[Ema]

not sure if this is the right place to post....

The storms blew over my sunflowers, I picked the heads because I wanted to save the seeds and not feed the rats.

The seed heads keep getting mould on them, can I put them in the dehydrator on the lowest setting 35C? or any other tips?

[goodtogrow]

Phew, Ema, 35C sounds hot to me.

It's the sort of temperature that could kill a seed.   Which is why we're told to store seeds in a cool, dry place..
Damp and warm don't go well together, hence fungus.  Air-dried would be best but it's hard to get air which isn't damp at this time of year.  Hairdryer on cold setting?   

[Nobbie]

35c sounds fine to me, they grow in areas that are that hot in summer.

[tosca100]

We live in a sunflower growing area and we had temperatures in the high thirties for weeks this summer. What do you want the seed for? If it's for the birds germination is not an issue.

[diospyros]

It sounds like you have not taken the seeds out of the seed heads - if you did I think it would help to let the air circulate more and stop them going mouldy.

[gavinjconway]

35c sounds fine to me, they grow in areas that are that hot in summer.

Agreed but if the plant is living it will actually be cooler.. Also when the plant starts to dry and harden off the heads are pointing down so not in the sun any more.. I reckon 35 will be too hot. Rather bring them inside and hang them above a radiator to dry out a bit. Then into the garage or dry shed.

[gremlin]

I am saving sunflower seeds this year, as I did last year for the first time. 

Curiously, in both years 99% of the seeds on a dozen heads or so are just hollow shells.  There is no actual seed inside them.  I think the bees could have been a bit lazy

Rather than sort through hundreds of seeds to find and store the few good ones, I have separated and dried the lot and will plant them 20 per pot next spring.    Or maybe just sow them like grass seed and see what happens?

[carlrmj]

I save my sunflower seeds every year .
I cut the heads off at the end of october ,hopefully before they get too wet.
The heads are dried off a bit in the greenhouse,then I scape the seeds from the heads getting rid of damp or mouldy seeds.
These then go into large flower buckets and dried off in the front bedroom by the window sill.
I shake the buckets every few days and remove any that may be mouldy.;
Once they are reasonably dry ,i take them away from the window .
I save the seed fom the tallest sunflower for planting the next year,and the rest for the birds.

[sunshineband]

That's helpful to know carl

I forgot to save any this year and the birds ate them all. I hope I  get a few self sown ones come up

[carlrmj]

Hi Sunshineband, I've got nine  flower buckets of sunflower seeds.

If you want I could send you some seeds..

I started off with nine  Russian Giant seeds and now have thousands ,mainly for the birds, I must have had 50 -60 plants

this year.

[sunshineband]

Thank you. PM on it's way