[my4fireflies]

Such a rudimentary question....but this is my first year with a garden....so here's the dumb question if the day: should I still be watering the kale, cabbage, Brussels, and sunflowers? I want the sunnies to go to seed so should I be watering them?

 

[7thswan]

This time of year we do not have to water, just rain is enough. But I suggest looking up some way to prevent the birds from getting your sunflowers. Keep watching the heads to determine how far along the seeds are growing. When ready, cut and dry the head somewhere where mice cannot get them.

 

[po boy]

Water veggies when they need it.

 

[light rain]

7thSwan, how do you know when the sunflower heads are ready to bring in and dry? Last year a lot of them molded. This year the gold finches have been feasting on the heads. I don't mind so much since they were all volunteer but it would be nice to hang a few in the winter months.

Have you heard of any practical way to de-shell sunflower seeds other than cracking them with your teeth and popping out the meat? We like to eat them too!

myfourfireflies, I would continue to throw compost or some other type of fertilizer around the kale to keep those green leaves producing. I have wild kale and lacinato kale and they are really doing gangbusters in this cooler weather.

 

[Mrs. Thankful]

For sunflowers- Are they black oil or confectionery? (doesn't make a difference- I am just curious)

You need to put a bag over there heads to keep your harvest, otherwise the birds will get most of them.

I would stop watering them and either tie a cheesecloth type bag on their heads (they still need air to circulate).

When they are ready, snip them and take the heads (in the bags) into your work area. They need to dry some more- store in cool, dark place for a few days (I leave them all in the bags).

In 3-5 days take them out of the bags and bang the heads together over a clean bucket. The seeds should be lose enough to just come out.

Let me know how it goes

I haven't grown them for years.

 

[my4fireflies]

Thanks! They are "mammoth" sunflowers. I don't know is that makes them black oil or confectionary?

 

[Mrs. Thankful]

The black oil ones, you make sunflower oil with and the birds lovvve these. The confectionery ones, are the ones that people eat.

Black oil seeds are all black confectionery ones have a white stripe down the middle of the seed.

I believe that the Mammoth is the confectionery type.

If you don't have a cheesecloth type bag- just use brown paper bags but tie a string around the bottom.

 

[my4fireflies]

I have nylon produce bags with a fine mesh. I have found that EARWIGS love sunflowers. BLECH. I am thinking about just tying cheesecloth. I have grown these a couple of times at my first home about 10 years ago but ugly little worms got to them first and then the squirrels came and cut them down and hauled them off!!! I want to WIN the Battle of The Sunnies this year! (I only have a few but still....THEY. ARE. MINE. LOL)

 

[handymama]

Do the cheesecloth. Evil furry rats with fluffy tails!