Planting will always be an interesting activity that you can do. There is a lot of flowers and plants that you can choose for having an incredible garden. You can try to choose sunflower, that can create a better look for your garden. Especially, if you have a lot of spaces and want something new for having great flowers and plants combination. Now, you need to know how to harvest sunflower seeds for the best result.
There is something that you need to know about planting the best sunflower. If you do not understand the methods and everything that you need to have, you will never have the best result. Most people believe that planting sunflowers will need a lot of effort. That is why you need to make sure that everything is in correct ways at least you will never have the best sunflower plant in your garden.
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Understanding the Characteristics of Sunflower
Before you learn more about the sunflower characteristic and the way to harvest, you need to know how this flower growing in your garden. The sunflower will follow the movement of the sun across the sky that would turn their flower. That is why people called sunflowers as heliotropic plants with this characteristic. Their characteristic represents a lot of things, including to give a specific name to this sunflower.
Mostly, sunflower plant is tall, and have tuberous roots with large size. You need to know that some sunflowers could grow over 16 feet in height. That is why a lot of people say if this flower is unique. There are a lot of sunflower varieties today that you can find. With a lot of new development for the small garden such as in a container. That is why you can find a lot of different sunflower varieties.
If you want to have this sunflower plant in your garden, you need to know the soil criteria that can help you to grow the plant. However, you need to understand that you cannot grow sunflower in the waterlogged soil. This means you need to find a good place with balanced water and soil. You need to know if this flower may attract a lot of animals such as bees and birds that must be a problem for your harvest.
Planting Sunflower Methods
1. Choosing the best locations
Before you are expecting for the best result, you need to know that the best locations to plant this sunflower are good soil with direct sunlight. Maybe, you need to choose the best place that can give your flower direct sunlight for almost 6 to 8 hours per day. Which means that sunflower require long and hot summers to flower. it must be easy for you to find the best solutions for how to harvest sunflower seeds.
2. Digging area
Every plant would require you to digging the area. Specifically, for the sunflower, you need to find a well-drained location that could fulfill the requirement. While you are digging the area, you need about 2 to 3 feet for the best result.
3. Deciding the PH
There are a lot of characteristics of the plant that you need to understand. Some may require you to have the best PH for the soil to let them grow faster. For the sunflower, you need to find slightly acidic alkaline soil with PH 6.0 to 7.5 for each of the plant.
4. Spread the seeds and give some spaces
After you have done to decide the best locations, you can try to spread the seeds directly into the soil. You are also required to give them some spaces and row around 30 inches apart.
5. Wait for 5 to 6 weeks
Rationally, you will not be able to wait for your sunflower until its flower. However, you need to be more patient, that you have to wait for 5 to 6 weeks. At the end of the day, you can keep enjoying the result and see the flower blooms.
How to Harvest Sunflower Seeds Properly
1. Let dry the flower
The first step might be to let the flower dry until the head turns brown. You are also required to wait until the seeds look plump and loose.
2. Cutting the head off the plant
You can cut the head off the plant for 6 inches below the flower head.
3. Remove the seeds
You can try to remove the seeds by simply rubbing the head of the sunflower with your hand. You can pull the seeds off the plant, or you can have other alternatives with the use of a fork. This is one of the interesting parts for harvesting the sunflower, many people say it is not easy to remove the seeds. You need to use a bit of your power to remove and enhance the grip.
Planting sunflowers is not a big problem for you. Since you already know the best way for how to harvest sunflower seeds. You only need to prepare for the best soil and temperatures, that can make your sunflower easy to grow.
