Have you looked at buying sunflower seeds? There are so many varieties. Some are grown for seeds, some for the oil, and others are grown for cut flowers. There are also heirlooms, hybrids, single stem, and even multi-branching varieties.
I choose to grow heirloom sunflowers. They are great for pollinators, and I can save the seeds to plant for the following year. Most of the seeds that I order come from a company here in Missouri. Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds has a wide array of sunflower seeds. A few of my favorite Sunflowers grow, include the Arikara , Taiyo , Henry Wilde , and finally, just for fun, the children and I love growing the Titan S unflower.
Sunflowers are best picked on a dry day. Choose sunflowers that have blooms that are free of dew. Then, choose sunflowers whose heads are almost all the way open. Be sure to choose the prettiest ones that have the most petals intact.
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Please see my disclosure policy for more information. You can find my favorite kitchen essentials can be located in my Amazon storefront. While I often try to link to the exact products you see in my photos and videos, my pieces are usually vintage and often thrifted. Sunflowers are bright, sunny flowers that add a pop of color to any room. However, you don't need to keep fresh flowers around to get that burst of color. You can dry sunflowers to use as decorations or keepsakes, and place them around your home for cheery decorations.
Alternatively, you can dry sunflower seeds for eating or the petals for decorating. To dry sunflowers for seeds, let them mature and dry out in the ground if possible, or cut them 1 foot below the flower heads and dry them indoors if you're worried about pests or bad weather. Once the flowers have completely dried, remove the seeds by brushing them off with your fingers or a stiff brush.
To learn how to dry sunflowers for decorating, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No. Log in Social login does not work in incognito and private browsers. Please log in with your username or email to continue. No account yet?
Create an account. Edit this Article. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Cookie Settings. Learn why people trust wikiHow. Download Article Explore this Article methods. Things You'll Need. Related Articles. Article Summary. Method 1. Harvest partially open sunflowers. If you intend to dry sunflowers for decorative purposes, it is better to use small- to medium-sized sunflowers that have only just begun to open. The seeds have not fully developed, so they should not fall out after being dried.
Cut your flower with a decent-sized stem. The stem should be about 6 inches 15 centimetres in length, so cut your flower accordingly.
Pick a pretty, symmetrical bloom, and pull off any dead leaves around the head of the sunflower. Hang the sunflower up to dry in a dark, dry place. Tie yarn or kitchen twine to the bottom of the stem. You can bundle them in threes, but the heads shouldn't touch. Pick a dark, dry place to hang them, such as an unused cabinet, a closet, or an attic.
The petals will arch more gracefully. Still place them in a dark, dry place. All rights reserved. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.
Check on the flowers in two weeks. The sunflowers should be dry in about two weeks, but they may take as long as three weeks. When they're dry, cut down the twine and pull them out of the closet. Coat the sunflowers with hairspray. Preserve the color and shape of the flower by spraying it with hairspray. Use them in vases or cut the stems short to place them in shadow boxes. Method 2. Cut the stem short. When drying with a drying agent, it's best to shorten the stem to 1 inch 2.
If you want a longer stem, create a stem with floral wire while the flower is still fresh. Push the floral wire up through the stem. Bend it back down, and pull it back through the stem. Wrap the wire around itself. Mix cornmeal with borax. Borax and cornmeal will work together to dry out your sunflowers. Mix it together in equal parts. To help keep the color, add a spoonful or so of salt to the mixture. Add two parts borax to one part sand.
They simply will remain viable for planting new sunflowers if stored in an airtight container. You can freeze raw sunflower seeds. Keeping them in a pantry only lets raw seeds stay good for a few months. However, freezing them can keep the seeds good for well over a year. Follow the instructions for drying out both the sunflower head and the seeds.
The drier they are at this point, the better. Once dried, put the seeds in an airtight container or sealed freezer bag and toss them in the freezer. If you plan on eating them, the best thing to do is to toast them immediately. This will remove the excess moisture leftover in the seeds and kill any bacteria. If the seeds have had the shells removed, you can toast them in a pan over medium heat for a couple of minutes. With the shells on or not, you can also use your oven and bake them at degrees for eight minutes.
If you plan on using the seeds for planting more sunflowers, then toasting them is not a good idea. Remove the seeds from the sunflower head and place them on a paper towel.
At this point in the article, we have pretty much gone over how to save seeds for the next year. This keeps mold from growing on your seeds. That kills the viability of the seeds and just makes them tasty. Leaving them in an airtight container in your pantry or greenhouse is the best way to save them for next year. Whether you need a beautiful piece for incorporating into a wreathe or want to harvest the seeds, drying sunflowers is a worthwhile and easy process.
For more ideas on using plants as decor items, check out this guide: 17 Living Room Plant Decor Ideas.
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