10/18/2026
One sunflower can produce hundreds, sometimes even thousands, of seeds!
It’s sunflower seed harvesting time here at Gather and Feast Farm!
Those big, beautiful sunflower heads that brightened our farm all summer have one more gift to give us before the season ends. SEEDS!
Harvesting sunflower seeds is one of my favorite ways to turn this year’s flowers into next year’s garden.
Here’s what I look for when harvesting:
* The back of the sunflower head has turned yellow to brown.
* The petals have dried up and fallen off.
* The seeds are plump, firm, and easily loosen from the flower head.
* The head is drying out rather than staying green and soft.
Once they’re ready, I remove the seeds, let them dry thoroughly, and store them somewhere cool and dry until planting season.
And here’s something pretty amazing! Depending on the variety, one sunflower head can produce enough seeds to grow an entire patch of sunflowers next year!
Of course, we also love leaving some for the birds. After all, we’re not the only ones who appreciate a good sunflower harvest!
Do you save your sunflower seeds for next year, leave them for the birds, or roast them for a snack?
