Drying Sunflower Heads How an Amish Farmer Taught Me

[@philharris6472]

the small individual flowers attached to the seeds can be saved and used for teas! They have a really lovely light flavour with chamomile and lavender.

[@lcogan65]

Oh I wish I had seen this comment earlier today. I just harvested a bunch of large heads and I did not save the flowers. As I was watching this video I wondered if something could be done with those. Oh well, I’ll save the rest and I’ll know for next year. Thank you.

[@zahriivoorhees3498]

So glad I found this!! Wish I'd have grown sunflowers this year LOL

[@Charissewebster]

@@lcogan65 mmm Mm me

[@Charissewebster]

@@lcogan65 ppppmmpmmmmmm

[@Charissewebster]

@@lcogan65 Ok Popmpo Pm Pump Mop P Mapp P Oh P P P Pmlmpomm

[@bwayne40004]

This episode made me feel good as I used to raise large headed sunflowers for the Farmers Market. I did exactly the same thing, cutting about 18” of stalk so people could hang them as a natural bird feeder. Always sold out.

[@geargriden19]

That's awesome!! Mind sharing how much you sold them for?

[@bwayne40004]

@@geargriden19 I sold these around 10, 12 years ago so my memory is a little hazy now. I think it was $2 per head.

[@nellythree]

Quality idea that would work even now days👏🏽

[@forevergogo]

So much more respect for those 50 cent bags of BBQ Sunflower Seeds.

[@CandiRayne16]

Exactly!!!!!

[@territ.5357]

😅🤣 For real

[@carpentryfirst3048]

The dill pickle is my jam but always F's my tongue up after eating an entire bag in a day

[@candaceelder1289]

Yes!

[@candaceelder1289]

@@carpentryfirst3048 yes!

[@jumpoffa5011]

Luke the only thing I would add to what you are doing is to put a paper bag around the heads so that if any seeds fall of the heads it will be captured by the bag. It keeps everything from becoming a mess. :-)

[@Kwillskorner]

Never appologize for sharing a nugget of knowledge. Appreciate you passing down the wisdom you were given! Take care and look forward to your future videos.

[@deborahstegall6651]

Thank you. Great info .

[@sherry2836]

I grew Mammoths kind of close to the house. The biggest grew over 10 ft tall; the dried head was over 14 inches across with a 3" thick stalk and the seeds were huge! The squirrels would jump from the roof onto the stalk, climb onto other stalks and actually chew thru the stems and carry off whole sunflower heads! No obstacles for a hungry squirrel.

[@tropicalco2339]

Just eat the squirrels

[@stevengonzalez27]

Sherry 2 You made laugh alright as I pictured it in my mind.... would make a great cartoon story for kids to watch.

[@indypolis8527]

I grew a row of 10 along a stockade fence this year and the heads were bitten off one by one (1 daily for dinner) by squirrels

[@katiekawaii]

I would pay a million dollars to see a video of that.

[@sherry2836]

@@katiekawaii Yes, it was pretty entertaining until I actually saw the bugger carry off a flower head. As I was trying to save the seeds to dry I was not happy. Wish I had made a video of it; I could use a million!

[@suecampbell4811]

We grew sunflowers for the first time and were awaiting the heads to turn brown - thanks to you we now know to go out and clip them and hang them indoors. THANK YOU for teaching us about this!!! This was WONDERFUL!

[@Miss449686]

Sunflowers are my favorite -- they make me smile when they are blooming, and the birds love the seeds in the winter.

[@robynschofer]

Thank you so much. I am sorry your sunflowers were pillaged but I believe, when you are trying to teach and encourage others to garden, it is good to see this and to hear your positive response to the squirrels ravaging your sunflowers. When we watch most of these shows, they do not show these hardships so when we have them at home we become disenfranchised with gardening. Now, we see that you have these problems too and how you handle it.

[@donnabrooks1173]

The animals have to eat too. They're not going to look elsewhere with an opportunity right in front of them. Just like people wouldn't miss a free buffet, they won't either. We need to help them out a little.

