall right out.