Harvesting Sunflower Seeds

I harvested sunflower seeds from my garden today.  I knew the sunflowers were ready for picking because the flower petals were gone, the leaves were brown, and a few seeds were already loose.  I just cut the stem, and rubbed my thumb across the seeds to loosen them.  Most of the seeds fell out effortlessly.   For the stubborn seeds I used a spoon to work them out.  My thumb is not fond of splinters.  

I am going to save some seeds for planting next season, but I am going to roast the rest.  This will be my first time roasting sunflower seeds.  I am going to follow the instructions on the National Sunflower Association website.  

I really enjoyed growing these flowers.  The blooms are large and showy, they last a long time, and I get a nice treat from them at the end of the season!  

Adding a Little Whimsy

You can add a little whimsy to old plants by placing fake birds among the foliage.  I bought this bird at Michael's craft store for $2.29.  They had a variety of fake birds available in assorted sizes, and they even had speckled bird eggs for sale.