[@joanies6778]

This year I had sunflower seeds all over from a bird feeder and I just let them grow. Slugs got a lot of them in the seedling stage, but quite a few grew to maturity. So many varieties grew and the bees just love them. I will cut the big ones down and dry them inside, but leave enough for the birds and squirrels, since there are so many.

[@BoldlyGrowHomestead]

I was only growing Lemon Queens but I covered them with a reusable mesh produce bag and seemed to do the trick to protect them.

[@denise8791]

Smart!!

[@brandywineblue]

Thank you Luke for sharing your childhood. What a blessing - time with Grandma and Grandpa and the good Mennonite folk.

[@pattybender6641]

Hi Luke! I'm in Oregon and I wondered if sometime you could demonstrate how to sharpen various garden tools ie!: Shovel, pruners trowel, etc. Thank you! I love your show, I've been watching for a couple of years now! I've also joined the Facebook group and purchased seeds from migardener as well. Keep up the good work! 🌱

[@kevinmcdermott4902]

Squirrels got most of my sunflowers this year. Caught them red handed tearing off the heads of all of them. Luckily I was able to salvage half a sunflower head! Wish I had seen this video a few weeks ago

[@tropicalco2339]

Eat the squirrels. You'll be glad you did

[@hopeking3588]

Yellow birds got mine one year.i think carries.they were yellow

[@averagesavage8367]

You mean white-handed. Yall stole our land, put us on reservations, try to take what we have left, and call us thieves?? Gtfoh

[@doloresreynolds8145]

@@averagesavage8367 I thought maybe the Red Squirrels were cleverer.

[@averagesavage8367]

@@doloresreynolds8145 quite honestly, I'm partial to flying squirrels

[@themacduckies]

My daughter made a really cool walking stick from a Mammoth Sunflower that I grew last year.

[@justinhendrickson]

How did she keep the stock from collapsing?

[@themacduckies]

@@justinhendrickson She sanded it, then applied wood glue ending with painting it. It's held up for 1 1/2 years of cosplay so far. :-)

[@kathyjordan3922]

​@@justinhendrickson. We are going to keep our stalks for other purposes this time. I saw a man try to break a dry one over his thigh. It was nit breakable.

[@destinycoach5]

Funny you apologized for this being so short and yet it was my favorite episode. I'm SO GRATEFUL to know this about sunflowers cuz I've lost all of the early heads. So I want to salvage something this year!!! I thought we had to wait till they were dry

[@luke_fabis]

Fun fact: all tender parts of sunflower plants are edible, and no part is known to be toxic. Leaves, sprouts, and young shoots are good to eat.

[@pompe221]

The rabbits in my yard have discovered this . . . . :/

[@dovelady3am815]

I dried leaves for tea. Rich in calcium, anti fever, excellent for digestive issues... I expect to use it as an additive to regular teas.❤

[@court2379]

Define "good"...

[@Doxymeister]

I used to get "Jerusalem Artichokes" at the grocer, and was surprised to learn they are actually a type of sunflower root. Very tasty, and low carbohydrate (excellent for my Mom who is diabetic) I liked to scrub them clean and eat them raw. Can't get them anymore, not sure why our local grocers have stopped stocking them.

[@carolv8450]

DachshundsRule / can you grow them?

[@Donna_G]

I grow sunflowers specifically for the pollinators and the birds. It's been a long time since I've grown sunflowers for my own consumption. The last time I did, I found little worms inside the shells. I didn't eat any of the other seeds once I found the worms. I figure if the birds find worms in the shells, they would just eat them.

[@moeblar3154]

Donna G You can put them in one of those Lil’ Tyke turtle sandbox and when your ready just rub the seeds off the sunflower right back into the sandbox. Then, take some for yourself and open the sandbox and the squirrels can help themselves. Also, if you grow different types of 🌻 you will see little yellow birds that match your flowers. Oh yeah, I forgot, and sandbox should be in the sun.

