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When to harvest sunflower


How To Harvest Sunflower Seeds

One of the pleasures of watching those huge yellow flowers following the summer sun is anticipating harvesting sunflower seeds in the fall. If you have done your homework and planted a sunflower variety with large, full heads, you’re in for a treat, but beware; you won’t be the only one harvesting sunflower seeds. Sunflower harvesting is a favorite past time of birds, squirrels, field mice, and deer. To beat the local wildlife, it is important to know when to harvest sunflowers.

When to Harvest Sunflower Seeds

Harvesting sunflowers is easy, but deciding when to harvest sunflowers can give some gardeners pause. Heads picked before the proper time may have plenty of seed coats with little meat. Wait too long to harvest sunflowers and the tender seeds will be too dry to roast. Wait until the animals start sunflower harvesting for you and there’ll be nothing left for you!

Harvest sunflowers when their petals become dry and begin to fall. The green base of the head will turn yellow and eventually brown. Seeds will look plump and the seed coats will be fully black or black and white stripes depending on the variety. If animals or birds are a problem, you can cover the heads with fine netting or paper bags as soon as the petals begin to wilt.

How to Harvest Sunflower Seeds

While most growers agree on when to harvest sunflowers, how to harvest sunflowers seeds is largely a matter of preference and neither method provides a greater yield.

One method for harvesting sunflower seeds allows the seeds to fully ripen on the stem. When seeds are fully ripened and just beginning to loosen from the head, cut the stem about one inch (2.5 cm.) below the head. Now briskly rub the seeds from the head with your hand, blow off the chaff, and allow the seeds to dry before storing.

The second method for harvesting sunflowers begins when about two-thirds of the seeds are mature. Cut a longer piece of stem. 3 to 4 inches (7. 5 to 10 cm.) works well. Wrap a paper bag around the head and hang the heads in in a well ventilated area for a few weeks to dry. Make sure the area is warm, but not hot.

Sunflower harvesting has a long history as an American tradition and they have been part of man’s diet for centuries. Native Americans were harvesting sunflower seeds long before Europeans arrived. They boiled the heads to extract the oil and ate the seeds either raw or baked in breads and infusions were used medicinally. The seeds are a good source of calcium, phosphorus, and potassium.

Saving Sunflower Seeds

Once the seeds are harvested, they may be used right away or saved for planting next season. Dry your seeds completely prior to storing them. The drier the seeds are, the longer they will store. Keep the seeds in a closed container such as a sealed, airtight mason jar. Don’t forget to label the contents clearly and date it.

For seeds that will be stored for only a season, place the container in a cool, dark location. The refrigerator is a great place to store seeds. To help ensure the seeds remain dry, you can also place silica gel or 2 tablespoons (29.5 mL.) of powdered milk wrapped in tissue in the bottom of the jar. You can also freeze your seeds. Either place them in an airtight, freezer safe container or toss them into a freezer bag. Most sunflower seeds will last for up to a year when stored in the fridge or freezer. Those stored short term, such as in the pantry, should be used within 2-3 months.

Whatever your reasons for harvesting sunflower seeds, whether as winter feed for the birds or a tasty treat for your family, sunflower harvesting is easy and fun and can create a new fall tradition for you and your family.

How to Harvest & Prepare Sunflower Seeds

Ever harvested your own sunflower seeds? I mostly give my sunflower heads to the chickens and birds to peck at, but you can also harvest and roast sunflower seeds to enjoy them yourself! Here’s how.

Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) are native annual flowers which come in many different colors and patterns. Some reach for the heavens with one thick stem putting all of their energy into a single giant flower. Others spread out with many branches inviting you to pick them so that they can “come again.”

Many single-stem sunflower varieties are really quick to bloom, needing just 60 days from seeding date to reach harvestability.

Isn’t it amazing to think that these giant flower heads start from one little seed?!

About Sunflower Seeds and Oils

Sunflower seeds contain many nutrients and the best seeds come fresh from the flower head. They’re packed with calcium, iron, phosphorus, magnesium and potassium. They are very fragile once they have been removed from their shells, so always purchase them in the shell or from a refrigerated source.

