• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Hot Rod's Recipes
  • Browse Recipes
  • Videos
  • How-To
  • RV Park Reviews
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Videos
  • RV Parks
  • About
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Videos
    • RV Parks
    • About
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » How-To

    How to Harvest Sunflower Seeds

    Published on August 30, 2021 - Updated on May 13, 2022 by Chef Rodney - 1 Comment - This post may contain affiliate links.

    21 shares
    Jump to Recipe
    If you've ever wanted to grow your own Sunflowers and Harvest the seeds to eat, then this How to guide is for you!
    sunflower seeds

    This year I decided to plant some Sunflowers in an attempt to be able to harvest sunflower seeds. I like to try and grow all my fruit and vegetables from seed, which I have been pretty successful at so I decided to grow my sunflowers from seed. I have read that they are super easy to grow, especially if they get a lot of sun. One of the benefits of living in Southern California is we get plenty of sun year-round!

    sunflowers after a couple of weeks
    Sunflowers after a couple of weeks

    I wanted to be a little different so I decided to use Mammoth Russian Sunflower Seeds. I am not a specialist in sunflowers or a florist by any stretch of the imagination but the only difference I can tell is that the center of the sunflower (I'm sure there's a technical word for it) is yellow instead of the brown we typically see in pictures or on TV.

    sunflowers growing very fast
    Sunflowers after 1 month

    Did you know the Sunflower is the State flower of Kansas? Here in California, our State flower is the California Poppy. While the poppy is a beautiful flower, I think I prefer the Sunflower. I mean who doesn't love a nice Sunflower?

    Sunflowers after a few months

    🌻 How to Grow Sunflowers

    The best piece of advice I can give you is to make sure you have a lot of space when planting sunflowers. The heads can reach 1 foot across and reach heights of anywhere from 7 to 12 feet. They do like a lot of sun so be mindful of that as well. In my experience, you should see your seeds germinate within 2 weeks. The amount of water you need is really based on your location and weather but here in Southern California, I watered mine every other day for about 15 minutes. You might want to consult an expert in your area for a watering schedule.

    russian sunflower

    💭 When to Harvest Sunflower Seeds

    Your Sunflowers should be ready to harvest after about 3 months. While that is a good point of reference it is best you wait until the head of the sunflower begins to droop, the petals start falling off and the seeds are loose. When the sunflower is ready, cut the stem about 1 foot below the head. At this point, I use some twine to hang my sunflowers upside down in a warm dry place for about 5 days.

    drying out sunflowers in a warm dry place
    Hang Sunflowers in a Dry Place for 5 days

    🌻 Removing the Seeds

    Firmly rub the head of the flower where the seeds are located over a container to catch all the seeds. You will most likely collect other debris beside the seeds and that is ok. We will get rid of them before we roast them.

    💭 Soaking the Seeds in Salt Brine

    Once you have removed all the seeds from the sunflowers you are ready to prep them for roasting. In a large pot, soak the seeds in a mixture of water and about ¼ cup of salt overnight. Depending on the number of seeds you have I suggest between 4 and 6 cups of water. If you prefer non-salted sunflower seeds simply soak the seeds overnight in water without the salt.

    After the sunflower seeds have soaked overnight, place them in a colander and separate the seeds from all the other bits. Dry the seeds on paper towels for a few hours.

    sunflower seeds in a bowl

    For more great tutorials like this one, make sure you check out all my other How-To articles.If you've ever wondered what kind of onion to use for a particular recipe check out my article on Choosing the Right Onion.

    🥣 How to make Roasted Sunflowers Seeds

    Preheat the oven to 325°F.
    Place the brined seeds on a baking sheet in a single layer.
    Bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring frequently until the seeds have slightly browned.
    Remove the seeds from the oven and let cool.

    sunflower seeds

    Roasted Sunflower Seeds

    If you've ever wanted to grow your own Sunflowers and Harvest the seeds to eat, then this How to guide is for you!
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Recipe Rate Recipe
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Total Time 35 mins
    Course Snacks
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4
    Calories 196 kcal

    Ingredients
     

    • 1 Cup Sunflower Seeds, pre-brined
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 325°F.
    • Place the seeds on a baking sheet in a single layer.
    • Bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring frequently until the seeds have slightly browned.
    • Remove the seeds from the oven and let cool.

    Recipe Video

    Nutrition

    Serving: 0.25CupCalories: 196kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 7gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gSodium: 3mgPotassium: 216mgFiber: 3gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 17IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 26mgIron: 2mg

    Nutritional information provided for this recipe is based on 1 serving. This information is an estimate and may vary based on several factors. If nutritional information is important to you and your diet, please verify this recipe with a Registered Dietitian.

    Tried this Recipe?Leave a Comment below and share a picture on Instagram and tag @hot_rods_recipes and hashtag #hotrodsrecipes!

    Reader Interactions

    1 Comment

    1. Abbey

      March 24, 2022 at 2:52 pm

      Super great info...all the way from start to finish!! Exactly what I was looking for in one location! Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

      Reply

    leave comment and rating! Cancel reply

    We would love to hear from you! If you made this recipe, please choose a star rating. Thanks!

    Recipe Rating:




    Before a comment appears it needs to be approved by the site owner. Read our Comment Policy to see how your comment data is processed. Your email address will NOT be published.

    Primary Sidebar

    Chef Rodney Headshot

    Hi! I'm Rodney and welcome to my blog. I am a foodie and self-taught cook. After years of experimenting in the kitchen, I decided to share some of my favorite recipes with you. Read More →

    Trending Recipes

    • Copycat Chipotle Spicy Salsa
    • Guy's Donkey Sauce for Burgers
    • Cinnamon Donut Bread
    • Cinnamon Sugar Beaver Tails

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    Recipes

    • Recipe Index
    • Copycat Recipes
    • Pressure Cooking
    • Celebrity Chef Recipes

    About

    • About Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Recipe Disclaimer
    • Contact Us

    Social

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube

    Copyright © 2022 Hot Rod's Recipes™