[@oscarzezatti5735]

Same here! I grew them for the first time this year for birds and bees. I'm so happy to see so many different types of bees visit my garden and the most beautiful yellow birds. HOWEVER, hearing that raccoons and mice will eat the sunflowers has FREAKED me out!

[@waldoman7]

That's a huge nope for me

[@Kate98755]

i grow them for birds, bees and squirrels, i'm allergic to seeds....i'll leave the little heads in the squirrel feeder, they probably are really happy to find them

[@Tehstool]

So the guy who taught you is an aMIshgardener?

[@Oregonmac]

Tehstool I laughed way to hard at this 😂😂🙌🏻

[@heidimarchant5438]

@@Oregonmac me too😂

[@CustomGardenSolutions]

Pretty clever😎😎😎

[@reallyallgone]

But he somehow can't remember his name? Sounds like a made up story tbh

[@will16320]

*slow clap*

[@theoneandonly1158]

When an Amish tells you something about agriculture... You listen.

[@utharkruna1116]

That's why I'm watching this video.

[@redhedhik-chik2510]

You would be surprised how interested they may be about erosion, fertilizing and herbicide information. I convinced our Amish neighbors to stop over tilling their soil. Also, they were not aware of the health risks of chemicals.

[@mfun503]

They probably learned it from the natives who grew them originally.

[@DIRT_CLOD_BOB]

What is the variety please? I would love to buy some.

[@MrJesusHKrist]

I gave them my phone number and they haven't called yet so I can't listen

[@lechatbotte.]

I love growing sunflowers. Nothing geeky, you grew them for you. Animals are opportunists. I grew extra because they are lol.

[@tinamariegregory3130]

My grand parents raised 10 children ( in Rochester , Michigan) and kept gardens and such , they ALWAYS had sunflowers. Many things were "put up in the cellar". I have no doubt the kids enjoyed these through the winter.

[@DawnieGTheBeekeeper]

I'm in Rochester Hills... since 1969.

[@tracieandthecrazyturtle477]

I have never seen an albino sunflower before. Mind blown 🤯

[@rachelhall4808]

I thought that was very cool too!!

[@heleavesthe99]

@@tff8514 Lol!!!

[@joequillun7790]

I have a huge flower(s), laying in my sunroom, loaded with these type of seeds. I was under the impression I picked it/them too early, and it's just un-matured. (?) can I use these seeds for next growing season?

[@mtpocketswoodenickle2637]

@@joequillun7790 If the back of the heads turned a creamy yellow color, and you could brush the petals off and visibly see the seeds, I'd say yes. Keep them dry though and after a month or so scratch the seeds out onto sheets of newspaper to ensure drying and store in a sealed container. I put mine in the basement where it's cool but you can refrigerate them as well.

[@joequillun7790]

@@mtpocketswoodenickle2637 No, my flower heads were still green, when I picked them. But the seeds have shells, with the true seed inside. But they're all white, no hard black or striped shell. Do you think these seeds will grow next season, if planted? Thanks.

[@kathiegemmell7319]

I am learning SO much from you that I plan to try in next year's garden for seniors here in SE Wisconsin. All the beds are raised and some, like mine are made so the person can sit on a rollator or in a wheelchair to garden. I am having such fun! THX

[@adelineparinduri]

Perfect timing Luke! I just cut my sunflowers last weekend as we got hit by a snowstorm here in Southern Alberta. My son insisted me to cut them down when it hit so I did. And happy to see this video to help me harvest the seeds for next year (and give some for the birds!) Thank you! God bless you

[@Celtress]

Grew 2 sunflowers for the first time, and am pleased to see your video on how to save the seeds! Thank you.

[@ricolopez4258]

i would love to grow 10 of those giant sunflowers each year here in the arizona desert. Your videos give me the confidence to garden, my thumb is turning green!

[@NewsChannel-y4g]

you could just give em about a cup of water a day and they will live

[@NewsChannel-y4g]

they might even live on their own but keeping the soil moist wont hurt

[@hangemhigh3578]

They love composted dirt in AZ. Mine are 9ft.