Sunflower oil is one of the few vegetable oils that is fairly stable. I use sunflower oil in my mayonnaise. The truly stable ones come in a dark bottle and are cold-pressed and unrefined. Once opened, the bottle should be refrigerated to avoid rancidity.

When to Harvest Sunflower Seeds

It’s important to be able to recognize when the sunflower seeds are close to harvest. Here are cues:

While you’re waiting for your sunflowers to mature enough to harvest, make sure you protect them from critters. Once you notice the petals wilting, cover the sunflower heads with brown paper bags, fine netting, mesh, perforated plastic bags, or cheesecloth. Use a twist tie or rubber band to secure the bag so the seeds don’t fall out.  

Image credit: Hirurg/Getty

How to Harvest Sunflower Seeds

It’s best to wait and let the seeds dry completely on the stem. Then, just cut the stem a inch below the heads.

But some folks want to beat the critters and dry indoors. In this case, cut the stalks about a foot below the heads when the outer seeds are mature and hang the heads upside down a warm, dry place that is well-ventilated and protected from rodents and insects. Keep the heads covered as described above.

When the seeds are thoroughly dried (after a few weeks), dislodge them by rubbing two heads together, or by rubbing the seeds with your hand or by using a stiff brush. Dislodge them over a big bucket. Allow the seeds to dry overnight on a paper towel.

Eating and Roasting Seeds

Once dried, you can eat the seeds alone, mixed with dried fruit, added to salads, or even used in place of nuts for baking. Store seeds in airtight glass jars in the refrigerator to retain flavor.  

Roast the seeds to enhance their flavor, lightly brown on a cookie sheet in the oven at 300°F for about 15 minutes.  

Seeds for Chicken Feed

I always give seeds heads to my chickens. As the seeds mature, I cut the heads off of the plants and, with a gloved hand, I rub the now dry brown “fuzz” off of the seeds. I then place them where they will dry. This includes my oven that has a pilot light and my picnic table when the sun is on it.

Image: Chickens foraging. Credit: Pixelprof/Getty

Once the back is truly dry, I place them in bags upstairs. These I give to the chickens when it snows. As they refuse to go outside during these storms, I give them some sunflower heads and a few pumpkins or squashes so that they will have something to peck on besides each other.

Sunflowers as Cut Flowers

Sunflowers also make excellent cut flowers. Many times, they do need to be wired in order for their heads to look straight ahead. Getting the wire from a florist, put it right through the thick neck bringing it into the middle then twist both sides down the stem. They generally like a prominent placement if you are going to put them in a mixed bouquet. They definitely have the ability to capture the audience’s attention!

Occasionally, a sunflower will act like it’s on steroids. I guess that’s what happened to this one!

Learn more about how to plant and grow sunflowers. See the Almanac’s Sunflower Growing Guide. 

How to properly harvest sunflowers to increase the harvest in Ukraine in 2023

How to properly harvest sunflowers to increase the harvest in 2023? Harvesting sunflower crops without losses and ensuring the high quality of oily raw materials suitable for the production of sunflower oil is the main task of an agricultural producer.

Summary of the article:

How adverse conditions affect yield and oil content

What are the criteria for gathering the sunflower harvest

What is the Sunflower Sunflower Description before cleaning

Basic conditions for the desktation

Technical component of the proper harvest of the sunflower 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000

How unfavorable conditions affect the yield and oil content

Under unfavorable weather conditions, the seeds of modern highly oily sunflower hybrids, due to physiological and biochemical characteristics, can quickly lose their commercial and seed qualities. Therefore, all activities of the harvesting complex must be organized and carried out in such a way that it becomes possible to obtain high-quality seeds. An important condition that determines the high quality characteristics of the seed material is the collective moisture content. Farms that have drying equipment or will use the services of an elevator can start harvesting at a seed moisture content of 14-16%. It should be taken into account that reliable saving of seeds is ensured when its moisture content is not more than 10%. nine0005

What are the criteria for sunflower harvesting

An important factor in increasing the yield is the correct timing of the harvest. Both too early and too late cleaning will bring significant losses. To decide on the need to start harvesting, the following criteria should be guided.

