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Key Points
- Pick sunflower seeds when heads droop, turn yellow-brown, and petals fall—usually late summer.
- Cut heads with stem, dry upside down indoors, then rub seeds out once dry.
- Roast plain seeds 5–7 mins at 400°F, or salt and roast 10–15 mins.
Sunny yellow sunflowers are commonly grown as ornamentals and cut flowers, and their nectar-filled blooms attract pollinators, too. Bonus: after their flowers fade, sunflowers continue to reward patient gardeners with a late-season harvest of crunchy sunflower seeds.
The Spruce / Colleen & Shannon Graham
You can expect seeds to be ready to harvest after flowers die back completely and no more petals are left, usually from late summer to early fall.
If you’ve never grown sunflowers, these beginner-friendly tips will teach you exactly when and how to harvest them for perfectly delicious, homegrown seed snacks.
When to Harvest Sunflower Seeds
Fabien David / Flickr / CC BY-ND 2.0
You can harvest sunflower seeds after the blooms are spent, brown, and drooping, which usually will happen in late summer to early fall. This can range from July to October, depending on where you’re growing them.
Although different sunflowers bloom at different times, most sunflower varieties flower from summer to fall, or about 80 to 140 days after planting the seeds. It takes sunflowers roughly one more month to produce mature seeds after they start blooming.
If your sunflowers bloom in August, you can expect to harvest sunflower seeds in September.
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5 Signs Sunflower Seeds Are Ready to Harvest
Camy West / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
Timing is everything when it comes to harvesting sunflower seeds. If you harvest seeds too early, they don’t store well; however, if you harvest seeds too late, you may lose your seeds to wildlife or rot.
Here are a few signs to watch for that will let you know exactly when to pick sunflower seeds.
- Yellowing flower heads. The best way to determine if sunflower seeds are ready to harvest is to inspect the back of your sunflower seedheads. Seedheads that are still green need more time to mature, while yellowish-brown seedheads are ready to pick.
- Drooping flowers. Sunflower blooms usually start to droop at the end of the season—this is a clear sign that the seeds are just about ripe.
- Brown leaves. As harvest time nears, sunflower plants start to dry out, and leaves turn yellow or brown. At this point, the plant is using the last of its energy to ripen seeds.
- Wilted petals. Mature sunflower blooms will also start to drop their petals as the plant dries out. This makes it easier to see how the seeds are maturing.
- Well-formed seeds. Ripe sunflower seeds should be plump and well-formed with relatively hard shells. If you run your finger across the flower, the dried seeds should be easy to dislodge.
How to Harvest Sunflower Seeds
Some gardeners let their sunflower seeds dry on the plant and harvest the seeds directly from the garden when they’re completely dry. But if you live in an area with lots of birds or wet weather, it’s usually easier to dry sunflower seeds indoors using the following steps.
Watch for Signs of Ripeness
The Spruce / Colleen & Shannon Graham
Leave your sunflowers in the garden until the plants begin to dry out and the flowerheads drop their petals and turn yellow or brown. If birds seem overly interested in the seeds while drying, drape cheesecloth or a loose paper bag over the seedheads to protect your harvest.
Harvest the Flowers
The Spruce / Colleen & Shannon Graham
When your sunflowers start to droop on their stems, use a sharp knife to cut the sunflower heads from the plant. Leave about 6 to 12 inches of stem attached to each bloom.
Dry the Seeds
Danielle Buma / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
Loosely bundle two to three flowers together and tie their stems with a bit of twine. Bring the flowerheads indoors and hang the cut sunflowers upside down in a cool, dry, and dark spot with good air flow. Allow the flowers to dry for a few weeks.
Collect the Seeds
The Spruce / Colleen & Shannon Graham
When the backs of the sunflowers are golden-brown and the dried seeds are easy to dislodge from the flowerhead, it’s time to gather your sunflower seeds.
Place the dried flowers over a bucket or large bowl and use your finger or a rigid brush to rub the seeds free from the flowerhead. If the seeds are still sticking firmly to the flower, allow them to dry for a few more days before trying again.
Prepare the Seeds
The Spruce / Elise Bauer
While sunflower seeds can be eaten raw, they’re usually roasted before serving to improve their texture and taste.
- For roasted, plain sunflower seeds, spread the seeds on a baking sheet and bake them in the oven for five to seven minutes at 400°F.
- For salted seeds, simmer the seeds in salted water for 15 minutes, and then bake them at 400°F for 10 to 15 minutes until the seed shells are nice and dry.
FAQ
How do you dry sunflower seeds?
To dry sunflower seeds, cut sunflower heads free from the plant and hang dry them upside down in loose bundles indoors until the seeds are dry. If desired, you can make dried sunflower seeds even crispier by baking them at 400°F for a few minutes.
How do you save sunflower seeds for next year?
If you want to save sunflower seeds to plant in next year’s garden, allow the seeds to dry on the plant or bring mature sunflower seedheads inside and let them dry in loose bundles in a sheltered spot. When the seeds are completely dry, rub them free from the flowerhead, and store them in labeled, paper envelopes until spring.
