Sunflowers To Hang For Birds?

Sunflowers are a great plant to grow for various reasons, including adding color to borders and providing a source of food for birds. To create a sunflower bird feeder in your garden, cut off the remaining stem from the flower, make holes near the top of the head, and thread florist wire through them. Hang the head on a fence or tree branch for birds to munch on.

To harvest seeds and dry sunflower heads, you need two large sunflowers (e.g., Russian Giants or Russian Mammoth) and a Phillips screwdriver. Cut the heads off the old sunflowers once they are dried out and no longer full of yellow brightness. Remove the old petals and rub away the middle to expose seeds. Use a small screwdriver to put four holes in the head on opposite sides and loop your string through these holes ready to hang.

You can hang the head on a fence or tree branch for birds to munch on. You can also hang sprays of millet from the flower head as an alternative. Twist the wires together and make a loop at the end of the wire so that you can hang the sunflowers up. They can be hung upside down or placed in a large empty vase without water. If confined to a bag or container, mold could form before the heads have formed.

Bundle several heads with a thick rubber band and hang them from the rafters in a cool, dry place with twine or nails. Once cooler nights draw in, the sunflower will wither and start putting its energy into producing seeds. Each flower can contain up to 2000 seeds. Cut an extra long stem while still green and turn the sunflower over, bending it back into the flower head to form a handle.

In conclusion, creating a sunflower bird feeder is an inexpensive and sustainable way to attract and feed various bird species in your garden.