The main criterion for starting the harvest is seed moisture, which depends on the phase of maturation and weather conditions. The pouring of sunflower seeds ends 34-40 days after the end of the mass flowering of sowing, when the plant has a moisture content of about 25-30%. The maturity of a sunflower is determined by the color of the basket. There are 3 degrees of maturity:

Optimum harvesting time occurs when 20-25% of the total crop is yellow and yellow-brown in color, and the rest of the plants are dry and brown. At this stage, the degree of humidity is reduced to 11-13%, baskets - up to 69-75%, stem - up to 60-70%. By the way, you can buy sunflower seeds from us at an affordable price, harvested from hybrid fields in the optimal time.

What is sunflower desiccation before harvesting

Another important component of yield increases is desiccation. Without the use of intensive technologies for growing crops, it is impossible to achieve an increase in yield, much less improve the quality of products. Desiccation allows you to reach the optimal moisture level before harvest, under adverse weather conditions..

The main requirement for sunflower harvesting is to ensure the maximum collection without loss of seeds and the creation of proper conditions for growing the following crops.

Approaching the choice of harvesting time, you need to know that for 10-15 days after the seeds ripen, the humidity decreases and after 4-6 days it will become 12-16%. Further, there is an intense loss of moisture up to 8%, after which the moisture return will slow down. Reducing the moisture of the biological mass of the plant leads to a decrease in the connection of seeds with the basket, that is, the longer the collection period is, the greater the loss from self-shedding. Especially large losses occur in rainy and windy weather. nine0005

Seed and oil build-up ends 35-40 days after mass flowering. Next comes the physical evaporation of water and economic maturity. Pre-harvest drying of sunflowers with the help of chemicals / desiccation / in the phase of physiological maturity accelerates ripening and dries the seeds, allowing you to start harvesting 8-12 days earlier.

It is known that in plants that have been treated with a desiccant, in the first days of spraying, the relationship between seeds and baskets is higher than in plants that have not been treated. But further, with seed moisture at the level of 6-7%, the bond decreases, and losses from self-shedding increase. Take into account the data and do not treat the entire area at once with the desiccant. nine0005

A decrease in seed moisture leads to an increase in losses not only at the root, but also during the operation of the harvester. They increase especially sharply in plants that have overstayed the harvesting period. It should be taken into account that at a humidity of 12%, the losses do not exceed 2.5%. but already at a humidity of 6%, the losses double.

For the southern regions of our country, the optimal harvest time is the phase at which seed moisture is 13-15%, and for areas with less favorable conditions - 17-18% moisture. nine0005

Basic conditions for desiccation:

  1. It is carried out at the beginning of the basket color change to brown, 11 days before the start of harvesting.

  2. Carried out at 25-30% plant moisture.

  3. Only recommended and proven herbicides and desiccants should be used.

  4. Strictly adhere to the technology of carrying out.

  5. Calculate the application rate correctly. nine0005

  6. Spray in calm and dry weather, preferably in the early morning.

  7. Threshing should be carried out 7-10 days after desiccation and humidity within 12-14%.

Another special feature. Desiccation stops the spread of such diseases as gray and white rot, and other diseases, especially in wet and rainy weather. In cases of epiphytic development of diseases, it is recommended to carry out desiccation at the very beginning of yellowing of the reverse side of the basket and the appearance of the first spots of the disease, but not earlier than when the humidity drops to 40-42%. nine0005

When desiccation is not planned, the optimal harvest time will be the period when 10-15% yellowing is noted in the crop, all other plants are yellow-brown in color and dry. Humidity at this stage is 12-14%.

Desiccation should be carried out using aircraft or sprayers.