[@k.c.sunshine1934]

Perfect timing for this video! Just what I needed here in Calgary, Canada. Our sunflower heads must mature about the same time as in your location.

[@marycleveland540]

I've seen farmers tie paper grocery bags around the drooping heads to stop the birds and also to catch the seeds as they dry and naturally fall off. Don't know if that would stop a squirrel or mouse or affect the drying of the seed.

[@heidimarchant5438]

Idk how they do that because I tried it once and they turned moldy, they must have a certain technique and perfect timing.

[@stevengonzalez27]

Heidi Marchant Maybe try an onion bag around the heads to hide the seeds from critters.

[@patrickhunt6350]

the paper bag is used to hold any seeds that drop off after the head started to mature and when there is going to be high heat with no rain. Plant has to be standing and not for a long time as this will limit the air flow, but will help with some birds if they do not know the head is ripe yet.

[@DonnaKohl458]

Tulle works with any vegetable plants too.

[@alanvillanueva2445]

Dude. I really really enjoyed the information. I was literally looking for an explanation of why people did this. I saw it on a trip to the mountains of Mexico, an older lady that didn’t speak Spanish (like myself, so I couldn’t ask) had them like this hanging inside her home (she was a homesteader). I just remember the translator saying that she had harvested them for later. It never made sense until now. That area has a large variety of rodent wildlife, bats (which the hunt and eat), among other animals. Literally subscribed to you now! Have a great day!

[@marinesmelowe80]

Luke, I just got finished reading your book, "The Autopilot Garden" and it was a good book. I learned so many new things like Core Gardening, micronutrients and even woodchips and thier differences. I couldnt put your book down. I love the note section in the back, its surely going to help me get my garden on the autopilot stages.

[@brendakaye34]

Excellent video! Thank you! Also wanted to let you know that I did an order of 99 cent seed packets from you and every single seed sprouted and grew for us! I'm not a great gardener, but having great seeds sure helps! Brilliant marketing technique on your end and excellent product! Happy customers are what makes business happen! You rock!

[@sjr7822]

I grow sunflowers for the birds. But, those I save for seed I have made a bonnet from thin material to put over the heads

[@sbarr10]

I actually like to grow the sunflowers for birds and squirrels. I dry the heads on my back porch then lay out the heads in the front yard late autumn / early winter. I got a kick noticing that "somebody" dragged one large head to the base of our maple tree, and I was pleased to see the heads were mostly emptied out.

[@TheRahsoft]

I do this method of drying( my mammoth sunzillas ) by hanging in the garage, but sometimes i do get mould on them. When that happens I will save what seeds i can and dry indoors. I didn't know that they are ready when they start to droop ( I thought that was the weight of the heads). I also cut the whole plant stems as a record of growth for that years, which means I can see that they have been growing taller and taller each year ( they are now 2 metres plus for me)

[@blackietorres6024]

I got some from Chicago and my granddaughter wanted to bring them back to Phila so now thanks to you we will be growing our seeds to see them grow. Thank you

[@StaceyHerewegrowagain]

Those are awesome sunflower heads!! So many seeds inside to save and plant in the future. I love how productive sunflowers are! I can't wait to grow my own seeds so I can put them in the bird feeders around my house.

[@echognomecal6742]

I have my very 1st sunflower plant & it has several blooms. Very glad to have this info as well as that from several comments. What a pleasant viewer community! He seems like a nice young man :)

[@growyourhappiness2207]

Thank you so much for this. I've just planted my sunflowers (I'm in the Southern Hemisphere) and it's my first time growing them so I hope they go okay. I will keep this in mind for when I'm saving seeds in six months' time.

[@stevenspencer9104]

Well brother, i must tell you. Not only did I thoroughly enjoy your childhood story, but I really got a lot of value out of the knowledge you gave me to store or dry out my sunflower seeds after this coming season. My wife buys a lot of birdseed, the oil sunflower seeds you know. So I intend on drying a good many heads out with this old Amish method. Thanks to you my brother. That’s a lot of talk you know, we will see what happens. I can only do my best. God bless you and thank you very much.

