Sunflowers advice?

[Henry B]

What is the best way to store Sunflower heads? I have about two dozen in my garden, and would like to put them out for the birds to feed during winter months. thanks in advance , HBrown.

[steve_nova]

Hello Henry and welcome to bird forum.

If you are wanting to store the whole head of seed then the most important thing to remember is to dry the fleshy head behind the seeds thoroughly or botrytis fungus will ravage the whole lot including the seeds.

Cut the head when the seeds are pretty much ripe to the centre (especially so if the damp late summer/autumn mornings start) and place in a warm room on newspaper for a couple of weeks.

Once thoroughly dry, they can be stored somewhere cooler so that the kernels dont shrivel too much over storage. Try not to move them too much or you will be giving the birds loose seed which will defeat the object.

[Tammie]

I don't even try to store the seed. I just leave the flowers as they are and let the birds have them fresh in the yard. It's a pretty amazing sight to behold watching birds go nuts of sunflower heads!

[steve_nova]

Hi Tammie, you of course live in a continental climate that has lovely, crisp and dry Autumns and even drier (and colder) winters. We however live on an island that receives a pretty constant, moist atlantic weather system meaning that the sunflower heads just rot in the damp autumn days. I know because I've tried it and I live on the relatively drier eastern side of the Pennines.

[Tammie]

Think I'll stay here Steve. This climate sounds better to me! ;)

[Beverlybaynes]

I"m lucky like Tammie, I guess. I have a small crop of sunflowers that have sprouted under my feeders from stray seed (hard to believe with all the Mourning Doves around!). One, so far, has produced a fairly large bloom, about 6" across. I looked the other day, and it was already half-eaten! Teehee!!

I"m trying not to help myself to the flowers too much (to take a little sunshine to work) and leave most of them for the birds. But they are irresistible!

[Pen_Gwynne]

Although it is a wondeerful thing to put out seeds for wild birds in winter months please always remember to mix the food supply up
as much as possible as too much of a good thing can kill ....

Pen waddles off to check on his 9 Eastern Rosella carrying on like crazy just outside his front door. If it's my neighbours cat? then how would you guys like it was a prize? easy for me to turn it into a cap. Ooroo

[Pen_Gwynne]

I was also wondering IF? Steve was thee boss of this birdforum on sunflowers advice?

If so do we respectfully rename him?

Steve Boss A. Nova

Penn cha cha's out of here.

[steve_nova]

Thanks Pen, I'll accept any accolade;)

[jayhunter]

Hi Steve I agree entirely with you, even more so, as I live on the western wetter slopes of the Pennines. Maybe not accurately the Pennines but still down the gristone ridge, through the Peak district.

[jayhunter]

Penn maybe you can send me some of the leaves you have dried out and been puffing on!!

[kris]

I don't think my sunflowers will have anything left on them to dry and store.
I noticed today that the sparrows are eating the young seeds as soon as they appear.

[Nina P]

I cut the sunflower heads, when the seed is ripe, on the driest midday or afternoon, then I lay them out on greenhouse staging for a couple of weeks, then I string them up and hang them in the porch complete, and put them out one at a time throughout the winter, by hanging them up, they don't last long so they never get time to moulder. Nina.

[Stonechat2]

STEVE how do i know when my sunflower seeds are totaly ripened

steven

[Michael Frankis]

Hi Stonechat,

When the heads start to look dry and the seeds pull out fairly easily.

Most summers they won't ripen well in Britain at all (they get wet and mouldy in October before they're fully ripe), but this hot summer they'll probably be OK as they should ripen earlier

Michael

[steve_nova]

Ditto!

[Pen_Gwynne]

Steve and all,

Re: Sunflower seeds and many other bird food seeds for that matter.

I watch with interest over the past three decades at the UK's changing climate could this have an influence on the sunflower seed grown there?

Steve does birdforum have much webspace to spare? I just think it might be good and would be beaut to have a single www. location where all the olde skills and tricks that have been used to provide a bird home are now placed on the internet?

Bob I've a burning question for you mate? do you smoke when you make love :^D>>>

Ooroo gang Abba bewt day .... I've got some Ozpost first day covers and wild bird stamp collections as prizes if bribery is needed re: housing on the www of all this planets nest boxes.

Yes Steve I'm whickered and scous~iless when it comes to raising interest in wild birds.

Wild storms here, back on line as soon as poss.

Ooroo and Toodlepip wot wot from Penn

[Geraldine]

Hi Pen
"Sunflower yields have fallen by a quarter across Europe" due to prolonged drought causing drastic changes in agricultural output, especially in Southern Europe, and these changes almost perfectly match predictions of the effects of global warming over the next century.
New Scientist 23rd August Page 5

[Pen_Gwynne]

“The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world's seed problems.”

Mahatma Coat N Jacket

Ma hero too ....