The technical component of proper sunflower harvesting

Two more important components that directly affect the increase in yield, which should be paid attention to increase the yield. The timing of the collection of plants is determined by economic and biological factors. When determining the duration of harvesting, one should take into account the cost of seed losses per unit area and the minimum amount of expenses. An important condition for harvesting without significant losses and mechanical damage is the correct configuration of the units, as well as careful preparation of harvesting equipment. Preparation must be carried out in advance, otherwise there is a risk of downtime and, as a result, damage to the crop will be caused. For harvesting, it is correct to use combine harvesters with a drum speed of 280-300 rpm. The use of modern harvesters for harvesting, which provide gentle threshing, highly efficient separation and high-quality cleaning. Otherwise, yield losses can reach 20-25%. nine0005

The right choice of header affects the safety of the crop. The use of special or universal headers is recommended. You can use adapters, special nozzles, for grain headers.

Remember to use low-cut headers and harvesters that are used to harvest ricina to harvest low-growing sunflower varieties and hybrids, lying crops. Their use allows to reduce losses by 2-7 times.

So let's summarize. To increase the yield you need:

  1. Determine the right time to start harvesting.

  2. Apply desiccation if necessary.

  3. When desiccating, adhere to proven technology, terms and use only proven products.

  4. For harvesting, it is important to use only modern equipment. The use of highly efficient combines and headers allows you to increase the yield by 20-25%.

Do you want to get advice or
buy our preparations or sunflower seeds?
Call +38-095-515-41-66, +38-098-101-20-80

terms, methods of harvesting, storage of crops

timely and correctly carried out its cleaning. The properties of seeds and the oil squeezed out of them are influenced by various agrotechnical factors and storage conditions.

When to harvest sunflowers?

There are no exact calendar dates for sunflower harvesting. The warmer the climate, the earlier you have to start harvesting. Its terms depend on the degree of ripening of seeds, the characteristics of the variety and weather conditions.

In the whole country, the optimal period for sunflower harvesting starts in mid-August and lasts until the end of September.

The harvesting time is chosen based on the following factors:

It is important to determine not only the beginning, but also the end date of harvesting - this allows you to avoid losses caused by seed shedding.

How to determine whether the seeds have ripened or not? nine0003

Determining the timing of sunflower harvesting, farmers take into account the degree of seed ripening. When the culture is ripe, you can start harvesting (if the weather is favorable). Experts, determining the readiness of sunflowers for harvesting, pay attention to certain technical parameters.

Signs of ripened seeds:

Sunflower seeds are poured on the 40th day after flowering, when physiological ripeness sets in. When the crop matures, the accumulation of nutrients stops, and the humidity decreases to 20% - this is the stage of economic maturity. nine0005

Seed ripeness levels

Farmers pay attention to seed ripeness before harvesting. It is determined by the moisture content of seeds and baskets.

Maturity stages:

Harvesting starts when most of the plants (from 80%) are in the brown phase. If the seeds are to be stored for long storage, their optimum moisture content is 9-10%.

Delayed harvesting results in 5-8% yield loss. Dried seeds quickly crumble. Birds, rodents, various pests increase the losses.

In the northern regions, the main problem during sunflower harvesting is too much dampness. Seed moisture is 12-14%, but due to weather conditions, harvesting usually begins at a moisture content of 18-22%.

The effect of desiccation

Desiccation is the dehydration of plant tissues by chemical means in order to achieve ripeness as soon as possible and facilitate mechanized harvesting. This agrotechnical event is carried out 5-15 days before harvest.

Desiccation is used on sunflowers in the maturity phase. The main thing is to complete the treatment on time, since too early carrying out significantly reduces the yield, while late desiccation will reduce its effectiveness to zero. nine0005

When sunflower desiccation is used:

Treatment effect:

Conditions for desiccation:

Sunflower is threshed 10 days after desiccation.

Recommended drugs - Edil, Reglon, Magnesium Chlorate, Glyphosate. They are used mainly 2-4 weeks before harvesting.

How to harvest?