[@ridertho2026]

Every time he rubs his hands across the sunflower seeds it gives me chills.

[@cupofjae]

Squirrels are so crafty! Gosh, but I still don't think this will deter me from growing sunflowers. They are so beautiful! What a lovely video and I loved hearing about you living near a Mennonite community!

[@danniellaboling3890]

It feels like October here! My mom and I were just taking about this subject. Glad to have a video to share with her

[@annCRP]

I have been saving seeds for a long time and yes I also thought the sunflower heads needed to dry on the plant... I thank you for the info now I can collect and save enough to eat, share and regrow!

[@LindaB651]

I like seeing the little goldfinches in my yard, perched on the upright heads, but the squirrels are driving me crazy! My basement is a mess right now too, so I feel ya'! Never seen that method of drying. I refrigerate my sunflower seeds in the veg drawer, just in case there are little worms or their eggs present.

[@stevengonzalez27]

Linda Bealer Squirrels and other rodents go away if you apply rodent repelling sound videos from youtube. Really good, some better then others. Don't always use the exact same as critters wise up to it. Also see rodent repelling odors.

[@melissakarner6707]

Finally! I thought you had to leave them in the ground until totally dry. Game changer. Thanks for sharing.

[@heidimarchant5438]

Everyone everywhere today is talking about how hot it is while I'm freezing my buns of in 30F snowy weather in Wyoming 🌨🌬burr.

[@bwayne40004]

It was a pretty steady 95, 96 on the drive home yesterday. I did hit a stretch of 98 for a few minutes. Snapped a pic of that one to message friends.

[@carlbailey1301]

Heidi Marchant... you don’t need sunflowers, you need a haul! Lol

[@NotSoCrazyNinja]

I'm not even all that far in the southeast and it hit 98 degrees the other day. It has been in the mid-90s every day for about a week. I don't think summer wants to leave us, but I fear when winter does hit, it will hit hard.

[@SuperManning11]

Meanwhile, in Palm Springs, where it is usually one of the hottest spots in the country, we are unseasonably cool with daytime highs not even reaching 90. It's an upside-down world!

[@BigDaddy-vr2ut]

Heidi Marchant , that’s right the way out west got slaughtered with 3 -4 feet of snow! How much you get out there? It was about 90 out today in NC .. good luck out there! Keep warm!

[@priscilla4221]

That's very nice of you to talk about your grandparents and your family. You kind of remind me of Tim Mackie

[@rebeccadominguiano3626]

This is awesome!! I have always hand picked them out and waited until they were dried outside on the stalk too! Thank you!

[@bolm9304]

It looks like you and the critters both are in love with the albino sunflowers, hope next year you get to it before they do.

[@amandamilobooks]

I wish we'd learned this years ago--we've been making netting bags and tying them over the sunflower heads. Mice and whatnot will chew through the netting to get to the seeds though, so it's not terribly effective. Thanks so much for sharing this technique, how cool! =D

[@nancynesytofreske]

Glad to know that the heads are ready to harvest when the flowers fall off easily. I've been waiting too long!

[@myxinautix8320]

I wish I had known this earlier! I thought the heads had to be very dry before picking. Because I left them on the stalk, they were attacked by stinkbugs! (Further, I ended up burning them all trying to roast the seeds -- saved my seed stock for next year first, but this year was a bust.)

[@ellia0david]

I was just wondering what to do with my sunflower, and it is huge about 12 feet tall like yours!!!! It’s so cute too, because my daughter grew it in kindergarten and we planted it in our garden. And eager to teach her about seeds. Big thank you again for a great video!!

[@hangemhigh3578]

The record is 30 ft tall in Germany. Thats impressive.

