Sunflowers

To me, sunflowers are the essence of summer. Although they don't last too long, they make every effort to brighten someone's day. We planted sunflower seeds back in March and are now seeing them bloom.

Hopefully we can harvest the seeds in a week or two. The birds have already been at one of the plants and have eaten many of those seeds. I did some research on the internet on ways to harvest seeds since I had never done so before. Some recomend covering the sunflower heads with cheese cloth or old panty hose to protect the seeds from birds. They still receive the sun and water they need, and you get to keep your seeds.

Secure the cheese cloth or hose with a rubber band at the base of the flower head. Once the petals have fallen off and the back of the flower head has turned yellow or brown, your ready to harvest. Simply cut the stalk about a foot down from the head.

Then over a bucket, just pop the seeds out with your fingers. (you may want to wear gloves). You can soak the seeds overnight in a saltwater solution, then rinse and dry in the morning. After they've dried in the sun for about an hour or so, bake them in the oven. Yum!