What do I do with them now?

[Pumper]

I have loads of really large sunflowers with lovely big faces.
I grew them at the insistence of my daughter, but now we've got them - and they look really splendid towering above the rest of the site - what can I actually use the seeds for 

[norfolklass]

your local bird population will come and eat the seeds if you leave them.
and you can save some to grow next year.
not sure what else, but loads of people will be along in a bit to offer ideas!

[Jeannine]

Dry them for storage or roasting.


You will need to keep the birds off them till the heads are mature enough to pick.

Put a paper grocery bag over them, change it if it gets wet.

When the round part at the back of the flower head has STARTED to turn yellow, cut the heads off.

Keep these seed heads in a dry place till the round part has turned dark brown.

They are then OK to keep.

To get the seeds out of the heads, rub your palms over them or rub 2 heads together.

To store,pack into cloth bags, don't use plastic bags ot tins or jars, they can mold in these if there is any moisture left in them.

To Roast seeds, spread on a baking tray, bake in noven for n10 minutes or so on 350f, when they start to swell and are cracking they are done. Remove from oven and lightly salt to your tasteThe husks pop off easily now. I shell them as I eat them, I  bite down on the seed on it's edge and the seed pops out , then I discard the husk. They are very tasty, if you like nuts you will like these.

To use in breads, wait until mature and remove from heads, dry further in airing cupboard, when dry enoigh you can pop the seed husks open, they can then be used in baking. You can make sunflower seed brittle, like peanut brittle, and many other things.


XX Jeannine

[Pumper]

Wow, thanks. I didn't think there were so many uses for them  There's me thinking they were just hamster and birdy grub  Certainly didn't think of making bread with them, and definitely not sunflower brittle.

Cheers Jeannine   

[Jeannine]

                              Sweet Cheery Sunflower bread

3 1/2 cups bread flour
the fine grated rind off 1 large orange
1 package  dry yeast
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup orange juice
3 tablespoons honey
2/3 cup shelled sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg


Combine the flour and yeast.
Mix the milk,honey,butter and salt in a small pan and WARM, do not heat 120 max.
Add to  1/2 of the flour, add beaten egg,and orange juice.

Mix  thoroughly, beat  until combined then for a few minutes ( I do use a Kenwood for this)

Stir in the seeds and orange peel, blend in, then work in  the rest of the flour and hand knead if you have no machine until smooth and elastic. This will take about 7 or 8 minutes. I do it to the rhythm  of Rock of Ages, this is about right for kneading speed and makes me feel good..this is optional!!
 The dough should; be a little stiff bit not much, .

Form into a,ball place in a greased bowl turning to grease all sides.

Cover and let rise till doubled.

Shape and put in pan that has been greased,brush top with a bit more butter which you have melted.

 Cover and let rise  till doubled  again .

Bake in 375f oven for about 40 minutes till it is hollow when tapped.

Cover with foil for the last 10 minutes or so of it is getting too brown.

Cool on a wire rack.. , slice, plaster in butter and honey too if you are like me and enjoy XX Jeannine

[saddad]

If the birds/mice/squirrels get a start on them you will probably find some strays coming up all over the place next year!
 

[Pumper]

You can win prizes

I got first prize at the Southcote Gardeners' Assn show yesterday with my very first sunflower, and my very first entry into a competition.

Have a look at this;
http://www.bloox.co.uk/lottie_stuff/

Who's a chuffed little bunny now   

[tilts]

WOW, well done.

[Sparkly]

Ihave just cut the heads of my sunflowers. How long will they take to dry? Are we talking days, weeks or months? I want to keep some for planting and cook with the rest.

[saddad]

Well done Pumper... I hadn't seen that ref to your success!
 

[antipodes]

I brought back this sunflower thread to say "I harvested my sunflowers"!!! and to ask a question. I think I got a bit carried away actually, they are bl***y enormous! I have about 12 kilos of heads! (A farmer the other day told me you get 1 litre or oil from 4 kilos of seed).
Anyway got them home (puff pant) and wrapped them in newspaper baggie-type setup and hung them to dry.
My question is:

1) do you really need to roast them to hull them?? I had understood that they can also just be dried.

and secondly:

HOW DO I GET THE HULLS OFF!  There will be hundreds of seeds! surely there is a slightly mechanical way of doing it?? because if I have to sit and do them all by hand I will be fit for locking up before the end!
Any handy sunflower people out there??

[Pumper]

I dried mine by wrapping them in newspaper and putting them in the airing cupboard. They're dry alright, but the seeds themselves are empty. Just the white skin with nothing inside 

I do have several more still on the plant, but I think I may have chopped the big ones down way too soon before they developed properly.   

[kenkew]

My question is:

HOW DO I GET THE HULLS OFF!  There will be hundreds of seeds! surely there is a slightly mechanical way of doing it?? because if I have to sit and do them all by hand I will be fit for locking up before the end!
Any handy sunflower people out there??

Only way I can think of is to put a pile in the bottom of the budgie cage and wait until the budgie opens one then grab it...do this for all of them but let the budgie have the odd one or two to keep him at it.