[@YT_GrantGotYou]

Had no idea the seeds were behind those pedals. All the seeds I've wasted ):

[@AtlantaTerry]

"petals"

[@joequillun7790]

I like a "heavy" pedal, myself. :)

[@pamelaslason1720]

Hahaha 😄 I'd been complaining that my sunflowers didn't have Any Seeds! I cut them down because they were drooping & (almost threw them out) when I found, by Accident, all those seeds!! ☺ Glad to see I'm not alone in understanding the sunflower...😉

[@Cheylan8803]

@@pamelaslason1720 I threw mine out one year as I too did not know. I thought it just failed to produce. I only learned where the seeds were a couple months ago from watching homestead vids. I'm thinking there are tons pf people who do not know.

[@samshublom8761]

9:50 ... "Our shed does no have any rafters..." he said, while he had his hand on a rafter. If you hung those up in the basement, you were hanging them from a joist. All that being said, this video was very helpful and answered the questions I had about drying seed for replanting. Thanks for posting.

[@MS-mp9om]

Your wife started following my Instagram account, I feel so official now! That was only a week after I found your channel (also a MI gardener) - hello synchronicity!

[@jennajohnson3571]

We got frost early in the forest for 3 days now ! Just collected my sunflowers heads ! SO THIS IS PERFECT TIMING !!

[@Mrs.LadeyBug]

Mennonite here. I almost guarantee the old farmer’s name was either Jake, Henry, or John. :)

[@Mrs.LadeyBug]

In fact, my friend’s name is Henry John… that was off the charts for creativity!

[@paulriggall8370]

Absolutely fascinating. I came across an albino sunflower with loads of seeds yesterday, I’ll go back and grab em! Thanks for this informative video.

[@timelmore2]

You must have recorded this afternoon. Stratford Ontario had this exact same weather.

[@risennation1239]

Befire noon. It started raining early on the first.

[@PBarrPrince]

I grew mammoth sunflowers this year... The first sunflowers I've ever grown. I enjoyed them a much! Their fast rate of growth, the showy flowers and the edible results make them fun. I put mine in paper bags before I hung them. Of course, who can say better than the Amish? I think I'll try both ways and see if the results are different...I still have sunflowers to harvest soon. I actually had quadruple headed sunflower! It was a sunflower I saved after it's stem was broken partly when it was young. The bandage worked but the sunflower only got about 3 ft. tall. The blooms didn't produce any full grown seeds, darn it. I have another couple of sunflower with double heads. Thank you for your video. I loved the history and information you provided. Good job.

[@ITZChaletzos]

Messy basement is code for growing weed 😂

[@NolongeraPissedoffAmerican1159]

Haaaa...well, he IS in Michigan, right?

[@NewsChannel-y4g]

hahahhah nice catch

[@jayw1239]

If that's so... Then my basement is a disaster

[@JLMISR]

🤣🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂😂😆😆😆😆😅😅😅😅😅😅

[@zaiville]

I watched two other videos and I didn’t learn how to preserve leafs. Awesome. Thanks. Credit to you and your Amish friend.

[@Riggersons]

I think there's also an issue that sunflower seed shells contain a chemical that can hinder growth of other plants.

[@supermaniac5]

Thank you for this information. We’re growing sunflowers for the first time this year. They are magnificent! So much fun to watch grow. The Bumble Bees love them. 🐝🌻

[@darlenemcswine6418]

I tried to harvest sunflower seeds this year but I had maggots eat right through the center of the seeds. How do you prevent that?

[@irlgregpaul1468]

Darlene McSwine Same thing here :( I only got to harvest the seeds from one flower.

[@ICanHazPunk]

maybe humidity was a problem, was the flower constantly wet?

[@dinkusstinkus4396]

The maggots are more nutritious than the seeds anyways

[@darlenemcswine6418]

ICanHazPunk I don’t think so

[@patrickhunt6350]

After harvest, spray with a soap water mixture. the soap will kill bugs. Make sure to check on your heads and peel back the outer petals. Also put pantyhose over your sun-flour early to prevent birds and bugs getting in.

[@SkiesofBlue4u]

Good to know, thank you Luke! I'm in NZ and find the Amish stories very interesting, look forward to more. Will be planting some sunflower seeds soon, yay spring!