Harvests are harvested by Don-1500, Neva, etc. harvesters. They are equipped with headers adapted for cutting baskets located at different heights, including on laid plants. nine0005

The harvester is an agricultural device that expands the capabilities of combines and increases their efficiency.

Recommended technical parameters:

Type of headers:

What to look for when purchasing a sunflower header:

  1. When choosing a tool, consider the dimensions of the combine. Equipment of the required size can not only be bought, but also ordered from the manufacturer. The minimum header width is 4 m.
  2. Equipment is attached to the harvester by means of special flanges. First you need to make sure that they fit the body of the combine.
  3. It is recommended to use headers with hydraulic raise and lower systems. It is adjustable from the combine and greatly simplifies the harvesting process and saves time. The downside is that energy costs are rising.
  4. It is desirable that the header is equipped with a drip tray - this reduces crop losses.

Modern headers allow you to harvest seeds in all areas of the field in a variety of weather conditions. nine0005

The technology of sunflower harvesting is similar to the harvesting of grain crops (wheat, barley, etc.):

  1. The field is mowed and divided into rows. These works are carried out 2-3 days before the appearance of combines on the field.
  2. Organize access roads for vehicles.
  3. Sunflowers are cut with a mounted header.
  4. They burn stubble.

If the sunflower crops are small - within the summer cottage or vegetable garden, you have to use manual tools for harvesting. All of them have the same principle of operation - knocking out sunflower seeds by hitting the basket. nine0005

Hand attachment options:

Harvesting delay

Sunflower harvesting delay is unacceptable, as it leads to significant losses. Given how many nutrients sunflower takes from the soil, it must be grown with maximum benefit - crop losses are unacceptable.

Consequences of belated harvesting:

Seed losses increase by 50-100% in 5 days. After 2 weeks, losses increase by an order of magnitude - 10-12 times. If the sunflower continues to stand idle in the field, the humidity of the aerial parts of plants, including the anthologies, increases - the seeds continue to actively spill out.

Harvesting should be carried out as quickly as possible, the longer it lasts, the greater the losses caused by self-threshing. The drier the seeds, the greater the loss.

If the moisture content of sunflower seeds is 5-6%, losses from shattering, if harvesting is delayed, amount to 80 kg per day per 1 ha. nine0005

How to properly store sunflowers?

Sunflower seeds require special storage conditions. The main problem and danger to the crop is high humidity. With it, the seeds are self-heating, microbes develop extremely quickly in them.

Moreover, this phenomenon develops within a few hours - this happens if you leave clogged raw seeds outside in the heat.

The keeping quality of seeds largely depends on:

In order for the seeds to be well stored, they need not only to create favorable conditions, but also to properly prepare them for it. Seeds are pre-dried and cooled to a temperature of not more than +10 °C. The maximum storage time for sunflower seeds is six months. nine0005

Sunflower seed preparation steps:

  • Screening. Hollow specimens, debris and parts of weeds are removed from the mass collected in the field.
  • Calibration. Seeds are divided into two groups - for seeds and processing.
  • Drying. It prevents rotting of raw materials and increases the shelf life of sunflower seeds.

For the purification of raw materials, ZAV-20 complexes or other similar units are used. They are also subjected to cleaning on secondary and final cleaning systems SVU-5 or SM-4. They are calibrated on pneumatic sorting tables PSS-2.5 and BPSU-3. nine0005

Optimal conditions:

  • 99% purity;
  • humidity - 60%;
  • temperature — minus 25°С;
  • raw material moisture - 7%;
  • permanent room ventilation;
  • the optimum temperature range is +7…+10 °C.

It is impossible to store seeds for a long time in premises unsuitable for this. This causes dampness of raw materials and oil oxidation.

Methods of storage:

  • in mounds up to 1 m high at seed moisture content of 7-8%; nine0062
  • in bags - up to six tiers, with a moisture content of 10%;
  • in ventilated barns.

If sunflower seeds are affected by gray or white rot, harvesting is carried out a little ahead of time and they are necessarily subjected to heat treatment in order to dry the raw material.

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