
How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Sunflowers
Just one ounce of sunflower seeds contains about 6 grams of protein and 14 grams of oils. The fats are almost entirely unsaturated with 9g of polyunsaturated and 3g of monounsaturated fats per ounce (NSA). The oil is high in linoleic acid and is a good source of vitamin E.
- Some varieties produce small black seeds that are used in cooking oil, margarine, cosmetics, and animal feed; they are the best sunflower seeds for attracting the greatest variety of songbirds.
- The bigger, striped seeds are grown for snacking and as an ingredient in bread and health foods. They, too, are used for feeding birds, especially larger species, such as jays and mourning doves.
How to Roast Sunflower Seeds
Re-soak seeds overnight in salted water. Run through a strainer and dry on a layer of paper towels.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes at 325 degrees on a baking sheet. Seeds should be spread out in a single layer. Stir frequently during the baking and remove seeds when they look slightly browned. Don’t burn!
That’s it! You can all some olive oil, salt, spices to your roasted seeds if you wish.
Or, you can also make suet cakes for the winter birds! See how to make suet.
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I have a "surprise" Sunflower coming up in my front yard perennial garden! It's right in a corner front of the space. There will be nothing to tie it to or brace it if it gets tall. Should I try and move it? It's about 2' tall now! (we thought it was a weed)
Well, it can not be that bad a spot if it grew there. You do not give your location but it may not matter: this late in the summer season it is not a good idea to move it and, effectively, ask it to start all over again. It may be a small variety and not get much taller anyway. Just enjoy it while it lasts and try to retrieve and save some of its seeds so you can plant it where you want it next year! (Pls understand that there is no guarantee that it will reproduce because you do not know if it is a hybrid or an heirloom.)
I had three large sunflowers blow over in a storm. It seems the stems were weakened by some type of worm or bore that was eating at the stem. Is this a common problem with sunflowers? Is there a preventative measure I might take?
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This is a common problem brought on by, for one, the sunflower stem borer, aka the soybean stem borer. There is also a weevil. And maybe a couple more.
Here is some advice about these various pests, as there is no easy answer/solution:
• https://extension.sdstate.edu/dectes-stem-borer-adults-active-sunflower
• https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/insects/sunflower-stem-weevil-management-5-585/
We hope this helps.
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