[@redpanda_ann]

This is the only way I’ve ever done this since I was little. My mom was from Maryland wonder if she learned it the same way you did

[@kenbellchambers4577]

I didn't know about brushing off the dead flowers. That surely must be important for reducing hiding places for pests, mold and so on. Thanks for sharing.

[@elyselower6702]

I was hoping for this video when you did your last sunflower video.

[@tms2568]

I planted about half dozen varieties of SF this year and thanks to your advice I’ll be saving lots of seeds. One trick I am trying is writing the variety name right on the back of the flower head in permanent marker as soon as picked so I know which is which once they dry. Hopefully it works. I suppose putting some sort of tag labels on them would work too.

[@TheNeeenha]

Squirrels get mine way before they are ready...last 2 years....I think there more critters in the city than the country

[@lpah2u]

Seems that I grow mine for the squirrels!

[@sandradelvecchio6894]

mister clean the two that skitter along my fence top will be lunch if our meat supplies ever become critical. Especially if they eat my sunflower heads

[@surendersingal9122]

Awesome explanation on this mighty flower head ( drying technique) which is full of oil n food for all.

[@aprilgarrahan3245]

Lol at "so you don't have to see my mess" everybody lives in their own persona space and a mess is always created.

[@CrystalMendoza05]

I think a ‘messy basement’ is a reference to an indoor marijuana grow not an actual mess.

[@alexalestareon695]

85 degrees?!?!?! That sounds amazing. Here in Texas it doesn’t get much cooler until late December.

[@deborah_chrysoprase]

HEYYYY HEYYYY HEEYYYYYY WHAT I TELL YA'LL BOUT COMIN IN MY SHED?!

[@candaceelder1289]

It was so satisfying seeing those flowers be scraped off the sunflower head so easily!

[@aldenheterodyne2833]

This is the second video of yours I've seen. Constructive criticism: brevity is the soul of wit. You vamp, please say things only once. But your information is good and you tend to talk about things that I don't know about. Subscribed.

[@amyb5339]

This is so timely. All my big fellas are bending over and ready to bring in! Thanks Luke!

[@braydenmartin7669]

You're right, it does feel like August . It's so hot and humid outside. Even in NC

[@cindigos]

I live in Asheville NC

[@eddiespencer1]

We've got snow in the forecast later this week here in Maine. I hear Minnesota has already had several inches of snow in some places.

[@ecocentrichomestead6783]

Weather whiplash I guess. Some people complaining about the heat and some are complaining about the cold. Been average here since middle of January.

[@THEGROWITS]

going to be 90 hear in eastern NC tomorrow. what is snow?

[@Here_Today_]

Spokane, WA had about 4-6" snow on their hills this weekend. Not quite summer, but it was reminiscent of a spring day when the sun came out.

[@marvinbrock960]

My thumbs are still sore! Rubbing the seeds from 1/2 dozen mammoth heads… getting reading to roast and bag. 👍🏻

[@MyQuaintCottage]

Very interesting varieties. Great technique and love the story. 🤗

[@Tiffany-wj4tq]

I absolutely love growing sunflowers. I just grow them for joy. They are so beautiful. They make me feel happy to be alive. When I lived in Alabama I started to grow them as a sacrifice crop (trap crop or whatever you want to call it.) We literally had so many leaf-footed bugs. They would get all over your tomato plants. There was really no organic way to get rid of them because there are so many. After growing sunflowers for joy, I decided to grow lots and lots of them because I realized the leaf-footed bugs love the sunflowers the most. So if I had a lot of sunflowers the bugs would spend their time mostly in the sunflowers and leave other stuff alone. Plus they draw in tons of pollenators. After the sunflower head droops you wait for the back of it to start yellowing and then we would cut it like you do and stick the heads on the fence to dry. I would either leave them there for the birds to have or harvest some of the seeds for myself. We always seaded the heads with a table spoon.

[@deniwest57]

Actually, mice and chipmunks will scurry right across the rafters and down the string no problem whatsoever.

[@devoonnnn]

I purchased some MIGardener mammoth and autumn sunflower seeds this year and I also live in MI. I have the most beautiful sunflowers and all the neighbors enjoy them too! I saved at least a pound of seeds from just one mammoth head so far! I can’t wait to plant even more next year

[@MarielasSister]

So... if the seeds are viable as soon as the flower droops, does that mean I can plant the seeds right away if I'm in an area where I don't get a frost? Or do I still have to dry them out before planting?

[@lakiva743]

I’m curious about this too!

[@MarielasSister]

@e causey thank you so much for your reply. This will be helpful to some of us inexperienced gardeners.

[@markrodgers1965]

Yes %100

[@kristinem9171]

Maybe if they're cold stratified? I've never seen a sunflower seed create a seed same year, my guess would be popping them in th fridge or freezer might get the results you're hoping for

[@kylemurphy8814]

Thank you! I saw this just in time. My sunflowers are definitely ready to be clipped and hung. I had tried putting bags around them to protect them but your method is much wiser. Thank you! My wife and I aren't far from your store (we are in Macomb Township). Looking forward to having our entire garden from your seeds as the seasons go on. Garlic will be next on our list!!

[@mccarthykane3960]

My tribe of cats protects my sunflowers.

[@mccarthykane3960]

@Citation Needed Mine are too fat and lazy to hunt birds. They frighten off critters that would go after my sunflowers. Occasionally, but they catch a mouse.

[@tomsinsky5548]

My awesome young cat from next door spends hours in our yard. This week I saw him jump up and catch a flying finch in his mouth mid air. Then he jogged home to show off this trophy.

[@petuniafuzz9083]

My Mom grew monster sunflowers specifically for the birds. We could watch them from the breakfast table. It was special to see all the colorful birds. She would hack them off when they got droopy and stuck them in the chain link fence. The show carried on.

[@FortNite-jz1wj]

This video was so interesting. I loved hearing about the mennonite farmer. Thank you!

[@melinda6024]

If you have extra seedlings, the leaves can be eaten raw as a salad, mixed with other greens OR they can be sauted or stirfried. they taste nutty like the seeds. Bon Apetit !

[@krustysurfer]

Squirrels decimated my giant sunflower heads, I managed to save one, hopefully the seeds will be viable. thanks for the tip. aloha

[@rubyewiggins4926]

Are you in Maui,? I'm a gardener here in the Houston area of Texas and am going to Maui in November. Would like to talk to you about your gardening when I come there if you're in Maui and would like to tell me how you garden there

[@Crazychickenlady448]

I love sunflowers, they bring such joy! I don't mind sharing a little with the local wildlife. 😊

[@theaorwell4197]

Oh my gosh. Nov 1st frost. We had our first frost ... Almost two weeks ago.

[@shannong979]

What region do you live in? I'm in Texas and it's still mid 90s here. Low is only in the 70s! We haven't had rain for weeks.

[@theaorwell4197]

@@shannong979 I'm in Alaska. It was a small 'flute frost' we normally don't see ours still early October. But September isn't unusual. Or growing season is shorter up here. Oh my 90's? I would be dying! XD

[@heidiengan4770]

Great story thanks for sharing. I have lost in the past my sunflower heads because of so much rain. Now after watching I think I could have picked them earlier.

[@samuelclark1777]

The is Luke. This is actually something I was wondering about yesterday as I looked up at my own mammoth. I wish I could post a pic to you but it is easily as large as your beauty.

[@crazy8skml]

I bought sunflower seeds from you last year. Planted them this year and WOW! Those things got over 12 feet tall. Saving some seeds for next year. ❤

[@mouselord999]

“The next Frost is 30 days away” Frost-10 days later “oh yeah?”

[@trishbrown3285]

This was so helpful. I planted a sunflower garden this year with 3 varieties of sunflowers and they just finished their season and I couldn't figure out what to do with them. I didn't see any seeds and wondered what the next step was to get to them! Now I know and I have a shed they will be hanging in. Thanks so much